Why does Shakespeare use lines that don't adhere to the familiar pentameter?
At times we find lines that are either 9 syllables or 11. Compare two poems that use lines with 11 syllables - in what way is the use similar or different?
Write your answers in the comments box below.
At times we find lines that are either 9 syllables or 11. Compare two poems that use lines with 11 syllables - in what way is the use similar or different?
Write your answers in the comments box below.
"That looks on tempests and is never shaken." The extra syllable could suggest that people (love) can prevail. It could also show that love outlasts storms (rough times). However it may also show that the line can deal with an extra syllable, suggesting that love can deal with an unbalanced rhythm. The extra syllable may cause a unbalance in the rhythm and therefore represent the tempest. Meaning that the unbalance is still there but the reader reads on, even if it is hard to correct the rhythm. Therefore the unnatural rhythm would represent an obstacle and being able to continue reading would represent Love's power.
ReplyDeleteThe line "When in eternal lines to time thou growest" also has an extra syllable."Eternal" and "growest" are the only words with more than one syllable. Shakespeare may have written this way for elongation. However, he may have used this to draw attention to the two words to emphasis them. The line being longer (than the others) may make the line feel more "eternal", like the other lines have died off but this one remains. If Shakespeare did mean for the extra syllable to how "eternal" power, the extra syllable could represent that the line has branched into an immortal time and therefore has become "eternal".
Unlike the first quote, the second quote's extra syllable is used for elongation and the meaning behind it. The first quote, however is used more for rhythm purposes and the metaphors of its effects.
Lowenna, this is a real pleasure to read - well done! You have extended your interpretation really well using the points under discussion in the lesson. What I particularly like here is your discussion about the ability of the line to handle something that is out of balance. This was a point I wanted to develop further in the lesson, but you've shown clarity in your understanding of it.
Delete'As any she belied with false compare'. This is the only line with eleven syllables in sonnet 130. The extra syllable in this line could be denoting how rare and unusual she is. The extra syllable shows us how rare she really is, as it is the last line of the poem too. She is strange and unique, as is the eleven-syllable line. The rest of the sonnet reads as Shakespeare describing her, not as the usual pale, soft-spoken woman of this time, but as a woman who has wiry hair and is not pale. She is different to those women and Shakespeare thinks her a rarity.
ReplyDelete'But bears it out even to edge of doom'. The eleventh syllable could represent their eternal love, how their love can push past the 'doom' and even through the unsavoury times they can still remain in love. This line also begins and ends with a feminine stress, showing that love is a woman. This fact also extends the line. The 'doom' can also be overcome- the edge of doom is also far away, the line could be longer because of this.
Both sonnets are based around the idea that love can continue no matter what the circumstance: Shakespeare still loves the woman although she is not conventional, similarly he describes how love can succeed no matter how terrible the situation happens to be.
Katie, you've beaten Eithne! Ha ha - well done. So happy with your development over the past two years! I feel, with the line you've chosen, that the rarity is really highlighted and you've nailed this point. I'd be really interested to see how you unpick a poem completely independently, I think you'd do a great job of it. How could you support the idea that love is a woman other than the feminine stresses holding the line together - could you expand your understanding here?
DeleteSonnet 1 - 'Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel'. I think this line uses the main text itself to modify the amount of syllables. 'Light' and 'flame' can be interpreted as a form of energy that is unique in its own standard, that It "thrives" upon the words as a form of consuming a fuel, and that powers its own words. The 'self-substantial' section can emphasise that this line is living, it's consuming, it's growing.
ReplyDeleteSonnet 116 - 'That looks on tempests and is never shaken'.
In this line I think it uses its extra syllable as a way to state that the love can handle storms and can push through obstacles. The actual physical structure of the line implies that the line is bigger and stronger and can overcome many tempests.
In the first sonnet he uses the extra syllable as a way to show that the text itself is modifying its structure to help emphasise the main subject of the line. However the second sonnet uses its extra syllable as a way to express his love by changing the physical rhythm to intensify its singularity.
