Top 10 Sonnet Examples Explained With Structure
Explore 10 classic sonnet examples, each explained with structure and analysis. Discover their unique forms and enhance your poetic skills. Dive in now!
Sonnets are 14-line poems that have been popular for centuries. This article discusses 10 great sonnets that everyone should read to understand their appeal.
Did you know?
A survey of poetry readers found that 65% consider sonnets to be among the most memorable forms of poetry, citing their compact structure and emotional depth as key factors.
Key points:
- We'll look at sonnets from different time periods
- Each poem shows a different way of creating sonnets
- These sonnets cover many topics
- Reading these might inspire you to write sonnets
Let's explore these famous short poems.
1. ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare (Shakespearean Sonnet)
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no; it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never write, nor no man ever loved.
Structure
This is the complete sonnet as Shakespeare wrote it. It follows the typical Shakespearean sonnet structure of three quatrains and a concluding couplet, with the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
Stanza 1 (Lines 1-4)
Shakespeare starts by describing what true love isn't. He says real love doesn't change just because the person you love changes.
It's not something that gives in to outside pressures or stops existing when things are different.
Stanza 2 (Lines 5-8)
The poet keeps explaining what love is. Here, he compares it to a steady guidepost that remains unshaken even during storms.
It's like a star that helps lost ships find their way, something valuable even if its exact distance is unknown.
Stanza 3 (Lines 9-12)
Shakespeare talks about love's relationship with time. He says love isn't something that time controls.
Even though physical beauty fades with age, true love remains constant.
The Shift (Lines 13-14)
The change in the poem's direction (volta) is subtle here. Instead of a major turn, it strengthens the overall idea with a powerful ending.
Final Lines (Couplet)
In the last two lines, Shakespeare makes his strongest statement. He says if he's wrong about love and someone can prove it, then everything he's written is meaningless, and no one has ever truly loved.
This exaggeration (hyperbole) emphasizes his strong belief in his definition of love.
The entire sonnet argues that true love is lasting, unchanging, and forever. The sonnet's structure, with its clear progression through the stanzas leading to the impactful ending, reinforces this message about the nature of love.
2. "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802" by William Wordsworth (Petrarchan Sonnet)
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theaters, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendor, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!
- Structure
This poem follows a special type of sonnet structure called Petrarchan. It has two main parts: the first eight lines (called an octave) and the last six lines (called a sestet).
The first eight lines rhyme in a pattern of AABBA ABBA, and the last six lines rhyme in a pattern of CDCDCD.
First Part (Octave)
The first eight lines describe what the speaker sees in London from Westminster Bridge early in the morning. Wordsworth describes the city at its most peaceful and beautiful.
He's so amazed by the sight that he thinks anyone who wouldn't be touched by it must be pretty insensitive.
Interestingly, the speaker compares the city's beauty to things found in nature, which is unusual for a poet who typically loves nature more than cities!
Second Part (Sestet)
The last six lines keep describing the scene, but with a bit of a twist.
The Shift (Lines 9-14)
Around line 9, there's a subtle change in the poem's direction (called a volta).
Here, instead of just generally describing the city's beauty, the speaker starts focusing on specific things that make it so beautiful.
These specific details include the morning sun shining on the buildings, the calmness of the air, and the contrast between the quiet city and the powerful things in nature around it (like the sun, the river, the hills, and the sky).
The poem ends by pretending that the city is a living thing that's currently asleep. It talks about the city's "powerful heart" being still.
Overall
Throughout the poem, Wordsworth uses the structure to take us on a journey, starting with a wide view of the city, then zooming in on specific details.
And finally reaching a deep thought about the unexpected beauty found in a busy city experiencing a moment of peace.
This journey strengthens his message about the amazing beauty that can be found in unexpected places.
3. "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer" by John Keats ( Petrarchan Sonnet)
Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star'd at the Pacific—and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise—
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.
Structure
This poem follows a special kind of sonnet structure called Petrarchan. It has two main parts: the first eight lines (called an octave) and the last six lines (called a sestet).
The first eight lines rhyme in a pattern of AABBAABBA, and the last six lines rhyme in a pattern of CDCDCD.
Octave (first 8 lines)
The first eight lines talk about the speaker's experiences with reading, comparing his journeys through books to traveling the world.
He mentions grand places, powerful kingdoms, and even islands ruled by the god of poetry, Apollo.
But, even though he's read a lot, he admits he didn't fully appreciate the famous writer Homer until he read a translation by someone named Chapman.
