Sonnet form
A highly structured poetic form consisting of 14 lines, typically in iambic pentameter, with a prescribed rhyme scheme and volta (turn). The two main sonnet types are Petrarchan (Italian) and Shakespearean (English).
Real World
Carol Ann Duffy deliberately subverts the love-sonnet tradition in 'Valentine', rejecting roses and satin hearts in favour of an onion, showing how modern poets use and challenge the sonnet's 600-year association with romance.
Exam Focus
Compare Petrarchan and Shakespearean structures by name — examiners expect you to identify which type and explain how form shapes meaning.
How well did you know this?