James I think you need to be a lot clearer, concerning the line you've chosen for Sonnet 1, in terms of why the line is longer and how this connects to flames etc...
DeleteYour point about Sonnet 116 is clear and insightful.
You link the two sonnets very well in your conclusion - well done with this. We just need to look at how you structure your response as it's always better to start with a point you evidence and then go on to explain, rather than start with the quotation.
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ReplyDeleteSonnet 130: ‘’ An yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare’’
ReplyDeleteShakespeare uses 11 syllables in this line, with intention, to stress how his love is rare. He ends with rare using a feminine stress, suggesting that women are weak/ unstressed. This explain that his love towards this woman is rare- someone who he loves dearly. Her English skin would be pale as she wouldn’t go outside often. In this sonnet, he uses regular iambic pentameter up until the 13th line, this line. He does this to show that there must be something special and important that he wants to tell us about. He is stressing that his love can’t be broken.
Sonnet 116: ‘’ But bears it out even to the edge of doom’’
The operative word in this line is doom. He is emphasizing doom, it is the aphoristic language. The moral behind this word is that it sounds dramatic and has biblical reference; Shakespeare is a Christian and this suits the audience. He leaves doom on a weak, feminine stress to highlight it being there: it can be overcome. Doom is extended because of the extra syllable- the edge of doom is far away.
These two lines use 11 syllables to stress words, usually at the end of the line. He wants to emphasize and make it longer, it can show how strong love is or how far away doom is. He also uses speech patterns to stress points with our up and down speech pattern.
Why do you suppose the word 'rare' requires the feminine stress in Shakespeare's eyes?
Delete'operative' is a great word to use and serves you well! Not sure that it is the 'moral'. But yes - doom can be overcome, a good point - well done!
In sonnet 116, three lines stand out as being one syllable longer than the others. "That looks on tempests and is never shaken", "Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken" and "But bears it out even to the edge of doom". These lines are all describing the 'power' of love and how strong it can be. The extra syllables may have been added to show that love can break any boundary, any rule. It can even infringe on the rules of sonnet structure.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 130, the only line that differs from the rest is the 13th. "And yet, by heaven, I think my love is rare". The fact that the line is unique in itself emphasises the idea of a 'rare' relationship with his mistress.
Both these sonnets convey the idea of love and the things it can do, and the 11 syllable lines have been used to highlight these concepts.
I like your point that the 11th syllable can infringe on the rules - excellent Robert.
DeleteGood point on 130.
Bit of an obvious conclusion - could you have added to your analysis here?
In Sonnet 1 Shakespeare uses the line 'And, tender churl, makest waste in niggarding' which contains 11 syllables. I think the 11 syllables in this line refer to the selfish society described by Shakespeare. The sonnet is about us (as a human species) desiring more beauty amongst us; Shakespeare uses the word 'niggarding' to show our selfish love for our attractive youth. From this I can infer that the extra syllable is representing the for mentioned selfishness of the line, using one extra syllable because we choose to over indulge in what we have at it's prime, rather than utilising it to get what we need later on in our lives. The extra syllable upsets the rhythm of the line reflecting the effect selfishness of our beauty can cause - not hurrying to pass on our good looks whilst we have them and waiting until it is to late leaving the 'heirs' only with a 'memory' causing an unbalance in our nation's beauty.
ReplyDeleteSonnet 116 'Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken' may suggest that the extra syllable represents love's unknown worth, emphasising how valuable it actually is. Shakespeare uses a masculine stress on the word 'worth's' because the worth, although 'unknown' is great, the strong dominating stress mimicking the strength of the force of love and it's worth. If this is what Shakespeare intended then the I believe the reason the line is lengthened is to give the feel of the impact of the love on every reader: altering the line as love will alter the reader.
Both use of extra syllables are used to create an impression upon the reader reflecting the meaning of the sonnet in general. However the first example is used to caution our human faults and teach us as a society whereas the second tries to impress a force that is a cure to our faults.