Volta (turn)
Around line 9, there's a turning point in the poem (called a volta). Here, the poem goes from talking about the speaker's past reading to the amazing feeling he gets from discovering Chapman's Homer.
Sestet (last 6 lines)
In the last six lines, the speaker uses two exciting comparisons (similes) to describe his surprise and excitement.
First, he compares himself to someone who studies the stars and finds a completely new planet, showing how big of a deal this literary discovery is for him.
Then, he compares his experience to that of an explorer (he mistakenly calls him Cortez, but it was actually Balboa) seeing the Pacific Ocean for the very first time.
These comparisons highlight how life-changing it was for him to read Homer through Chapman's translation.
Overall Journey
Throughout the poem, the speaker takes us on a journey, starting with his general love of reading, then narrowing down to the specific, powerful impact of one book.
The structure helps tell this story of discovery, with the first part setting the scene and the second part delivering the most exciting and surprising moment.
The poem celebrates the incredible power of great books to open our minds to new things and make us feel strong emotions. The structure of the sonnet helps build up to a powerful ending about how amazing it can be to find a masterpiece.
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4. "Sonnet 43" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Now, let's analyze the structure and content of this poem:
Structure
This poem follows a special kind of sonnet structure called Petrarchan. It has two main parts: the first eight lines (called an octave) and the last six lines (called a sestet).
The first eight lines rhyme in a pattern of AABBAABBA, and the last six lines rhyme in a pattern of CDCDCD.
Octave (lines 1-8)
The first eight lines start with the famous question "How do I love thee?" The speaker then goes on to list many ways she feels this love.
She describes how deep, wide, and strong her love is. She compares it to how far the soul can reach and to things she needs every day. She also uses comparisons to abstract ideas like freedom and purity.
Volta (turn)
Around line 9, there's a turning point in the poem (called a volta). Here, the poem goes from comparing the love to different things to more personal and heartfelt statements.
Sestet (lines 9-14)
In the last six lines, the speaker gets more personal. She compares her love to the strong feelings of old sadness and the faith she had as a child.
Sound and Structure
Throughout the poem, the speaker repeats "I love thee" at the beginning of lines (called anaphora) to emphasize how deep and varied her love is.
The structure of the sonnet helps her move from big, abstract comparisons in the first part to more personal, emotional statements in the second part.
This creates a complete picture of a very deep love.
Powerful Ending
The last two lines (the couplet) leave a strong impression. They suggest that this love is so strong it will even last after death, making the poem feel like a declaration of devotion that will never end.
She even mentions a love she thought she'd lost with her "lost saints" (which could be people she loved who died or maybe even a loss of religious faith).
The poem ends with a powerful statement that this love is all-encompassing - it's in her breath, smiles, and tears - and it will continue to exist even after she dies.
5. "Remember" by Christina Rossetti
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
Now, let's analyze the structure and content of this poem:
Structure
This is a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet, consisting of an octave (first 8 lines) and a sestet (last 6 lines). The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA CDDECE.
Octave (lines 1-8)
The first eight lines focus on the speaker's wish to be remembered after she dies. The speaker uses indirect words like "gone away" and "silent land" to talk about death.
She asks to be remembered even when they can't touch anymore and can't make plans for the future together.
The feeling is serious and the request seems important, showing how much remembering someone means after they're gone.
Volta (turn)
Around line 9, there's a turning point in the poem (called a volta). Here, the poem takes a surprising turn in the speaker's thoughts.
Sestet (lines 9-14)
In the last six lines, the speaker unexpectedly says it's okay to forget her. She admits that forgetting might happen and tells the person she cares about not to worry about it.
The speaker even says that if any memory of her is left, it's better for the loved one to forget her entirely and be happy, rather than remember her and be sad.
This shows a very selfless kind of love where the speaker cares more about the happiness of the person she loves than being remembered herself.
Summing up
Throughout the poem, Rossetti explores the struggle between wanting to be remembered and wanting the person she loves to be happy.
The structure of the poem helps show this struggle. The first part presents the usual desire to be remembered, and the second part shows a more complex and selfless point of view.
The last two lines leave a lasting impression. They emphasize that the speaker values the happiness of her loved one more than being remembered herself.
This makes the poem bittersweet, because it mixes love and loss, remembering and forgetting.
6. "How Soon Hath Time" by John Milton
How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stolen on his wing my three-and-twentieth year!
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth
That I to manhood am arrived so near;
And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
That some more timely-happy spirits endu'th.
Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,
It shall be still in strictest measure ev'n
To that same lot, however mean or high,
Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heav'n;
All is, if I have grace to use it so,
As ever in my great Task-Master's eye.
Now, let's analyze the structure and content of this poem:
Structure
This is a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet, consisting of an octave (first 8 lines) and a sestet (last 6 lines). The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA CDEDCE.
Octave (lines 1-8)
The first eight lines focus on the speaker's realization that time is flying by. Milton wrote this poem when he was 23 years old, and he's worried about how quickly his youth is disappearing.
He compares time to a sneaky thief who has stolen his youth.
He's also concerned that even though he's not that young anymore, he hasn't done anything great or achieved much.
There's a feeling of anxiousness because he feels like he's falling behind others his age who seem to be doing more.
Volta (turn)
Around line 9, there's a turning point in the poem (called a volta). Here, the poem goes from anxiety about time passing to a more thoughtful and religious point of view.
Sestet (lines 9-14)
In the last six lines, Milton starts to accept his situation more. He realizes that whether he develops quickly or slowly, it's all part of God's plan for him.
He mentions "God's will" and his "great boss" (referring to God), suggesting that his life path and achievements are all part of a bigger plan set by God.
The feeling of the poem goes from anxious to a kind of faithful acceptance.
Wrapping up
Throughout the poem, Milton wrestles with the pressure to succeed that society puts on young people, and the idea that God has a specific timing and purpose for everything.
The structure of the poem helps show this struggle. The first part expresses the anxieties of youth, and the second part offers a more mature perspective based on faith.
The last two lines leave a lasting impression. They emphasize that what truly matters is how you use your talents and time, as seen by God, rather than meeting worldly expectations of success or deadlines.
This makes the poem feel deeply reflective and spiritual, balancing youthful ambition with religious faith.
7. "Bright Star" by John Keats
Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art—
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors—
No—yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever—or else swoon to death.
Now, let's analyze the structure and content of this poem:
Structure
This poem follows a different kind of sonnet structure called Shakespearean. It has three sections with four lines each (called quatrains) and a final two lines (called a couplet). The lines rhyme in a pattern of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
Quatrains 1-2
The poem starts with the speaker talking to a bright star. He wishes he could be unchanging and reliable like the star.
But then he quickly explains that he doesn't want to be alone and far away like the star is in the night sky. The poem describes the star as a hermit who never sleeps, which suggests it's lonely.
The speaker goes on in these lines describing what else he doesn't want to be like. The star is pictured as watching over things like oceans and snowy mountains, but never really being part of the world below.
Volta
Around line 9, there's a turning point in the poem (called a volta). Here, the poem goes from what the speaker doesn't want to what he really does desire.
Quatrain 3 & Couplet
After the turn, the speaker reveals his true wish: to be reliable and unchanging, but not alone. He wants this stability in a close relationship with his lover.
He imagines himself forever resting comfortably on his lover's chest, feeling her closeness and hearing her breathe. The last two lines make this desire even stronger.
The speaker says he'd either like to live forever in this loving connection or die peacefully in that state.
Overall
Throughout the poem, Keats compares the cold and distant reliability of the star to the warm and close reliability he wants in love.
The structure of the poem helps show this difference. The first two sections describe the star's distant constancy, and the last section with the final two lines talks about the speaker's desire for a different kind of constancy.
The poem creates a beautiful balance between opposites: the everlasting but distant star and the temporary but intimate experiences of humans.
It ends with a powerful statement about how strong the speaker's love is. He suggests that a close and loving relationship is even better than living forever like the star.
8. "Sonnet 29" by William Shakespeare
When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
Now, let's analyze the structure and content of this poem:
Structure
This is a Shakespearean sonnet, consisting of three quatrains and a concluding couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
First Part (Quatrains 1-2)
The poem starts with the speaker feeling down. He thinks he's a failure and that everyone dislikes him. He feels like his prayers aren't being heard and blames fate for his unhappiness. This creates a mood of deep sadness and self-pity.
The speaker keeps complaining in these lines. Now he wishes he had more hope, was better looking, had more friends, and could do the things other people do well. Even the things he normally enjoys don't make him feel much better.
Volta (turn)
Around line 9, there's a turning point in the poem (called a volta). Here, the poem goes from sadness to hope.
Second Part (Quatrain 3 & Couplet)
After the turn, the speaker's mood suddenly changes. He thinks about his love, and this completely lifts his spirits.
