As part of our ‘Ask the Expert Tutor’ series, we will be discussing the sonnets of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s plays and poetry can be found on English curricula throughout the world, including IB Literature and IGCSE English.

Taken from the Italian ‘sonetto’ meaning ‘little song’, the sonnet is one of the most recognisable and widely used poetic forms. Traditionally, the sonnet is composed of fourteen lines and written in a tightly structured metre—in English this is iambic pentameter—and with a well-defined rhyme scheme. There are two types of sonnets that form the model for all others. These are the Petrarchan and the Shakespearean sonnet. The former does not find much of a place on contemporary school curricula, but the latter occurs in both the IB and IGCSE English courses, as well as a variety of others.

Published in 1609, Shakespeare’s sonnets are classic texts in the world of English literature. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets that feature in the published collection—although, IB and IGCSE students will not have to study all that many. IB and IGCSE students studying Shakespeare’s sonnets will focus on a select few, so as to ensure greater understanding and depth of analysis.

The sonnets themselves are written, as is the tradition, in a fourteen-line structure. They are composed in iambic pentameter and consist of three quatrains and a couplet, all following an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme. Shakespeare’s sonnets touch on a variety of themes, including the passage of time, mortality, beauty, and love. The bulk of the sonnets (126 out of 154) are directed at an unnamed young man. The remaining sonnets (28 in total) are either addressed to or refer to an unnamed woman.

IB or IGSCE students who study Shakespeare’s sonnets should be well versed in the poetic form. They should be able to recognise the metre and rhyme scheme with ease, as well as comfortably use the language of poetry, such as ‘quatrain’ and ‘couplet’. IB and IGCSE students must also be aware of Shakespeare’s use of a ‘volta’, or turn, whereby the mood of the poem shifts and the poet expresses a turning of thought.

Sonnet 116—notice that Shakespeare does not name his sonnets—remains one of Shakespeare’s most recognised love poems. Consequently, it is commonly encountered by both IB and IGCSE students. The poem itself reads as follows: 

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 wand'ring 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 prov'd,

I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.

While it may seem daunting at first, a well-practised IB or IGCSE student can easily decipher Sonnet 116. First, look closely at the language of the poem. Shakespeare often uses the word ‘love’ or some variation on it, and appears to be discussing marriage. Looking a bit closer at the poem, an IB or IGCSE student may spot the lines ‘Love is not love/Which alters when it alteration finds’, which looks like an attempt by the author to define love within the poem. From the surface meaning of this quote, we can also see Shakespeare’s basic definition of love as ‘Love does not change with the circumstances, but rather stays true even in times of difficulty’.

By applying this definition of love to the rest of the poem, an IB or IGCSE student can see that it makes sense for the poem as a whole, or, at the very least, there are no major holes in it. Therefore, one formulation of the author’s purpose could be that ‘Shakespeare aims to persuade his readers that the ideal form of marital love is one that remains steadfast and true, even when faced with obstacles.’ From here, a student’s analysis can follow the standardised PEEL paragraph structure, comforted by the knowledge that they understand the poet’s purpose behind the work.

Poetry can be a challenging aspect of any English curriculum, and no more so than the sonnets of William Shakespeare. Without guidance, students can often get lost in the dense imagery brought about through Shakespeare’s writing. Moreover, students may struggle to articulate their thoughts on the poems, which is of particular concern for exam year students like those at IB level.

At BartyED, our team of expertly trained English tutors are here to offer the much needed guidance and encouragement for students engaged in the study of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Our tutors approach each student as an individual so as to better evaluate what it is that they find most difficult in analysing and writing on Shakespeare’s sonnets. In doing so, the student, whether engaged in the IB, IGCSE, or another exam board, gains a greater understanding of the poetry and how best to compose a high-scoring analytical response.

If you think you or your child could benefit from a BartyED tutor’s help, reach out to us today at 2882 1017, or by email at enquiries@bartyed.com.

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