Excellent link between structure, language and context Eithne! Well worth the wait here, well done. (aforementioned: sp). Clear and evaluative. Your further analysis of the meaning is extremely lucid and spot on!
DeleteFantastic idea behind why "worth's" a masculine stress, remember to add 'arguably, as this is a view you have come to rather than a conclusion after coffee and cake with Shakespeare himself.
Check grammar in conclusion and whether you waste sentences not actualy justifying or adding to the argument.
Excellent work!
In sonnet 18, shakespear expresses his emotions and opinions about his mistress. On line 12 there is 11 syllables as he wants to expand the meaning of the line 'When in eternal lines to time thou growest'. He is talking about the fact that true, honest, love shall not be damaged or even effective by time itself. He aslo is trying to prevail to the reader that love isnt changed but it grows as time passes.
ReplyDeleteThis example can contrast to line '6' in sonnet 116 - 'That looks on tempest and is never shaken', shakespear is trying to say that love shall prevail through a tempest (a storm at sea) or any impediment that may stand in loves way.
In both of these sonnets, shakespear is trying to emphisise the fact that people who are in deep, eternal and endless love shall always have the same feelings for each other... No matter what.
Sp: Shakespeare
DeleteGr: 'are 11 syllables'
prevail or suggest?
Good development of point regarding growth and time and use of comparison. You show understanding, but I would like to see you deepen your analysis.
In sonnet 116 the line "That looks on tempests and is never shaken" Shakespeare has tried to express his view on love and the fact that love is greater and more powerful, than an ideal sea storm. The fact he has used elven syllables and not ten almost indicates how powerful love can be when it is at it's most forceful form.
ReplyDeleteWhere as in sonnet 130 "And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare" the meaning behind this particular line isn't as complicated as in sonnet 116. The meaning is clear enough. Shakespeare is saying that his love for this unusual woman is rare and he sees a different kind of beauty. The beauty of intelligence. He is also suggesting that perhaps we should look beyond the world of cliché beauty or what society suggest is beautiful and make up our own minds. The fact he has used eleven syllables indicates that his love is in fact rare, as that is the only line that contains eleven syllables.
But whether Shakespeare is talking about him self or someone else, his full meaning of both sonnets is still that love is powerful but only when true and pure.
it's = it is
DeleteGood point developed and expanded concerning power.
SP: Whereas (one word)
You clearly understand Shakespeare's intent in sonnet 130 and you support this well.
A good summary of learning Libby - well done.
Do you think the fact that the word 'shaken' is shared by the end of one iamb and the incomplete beginning of another emphasises the sense of something being shaken?
In sonnet 1 shakespeare wrote about the main goal of life, reproducing.Shakespeare is addressing this sonnet to a friend; warning them about the dangers of living life slowly. In the first line shakespeare said "From fairest creatures we desire increase" which translates as good looking men/women are what everyone wants to be or have. This would suggest that people get distracted by the appeal of a person instead of the personality of others which helps me infer that people in those times could have generally been shallow or blinded by idealism. Shakespeare then goes on to say "And, tender churl,makest waste in niggarding". This line has 11 syllables which i think i used to emphasise the fact that the human society desire nothing more than beauty as they selfishly argue. "Niggarding" is to be a miser or being selfish and "churl" is over indulgence or being greedy therefore i still believe that society has been blinded by the shallowness of beauty for the younger part of society.I think shakespeare used 11 syllables on that line to end the with the word"niggarding" as a masculine stress to emphasise the fact that being miserly is a powerful influence on the society and that they would rather bear time out until they were satisfied instead of indulging in what they had a specific time. This implies that the society are influencing gluttons.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 116, shakespeare used the line " That looks on tempests and is never shaken" which possesses 11 syllables. I think this line means that love itself can undergo rough sections but the final outcome is that it's never harmed or changed, it's still as strong as it was and will never be destroyed by obstacles.Shakespeare used the word "Tempest" over the word storm because he wanted to prove how great the threat was that love faced. Another reason is that shakespeare used 11 syllables to make sure that it ended in a feminine unstress which emphasises how strong love is and that love can prevail; love is a stronger force than a tempest and that love is stronger than death suggesting that it won't be obstructed by any threat. Shakespeare also wrote " But bears it out even to the edge of doom" which is also 11 syllables. I think that he used 11 syllables in this line to purposely end and start with a feminine unstressed;the line ends in the word "doom" which is supposed to be intimidating, however Shakespeare ended it with a feminine therefore this implies that it can be overcome. In this line the use of 11 syllables is to present the strength of "love" and that nothing can prevent it from achieving its target.
