Question

Which statements about William Shakespeare’s sonnets are true? Check all that apply.

Answer 1

The correct answers are:

-They have a fixed rhyme scheme and structure

- They often present a question and an answer

- They often present a problem and a solution

- They frequently focus upon love and romance

Happy to help.

Answer 2

The statements that apply about William Shakespeare’s sonnets are:

1. It consists of three quatrains and a couplet unlike the Italian division of an octave and a sestet. The meter is predominantly Iambic pentameter with each sonnet line consisting of ten syllables.

2. They often present a problem and a solution. Shakespeare usually presents a problem in the first octet (8 lines) and a solution in the sestet (6 lines) with a volta (a turn) in line 9 which transitions from problem to solution.

3. They were originally written in Italian. The  sonnet form originated in Italy and was popularised by Italian masters like Petrarch, Dante and Michelangelo.

4. They frequently focus upon love and romance. Originally used as a medium to express love, Shakespeare’s sonnets  went on to explore different themes like friendship, passage of time, beauty and mortality.