Review the structure of a sonnet (see lit terms on edline).
Read Collins' "Sonnet" following the handout from class.
In your post, explore how Collins' both adheres to and strays from the sonnet form to achieve his purpose.
Please respond on or before Sept. 22.
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In addition to referencing Petrarch, "Sonnet" also talks about getting "Elizabethan," which is a reference to Shakespeare. Similarly, it mentions "the iambic bongos," which I thought a clever way of speaking of iambic pentameter, which is the traditional meter of sonnets. I enjoyed that while Collins did not actually incorporate many aspects of the traditional sonnet, he does include them in his "Sonnet" by speaking of them and thus teaching about them.
After reading “sonnet”, and doing some research, I concluded that the author was deliberately defying the most important part of writing a sonnet, which is the rhyme pattern. He uses the 14 line rule, but doesn’t follow any type of rhythm. It also seemed as if the author was actually mocking the sonnet idea, when he refers to Laura (who represents the source of Petrarch his sonnet writing) telling Petrarch to put down his pen. It seems as if the author wants Petrarch/sonnet to “go to bed”/ or not exist at all.
The sonnet seems to represent poetry in a sateric nutshell: references that were picked up apon by other students, as references are used in many other literary pieces. Billy recognizes the rules of sonnets and briefly dances apon them, and in the end he mocks other poetry and their resolutions and how "into the final six where all will be resolved". I enjoyed this poem and its lightness which can be researched into finding the many deeper meanings of simple syntax.
"Sonnet" is a great example of a light-hearted, modern, free-verse sonnet. It's satirical and makes fun of the structure of a poem (lines 1,2,5,6,7,8), its content (lines 3,10,11) and its history (12,13,14) to introduce the reader to sonnets.
From the very first line, Collin talks about how a sonnet is structured and how there needs to be "fourteen lines, well thirteen now." He sticks to this convention. However when it comes to the more rigid Elizabethan style sonnets, Collin expresses his dislike at the rules (iambic bongos, rhymes) and does not stick to the convention.
At line 3, he pokes fun of the content of many sonnets, "to launch a little ship on love's storm-tossed sea." Sonnets are about stories contained within themselves and Collins tells us that in the last 6 lines when he states "into the final siz where all will be resolved."
Finally, at the end, Collins provides us a little about the history of Sonnets by giving us "Petrarch" and "medieval". Effectively conveying both the most famous early sonneteer and time period sonnets originated in. Laura, a common subject in Petrarch's poems is also mentioned here.
"Sonnet" is a particularly interesting sonnet because it does indeed both adhere to and stray from the guidelines of a typical sonnet. As others have stated, it is 14 lines and turns on the 9th line (I do love the line "hang on here while we make the turn"). However, it most noticeably drifts from a typical format in its like of rhyme scheme. This fact and line 9 lead me to agree with ashleigh, I agree that the author seems to be mocking the sonnet structure. I love the irony of this "let's make fun of a sonnet b y writing one" technique.
Collin's defies all the conventions of sonnet writing in his witty poem "Sonnet". As pointed out already, he mocks the accepted form and content while magically staying true the entire time. However, I found the last line of the poem most interesting. He finally utilizes iambic pentameter after mocking it as "iambic bongos" earlier. I also enjoyed the irony of the poem; Collin’s is able to show readers what a sonnet is supposed to be while being sarcastic about it the entire time.
"Sonnet" is a satire which manages to be serious about sonnets and their history. It reads in rather a relaxed tone and makes fun of the vast material that sonnets attempt to cover in merely 14 lines. This is ironically one of the few rules for a sonnet that Collins does follow. He targets italian style sonnets with the structure he uses. He has an octet in which he discusses the difficulties of portraying ideas. Then addresses where the change occurs in line 9. The 9-14 sestet discusses the resolution of the sonnets issues. He uses Petrarch with his lover in order to show the success of this poetry regardless of it's brevity. The final irony is that Collins actually does aptly deliver this message to the reader. I found that to be the most funny.
going last is unsatisfying, because there's little i can say that's new.
there's no consistent meter being used, the rhyme scheme is none existant, but the lines flow well and almost rhyme such as lines 11, 12, and 14 (end pen and bed and 13 and 14 (tights and lights)
he does have 14 lines. and does explain that in the first seven you build conflict and in the last seven the conflict is resolved. the poem itself seems to build frustration in the first seven and then turns to lighthearted mockery.
the writer's opinion of a sonnet seems to be that it's easier than the writers of sonnets make it out to be, and that the iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme are just annoying. and that petrarch worked to hard on it, should take off his "crazy" medieval tights (indicating more mockery) and go to bed.
what i didnt understand is line eight "one for every station of the cross" i couldn't figure out what it was referring to.
I agree with all of the comments below. I think that Collin's poem as a satirical tone, similar to that of "Thesaurus". He is writing a poem about something related to English, but he is being ironic about it. I think this style of writing draws people to it. This "Sonnet" is not your commonly written sonnet as it doesn't have the usual shakespearean love story behind it. Many sonnets that I have read are dedicated to being in love or the loss of love. However, "Sonnet" chooses a different theme and touches on famous people connected to the sonnet while pertaining a satirical tone about the writing of it.
Collins seems to be suggesting, just as he did in the poem he wrote about poetry, that kids try too hard to stick to the sonnet style that they stray from the true purpose of writing. Students become so wrapped up in getting the structure right, they end up writing a sonnet with little meaning in it. Collins has chosen an extreme case of this in order to show us that we need to worry less about structure, and more about content.
"Sonnet" deviates from what we consider a sonnet, but what can we really consider a sonnet? Elizabethan sonnets are not true sonnets in a sense. Could this be a new format for a sonnet? Just have the fourteen lines without many rhymes. As Christina said, there are lines with rhymes contained within them, so there is still a pattern. It is just subtle version of rhymes. Since there is a change in attitude, the format of the poem can be changed as that of the Shakesperean sonnet.
I do agree that he is mocking the format of the sonnet and its rules and regulations, but it does give the reader a new idea of what a sonnet really is.
But I could be completely wrong and just wasted a lot of time thinking about this.
I believe that Collins' "Sonnet" is a humorous take on the traditional sonnet. Not only does he discard some important aspects of a sonnet like the rhyming structure, but he also pokes fun at the cliche subject matter of a sonnet with the lines "to launch a little ship on love's storm-tossed seas" and "where longing and heartache will find an end." Many sonnets are about love and he teases them about that. He is very clever in his way of mocking a sonnet, while writing one at the same time which helps us learn how to appreciate them just like the first poem that we read about beating the poems with the hose (the name escapes me right now). I enjoyed this twist of the original sonnet.
Good insights folks. Several of you mentioned that the poem is satiric. What specifically supports this as a tone? Also, don't feel as though you all have to explicate the poem; instead, try to comment on a specifc insight from another classmate and expand on it or disagree with it! You could even focus on one line or one image! Good thinking here. We'll see more Collins soon.
Collin's "Sonnet" is full of satire and wit without being overwhelming and confusing. I really enjoyed reading it and laughing at the way he makes fun of Elizabethan poetry and the strict "rules" of writing it.
Its obvious just from the first two lines that he is poking fun at the format of regular sonnets. I agree with Chris's point of what exactly makes a sonnet. Collin's in a way tries to convey this same point. By simply writing this poem he epitomizes his idea of poetry without rules.
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