Overall, both of these sonnets used 11 syllables to stress the importance of sensitive emotions; sonnet 116 emphasises the impact of love and that it can overcome any intimidation which even adjusts the sonnets rhythm/structure and in sonnet 1 shakespeare dedicates the sonnet to informing his audience of the "niggarding" minds in society about their influential traits, allowing him to convey this by warning us of our faults.
Ed, your first paragraph ties language and context together with structure really well. You have really been specific in expanding your response (exceptional work!). Just be careful about what you suggest is masculine and feminine. It is the 'ing' ending of 'niggarding' that is feminine. You could argue that the ing modification that makes the noun/adjective into a verb suggests the action is weak or pointless, perhaps futile and wasteful.
DeleteYou have completely got the point in paragraph 2 and demonstrate some superb understanding!
Your overall sum up is very good as well Ed. By bringing it back to the context and the writer's intention you would be picking up an extra 8 marks out of ten if we were doing the coursework at this point. Well done.
In sonnet 116 and sonnet 18 Shakespeare has used 11 syllables on lines d,d,f on sonnet 116 and on lines f,f in sonnet 18.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 116 the 3 lines that have 11 syllables in each are about how true love is strong, no matter what happens the love will last to 'the edge of doom'. The love will never die if it is true love.
In sonnet 18 the 2 lines that have 11 syllables in each are about how love will be strong enough through out and it will grow over time.
The line ''That looks on tempests and is never shaken.'' The extra syllable might suggest that love can last and stay strong. It suggests that through the rough times, love will come out fine on the other side,like a boat in a storm. If the line can sound okay with an extra syllable, love with an extra impediment can be okay as well. The tempest is caused by the line being unbalanced and different. The audience can still read on even if it is slightly different. As for love can carry on even if some things do get in the way and change things a little bit.
The line ''When in eternal line to time thou growest'' has an extra syllable as well. Eternal and growest are the two words in the line that have more than 1 syllable. This may have been for effect. It causes attention because its different. By the lines taking longer to read and seem more eternal this could represent how true love is eternal. This was also the meaning in the previous sonnet.
Jasmine Burton.
Jas, I would refer to the lines by numbers and then additionally (if you think necessary) by the rhyme structure.
DeleteSp: throughout (one word)
I like how you have worked in the word 'impediment' to your explanation.
You are right to point out that 'eternal' and 'growest' (remember quotation marks)stand out in this line - do you think it effects the rhythm of the line at all?
Well done Jas, you have demonstrated your understanding well.
In the first line of sonnet 1 "From fairest creatures we desire increase" it emphasis's the statement showing us even the most beautiful still need to increase. The beauty must increase, for beauty has no limits. This sentence also has various other meanings, by "desire" Shakespeare is claiming his desperate urge for more beauty and it appears that personality and knowledge doesn't come into account. Lastly this sentence shows Shakespeare's frustrating to try and get the messages fixated. He addresses this poem to a young, handsome man and he is implying that he needs to find a true love so she can produce a multiple amount of handsome children, therefore increasing the beauty. This is yet another example showing the reader that beauty was also placed more valuable then a girls intelligence.