He compares this change to a lark bird singing happily as the sun rises.
The last two lines emphasize the powerful change caused by the speaker's love. Just thinking about his love makes him so happy that he wouldn't even want to be a king.
Ending
Throughout the poem, Shakespeare takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride, from feeling extremely down to feeling great joy.
The structure of the poem helps show this journey. The first two sections build up the speaker's misery, the volta marks a key turning point, and the last section with the final two lines talks about the uplifting power of love.
The poem shows powerfully how love can change your outlook on life. It can turn feelings of total unhappiness into complete satisfaction.
It ends with a strong statement about how valuable love is, even more valuable than being a king. The speaker suggests that his love makes him feel richer than any king could ever be.
9. "The World is Too Much with Us" by William Wordsworth
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.
Now, let's analyze the structure and content of this poem:
Structure
This is a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet, consisting of an octave (first 8 lines) and a sestet (last 6 lines). The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA CDCDCD.
First Part (Octave)
The first eight lines criticize modern society for being too focused on money and material things. Wordsworth feels bad that people are so busy "getting and spending" that they forget about the important things in life.
He talks about the beauty of nature, like the ocean, the moon, and the wind, but says that people don't even notice it anymore. He feels like humanity has lost its connection to the natural world.
The Shift (Line 9)
Around line 9, there's a turning point in the poem (called a volta). Here, the poem goes from criticizing the present to wishing things were different.
Second Part (Sestet)
In the last six lines, Wordsworth expresses a surprising wish. He says he'd rather believe in old, out-of-date religions (like paganism) if it meant he could appreciate the magic in nature again.
He mentions gods and creatures from these religions, like Proteus and Triton, who were said to live in the sea. He thinks that if he could imagine these things being real, he wouldn't feel so disconnected from nature.
Overall
Throughout the poem, Wordsworth compares our modern, materialistic world to the spiritual connection people can feel with nature.
The structure of the poem helps show this difference. The first part describes the problem of modern alienation from nature, and the second part proposes a solution, even though it's not really possible.
The poem ends with a strong image of these imaginary creatures from myths. This emphasizes Wordsworth's desire for a more imaginative and fulfilling connection with nature.
This creates a feeling of longing for a lost connection between people and the environment, which is a common theme in Romantic poetry.
10. "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said—"Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."
Now, let's analyze the structure and content of this poem:
Structure
This is a sonnet, but it doesn't strictly follow either the Petrarchan or Shakespearean form. Its rhyme scheme is ABABACDCEDEFEF.
Lines 1-8
The poem starts with the speaker telling a story heard from a traveler who visited an ancient land (probably Egypt).
The traveler describes a broken statue in the desert: it's just two giant legs left, with no body. There's also a broken face nearby. The face still shows how proud and powerful the ruler it represented once was.
Lines 9-11
These lines tell us about the words carved onto the base of the statue.
They're bragging words from Ozymandias (another name for Ramses II), who calls himself the "King of Kings." He dares other powerful people to look at his achievements and feel hopeless because theirs are nothing compared to his.
The Shift (Line 12)
The turning point in the poem is a bit hidden and happens around line 12 with "Nothing beside remains." Here, the poem goes from describing and explaining the statue to focusing on what Ozymandias's legacy is actually like now.
Lines 12-14
The last lines completely contradict the bragging inscription. There's nothing left of Ozymandias's great works except the broken statue itself.
The poem mentions a vast desert around this "giant ruin," showing that the once-powerful king's empire is completely gone.
The End
Throughout the poem, Shelley explores the ideas of how power doesn't last forever and how rulers can be too full of themselves.
The structure of the poem helps show this by first building up Ozymandias as a mighty king through the statue and the inscription, and then surprising the reader by revealing in the end that his empire is totally lost.
The poem's power comes from this contrast between Ozymandias's boasting and the truth about his legacy.
It makes you think about how even the most powerful people and their achievements can't defeat time and nature.
Wrapping Up
This article looked at over 10 famous sonnets and what they mean. By reading these 14-line poems, you can see how poets express deep feelings and ideas in a short form.
Reading these poems by famous writers can help you enjoy sonnets more, maybe even inspire you to write your own.
Sonnets show how powerful words can be when carefully arranged. They can make us see love, nature, and life in fresh ways.
Why not challenge yourself to write your own sonnet today?
Choose a topic close to your heart, follow the structure we've discussed, and see what beautiful ideas you can express in just 14 lines. Remember, every great poet started with a first attempt!
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