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What does the word 'sonnet' mean in Italian?
Sonneto, which means a little sound or song.
What are sonnets traditionally about?
They are love poems exploring the fleeting nature of love and moral questions.
What is the traditional structure of a sonnet?
14 lines written in iambic pentameter.
Who developed the sonnet to one of its highest levels?
Petrarch during the early Renaissance in Italy.
Who introduced the sonnet to England?
Sir Thomas Wyatt.
What is the key feature of a Shakespearean sonnet?
It consists of three quatrains followed by a heroic couplet.
What is the rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean sonnet?
ABABCDCDEFEFGG.
What are the two parts of a Petrarchan sonnet?
An octave and a sestet.
What is the purpose of the 'turn' or 'volta' in a sonnet?
It signifies a change in the argument or emotional focus of the poem.
What is typically found in the octave of a Petrarchan sonnet?
Two envelope quatrains with a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA.
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