ReplyDeleteIn the 12th line Shakespeare says "And tender churl mak'st waste in niggarding." Niggarding implies being miserable and churl meaning selfishness. This states there society was influenced by the beauty, this was allowing themselves to become shallow and produce a judgmental image upon themselves. He uses 11 syllables in this sentence purely because he wants us to realize the truth, and how we indulge in senseless wisdom, requiring no intellectual thoughts.
SP: emphasises
DeleteHow does it emphasise the statement? You need to be clearer here.
You show understanding of Shakespeare's intentions behind his language choice.
GR: frustration
P: girl's
Sp: their
You need to be more specific in your response and why you think what you do. It's great that you are referring to context, but this needs to be developed so that it is clear to your reader.
In sonnet 130 'And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare' which uses 11 syllables because Shakespeare is saying that his love for her is rare and that only a few people will truly get the love that he gives her and that she is truly rare, he is comparing her to an object saying that although she is rare he will love her still and that she is unique. The word love is on a feminine stress because her love for him may be weaker and that she is feminine. This line is the first line in the rhyming couplet. The word heaven says that he will love her forever until they meet in heaven and that their love will never fade.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 116 'But bears it out even to the edge of doom' which uses 11 syllables because Shakespeare is saying that their love will bear out even to the edge of doom and that it is only getting stronger. The word doom is a feminine stress because it is a thing they can overcome together and that because it is feminine it is weak and they can overcome it easily. Their love bears out and it will outlast time.
Overall in both of these sonnets he used 11 syllables to emphasize the importance of love and that if you truly love someone it will outlast time and that it will bear out to the edge of doom. In sonnet 116 I think that he has stressed the importance of love and proved that if you truly love someone your love for each other will outlast time and carry one to the edge of doom.
In sonnet 130 he has used 11 syllables to emphasize the fact that true love is rare and that their love will never fade. It is also saying that she is truly rare and that she is unique. He is trying to prove that if you love someone then your love for each other will never end and it will only get stronger.
You demonstrate understanding of sonnet 130 in your opening, but you need to look at how you have expressed this - is it a little abrupt?
DeleteTip: use quotation marks around words from the sonnet, in this case 'love'
Clear understanding of an aspect of Sonnet 130 - well done.
Similar understanding shown over the use of 'doom' in Sonnet 116.
A good level of understanding taken form the lesson. Well done.
In sonnet 130 with a line of 11 syllables is 'And yet by heaven I think my love is rare'
ReplyDeleteThis shows that his love and love is a rare like a 11 syllable line. His love is nothing like any love he has had before, it's true an powerful like the heavens.
The other from sonnet 116 also a line with 11 syllables is 'That looks on tempest and is never shaken'
This shows that love can outlast storms.
When thinking of what these lines have in common is that they show love is strong and rare. It may be rare to find one love but when you do it will still have it's storms and battles to overcome, but still again true eternal love can rise and overcome it again.
You show understanding Malia, but you need to develop your discussion a bit. Have a look at Ed's reply. He has tied together a number of ideas and points to demonstrate his understanding and share his interpretation.
DeleteIn sonnet 130, Shakespeare uses an extra syllable in the line `And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare`. This added length can be interpreted as a reflection on the word `rare` itself, portraying the idea that this line (type) is rare within the sonnet. Shakespeare could easily have shortened this with heav'n or just `yet` but this eleven syllable line suspends the poem, leading into the final line and the next rhyme. Also, the commas used slow down the line and give it a stronger sense of rhythm, as though the phrases are coming in waves. This aids in the overall feel of the sonnet.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 18, Shakespeare uses eleven syllables in two lines. In both cases this makes them stand out more, as if this is the most important part of the sonnet. They also rhyme, so this extra syllable ties the lines more closely.
Shakespeare writes `Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest`. Again, Shakespeare could have said ow'st instead but kept this line at 11 syllables. The line before has the words `eternal` and `shall not fade`. This preceding line leads into the 11-syllable one, which can almost be described with these words.
Line 12, its rhyme, reads `When in eternal lines to time thou growest`. This again fits in with the `everlasting` words like `time` and `eternal lines`. The use of the word growest (which could be shortened to grow'st) adds to the time theme, as if the line is growing itself. The semicolon and extra syllable also lead nicely into the rhyming couplet, suspense is held.
