Sonnet - GCSE English Language Definition

A sonnet is a type of poem with 14 lines, usually written in iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line, with a regular rhythm). Most sonnets follow a specific rhyme scheme. There are different types, but two common ones are the Petrarchan (Italian) and the Shakespearean (English) sonnet.

Writers use sonnets to explore themes like love, time, nature, and beauty in a focused and structured way. In GCSE English Literature, understanding the sonnet form helps you analyse how poets use structure and rhythm to express complex emotions and ideas clearly and powerfully.

Example of a sonnet in a GCSE text

'Sonnet 29 – "I think of thee!"' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a Petrarchan sonnet. It begins:

“I think of thee! – my thoughts do twine and bud
About thee, as wild vines, about a tree…”

This 14-line poem explores deep romantic love, using natural imagery and a tightly structured form to express longing and desire.