The sonnet was originally an Italian verse form with quite particular rules.
It became popular in England in the sixteenth century and poets began
experimenting with its form.
The fourteen lines were kept, but from Shakespeare onward the strict rules
were ignored and many variations on the rhyme scheme have been tried, most
famously by Wordsworth and Milton.
The rhyme structure used in the worksheet is that favoured by Shakespeare.
To encourage first attempts some words and phrases are printed onto the form.
This restricts the subject matter, but also shows that sonnets do not have
to be about nature or love!
A sonnet is normally in iambic pentameter as explained on the
Aboard the Pentameter worksheet.
For further information on this sort of game click on games listed under BASIC CRAFT in the INDEX side bar.