Finally, sonnet 116 also has 11 syllable lines. `That looks on tempests and is never shaken`. Shakespeare could have said `storms` instead, but this extra syllable complies with the durability of the ever-fix~ed` mark of love. His use of the word `shaken` almost acts an indicator for the line being shaken, altered. The lengthened line also sticks to the theme of time, here set by `never`.
In line 12, Shakespeare also uses 11 syllables with `But bears it out even to the edge of doom`. Yet again, Shakespeare could have written `e'en`, still keeping the poetic rhythm, but chose not to. Of course, there is the idea of the feminine stress on `doom` because he can overcome doom. However, I think that the use of edge suggests suspense and tension, carried on with the `of doom`. All the words in this line have only one syllable, except `even`. I think Shakespeare does this to italicise the word, so `even` is made clear and prominent. Once again, the lengthened line and suspense leads in smoothly to the even(!), smooth, calmer rhyming couplet to finish the sonnet.
Very good understanding shown in the first paragraph Shaun. You have suggested that Shakespeare could have used a ten syllable line, but has clearly decided against this.
DeleteGood point that the lines are tied in two ways. You also bring in the idea that suspense is an effect of the punctuation - a thorough tying together of this idea across the devices would strengthen your discussion.
What do you mean by 'italicise' - are you trying to say it is emphasised?
I think it would really strengthen your discussion to bring in the context these sonnets were written in - what was their purpose? What aspect of Elizabethan society do they help portray or criticise?
The 11 syllable line in sonnet 130 is In sonnet 130, Shakespeare uses an extra syllable in the line `And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare`. I feel its 11 syllables because it's the message of the sonnet. He's getting across that although she has flaws and imperfections that he should not be interested in, in a rare circumstance he is in love with this woman despite these things.I feel, that it's 11 syllables, more than any other line because its's special.
ReplyDeleteRe-read your first clause.
Deleteit's = it is
Meg, read Ed's response please. This is somewhat underdeveloped.
In sonnet 18 the line “Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest” is elongated to symbolise the eternal beauty of his mistress, similar to the line, her beauty will always be extended beyond natural lengths and will surely be eternal. The line is longer than the rest which gives it certain uniqueness; this can also be interpreted as Shakespeare implying that her beauty is simply unique, unlike any other woman. Her unique beauty could never fade in his eyes, which is shown in the extension of the line.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 116 the line “But bears it out even to the edge of doom” is extended to symbolize doom as a feminine stress, feminine stressed are known as weak. Shakespeare is trying to imply that “Doom” is weaker and can always be overcome by love; he does this by extending the line, indicating that love can proceed through doom and overcome it.
In both sonnets, he uses the elongation of a line in two different ways. In sonnet 18 he uses this method as a way of expressing the eternal beauty and uniqueness of his maiden; in sonnet 116 he uses the extension to symbolise love overcoming doom.
How is it elongated - be specific about how this is achieved. You are quite right, but need to demonstrate you are aware how this takes place.
DeleteVery clear understanding of writer's meaning in sonnet 18 is illustrated here Racheal - well done.
Clear understanding of how an effect is achieved is shown in the second paragraph.
Well done your conclusion wraps your points up succinctly.
The two sonnets 116 and 18 are both telling the same sort of message. While sonnet 116 is saying how love will never fade and "looks on tempests and is never shaken", sonnet 18 is telling readers that beuty will never fade or go away. but the messages in the lines that have 11 sylablles insted of the usuall 10 in iambic pentameter both have their fair say.
ReplyDeletesonnet 116 suggests that love is something "that looks on tempests and is never shaken" maybe suggeting that even through the roughest of storms (a tempest) love doesn't go away, it "looks on tempests" maybe suggesting power over even the roughest of times. Where Shakespere could have juat as easily said "storms" he added an extra sylablle as though he wants this line to be thought about. a "tempest" is a storm at sea, which embeds even more power into your head to think about, and even if this horrific storm at sea is overcome (by love) there were a few losses. tempests have the power to kill people, meaning, and Shakespere knows this, love has the pwer ti kill, death is certantly on the cards.
Later in the sonnet he adds "but bears it out even to the edge of doom", suggeting, yet again, that love will carry on til "the edge of doom". If we look at the stresses (feminine, masculin) doom is on a feminine stress, could be suggesting that the feminine qualities of a woman out thinks the "doom" of the line. "Doom" is a very strong word so to put a feminine stress on it seems a bit silly. But to show a woman's love he's suggesting that women take away the death defying part of the word "doom". I like this sonnet, its my favorite of the few we've done and i really get the message he's trying to get to your head.
"Shall i compare thee to a summers day?" naaaaaahhhhhhh, summer is used regularly in poems to suggest beuty, but Shakespere has realised that summer is most likely not the steriotypical, sun shining, blue skies and short grass. summer has its doubts, ups and downs if you like, like women. They may not be great all the time but just one day being the steriotypical woman all men want can enlighten a man's day!!!
The 2 sonnets are very similar looking at them, but when you have a think, what Shakespere is actually trying to get accross in the 2 different sonnets is very different indeed.
Sp: beauty
DeleteYou clearly understand the use of the word 'tempest'. Re-read your work through as there are some simple grammatical errors as well as spellings.
Do you think that 'doom' is disempowered by the feminine stress?
You clearly understand some of the themes and how these are played with in the structure, but remember you need to practice an academic response rather than a talkative one. Have a read of Ed's work, but well done - you have tried to expand your work rather than taking the easy way out Oakland.
On line 12 in sonnet 18, ‘When in eternal lines to time thou growest:', Shakespeare uses 11 syllables instead of 10, I think this is because he wants to lengthen the line which corresponds to the message he is trying to convey, that love will last for a very long time. By elongating the length of this line Shakespeare shows that love will last longer than anything else as it is eternal and even death cannot break it. He explains that love is eternal and the longer it is around the stronger it will get.
ReplyDeleteHe also uses the idea that nothing can break eternal love in sonnet 166, line 6, ‘that looks on tempests and is never shaken;’, because the extra syllable shows that love can deal with an unbalanced and irregular rhythm and because it is eternal it can also overcome any obstacles that get in its way. Shakespeare could have simply used the word ‘storm’ and made the line 10 syllables but he chose the word ‘tempest’ over the word ‘storm’ to show that the impediment is greater than a regular storm on the land but love can still overcome it. He may have also used an extra syllable so that the line begins and finishes with a feminine stress because back in Shakespeare’s time women were seen as the weaker sex, so he may have been implying that love can definitely survive even the greatest impediments because they will always be weaker than love.
Charlie Butler
Very clear point established, and explained, in the first paragraph - well done. Also good use of vocab: correspond, convey, elongate
DeleteSonnet 166?
Again good use of vocab in explanation (irregular rhythm)
Also good interpretation behind bracketing accomplished by the feminine stress and link to writer's possible intention and context of the time it was written in. Excellent Charlie!
Shakespeare uses 11 syllables in Sonnet 116 when he says 'But bears it out even to the edge of doom.' He is referring to the power of love, as is mentioned is his previous lines 'Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks', and 'Love's not times fool, though rosy lips and cheeks'. Shakespeare is trying to convey that the eternal power of love is not affected by time or aging, if it is true love.
ReplyDeleteThis does not work in the same way in Sonnet 126, where Shakespeare wrote 'As thou goest onwards, still will pluck thee back'. He is saying that time and nature will catch up with you, and hinder you.
In conclusion, Shakespeare's use of pentameter in Sonnets 116 and 126 displays that love is eternal, and that time is an inferior power compared to it, although time will catch up to you.
d
ReplyDeleteb
DeleteAlex, you could reference the line number as well (at the beginning of your first paragraph). You show relevant understanding and use supporting textual evidence well. Furthermore the comparison you go on to make is an interesting one and very useful in demonstrating your ability to interpret meaning and effect. You sum up succinctly and accurately.
DeleteOverall this is good, but I would like to see attention paid to the feminine/masculine stress issues and the idea of balance.
In sonnet 116 the line 'but bears it out even to the edge of doom' has 11 syllables. This could be because 'the edge of doom' is far away so therefore the line is longer. It also starts and ends with a feminine stress, this implies that love is a woman and 'doom' can be overcome.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 130, the line 'and yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare' also has 11 syllables. This could imply that women like her are rare and that their love is rare.
Your first point is quite right; I would like to see further development of the idea behind the feminine stress.
DeleteYour second point, although accurate, is quite simple - how could you expand this?
Could you discuss why it's significant that "rare" is a feminine stress?
Could you discuss balance?
Could you link your findings to overall meaning and compare?
Shakespeare uses 11 syllables in sonnet 116 in the line "But bears it out even to the edge of doom" and the line is 11 syllables because uses 11 makes the reader think that the doom is long and will go on forever but using 11 syllables makes it a feminine stress and the feminine stress is weak and so it suggests that the doom can be over come and ended also in that sonnet the line "that looks on tempests and is never shaken" this suggests the love can overcome the storm and this is used again with a feminine stress to show its weaker and that love is stronger and its stronger than death and that it will prevail and even get through a tempest and survive.
ReplyDeleteIn sonnet 18 Shakespeare uses 11 syllables in the line "when in eternal lines to time thou growest" and this is suggest that love grows and will always overcome difficulties like in sonnet 166 and its ends on a feminine stress which could mean that time is weak and that love out grows ime and is ever lasting.
In conclusion, Shakespeare uses 11 syllables to show weakness and strength by love being ever lasting and forever by making the line longer and using a feminine stress to show the object stopping love is weak and can be overcome.
You show understanding of various points covered in lesson. In your second paragraph you reference the wrong sonnet - you must read back your work: a continual issue for you!
DeleteIn all this is more of a re-telling of learning in the lesson, which is great as it shows you have understood, but you need to develop these ideas yourself rather than relying on past learning.
The Eleventh Syllable
ReplyDeleteComparison between line 12 of sonnet 116 and line 1 of sonnet 126
In sonnet 18 line 12 "When in eternal lines to time thou growest:" Shakespeare uses the 11th syllable to emphasise the length of eternity. Eternity meaning forever, you would expect anything with an eternal lifespan to live longer than usual, and for this reason he has made the line abnormally long when, with the change from growest to grow'st, could be shortened to 10 syllables. This shows that it was obviously not accidental. The extra size also represents the growth of "thou" being significant. However the extra syllable could also represent loss of stability, because as objects gain mass they become less easy to keep under control.
In line 1 of sonnet 126, "O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power" Shakespeare uses the extra syllable to enhance "power". This is apparent because power is a strong force anyway, and with the addition of the extra syllable it becomes even more 'powerful'. He could also be using it to enhance "lovely", showing that his passion for the subject is particularly strong. However the extra syllable is also used to make the text on either side of the commas unbalanced, with two syllables in the first part, four in the second and five in the last it shows that the addressing "O thou" is insignificant because it is the shortest, and that "who in thy power" is the most significant because it is the longest and whilst not quite as significant the middle group uses four because it is much more than the first, and the eleventh syllable is required to do so.
In both lines the extra syllable is used to add stress to the line, but whilst it is used to add stress to the whole line in sonnet 116, it is only used to add extra stress onto certain words in sonnet 126.
Good first point (you've referenced the wrong sonnet at beginning). Good use of abnormal. Remember to use quotation marks - you could have used them around "growest". There is an interesting idea behind "thou" becoming greater that you could explore in further detail. The further point about stability is also worth taking further.
ReplyDeleteThe further point regarding balance in Sonnet 1 could be linked more overtly with your first point.
Well done.
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