Sonnet
A fourteen-line poetic form originating in 13th-century Sicily.
The sonnet is a poetic form with fixed rules, most commonly fourteen lines that follow a specific rhyme scheme. Its name comes from the Italian *sonetto*, meaning “little song,” which itself traces back to the Latin *sonus* (“sound”). It first appeared in 13th-century Sicily and later spread across many European languages. Initially, sonnets were mainly used for romantic love, but over time any subject became acceptable. Modern variations have even dropped the fourteen-line limit and, in some cases, rhyme altogether.
The Sicilian poet Giacomo da Lentini is credited with inventing the sonnet at the court of Frederick II in Palermo. The Sicilian School of poets around him carried the form to mainland Italy. None of the earliest sonnets survive in their original Sicilian language—only in Tuscan translations. These early sonnets had two quatrains followed by two tercets, with the rhyme scheme ABABABAB CDCDCD, and a shift in direction after the eighth line. Peter Dronke noted that the form’s flexibility helped it survive far beyond Sicily. William Baer argued that the first eight lines match the eight-line Sicilian folk stanza called the *strambotto*, to which da Lentini added two tercets to create the fourteen-line sonnet. Hassanally Ladha, however, contended that the sonnet’s structure and content drew on Arabic poetry, particularly the *qasida*, and that the form did not begin with a fixed fourteen-line structure—pointing to surviving six-line versions of Giacomo’s poems. Ladha saw the sonnet as part of a broader Mediterranean tradition of love poetry, related to the *strambotto*, *canso*, *muwashshah*, *zajal*, and *qasida*.
In Italy, Guittone d’Arezzo revived the sonnet and adapted it to Tuscan dialect, founding the Siculo-Tuscan school and writing nearly 250 sonnets. Later poets like Dante Alighieri and Guido Cavalcanti became notable, but the most influential was Petrarch. The typical Italian sonnet developed into two parts: an octave presenting a problem or question, and a sestet offering a resolution. The ninth line often marks the “turn” or *volta*, shifting the poem’s tone or stance. The standard octave rhyme became ABBA ABBA, while the sestet could follow CDECDE or CDC CDC, with later variants like CDC DCD or CDE DCE. Petrarch himself used ABBA ABBA for the octave, followed by CDE CDE or CDC CDC. By the turn of the 14th century, sonnet sequences unified around a single theme appeared, such as Folgore da San Gimignano’s series on the months and days.
- Origin
- 13th-century Sicily
- Inventor
- Giacomo da Lentini (credited)
- Earliest language
- Sicilian (surviving only in Tuscan translation)
- Key early poet
- Petrarch
- Standard Italian octave rhyme
- ABBA ABBA
- Standard Italian sestet rhymes
- CDECDE or CDC CDC
Lore & Background
Giacomo da Lentini is credited with the sonnet's invention at the Court of Frederick II in Palermo. The Sicilian School of poets who surrounded Lentini spread the form to the mainland. Those earliest sonnets no longer survive in the original Sicilian language, but only after being translated into Tuscan dialect. The form consisted of a pair of quatrains followed by a pair of tercets with the symmetrical rhyme scheme ABABABAB CDCDCD, where the sense is carried forward in a new direction after the midway break. Peter Dronke commented that there was something intrinsic to its flexible form that contributed to the sonnet's survival far beyond its region of origin. William Baer suggested that the first eight lines of the earliest Sicilian sonnets are identical to the eight-line Sicilian folksong stanza known as the Strambotto, to which da Lentini added two tercets. In contrast, Hassanally Ladha argued that the Sicilian sonnet's structure and content drew upon Arabic poetry and cannot be explained as the 'invention' of the Sicilian School, noting that in its Sicilian beginnings the sonnet evinces literary and epistemological contact with the qasida. Guittone d'Arezzo rediscovered the sonnet form and brought it to Tuscany, adapting it to Tuscan dialect when he founded the Siculo-Tuscan school. Among later Italian poets, the sonnets of Dante Alighieri and Guido Cavalcanti stand out, but the most famous and widely influential was Petrarch. The typical Italian sonnet developed an octave forming the 'proposition' and a sestet proposing a 'resolution', with the ninth line often marking the 'turn' or 'volta'.
Reader's Guide
The sonnet's significance lies in its endurance and adaptability across European languages and centuries. Originating in 13th-century Sicily, it spread through Italy and beyond, becoming a dominant form for lyric poetry. Its structure—typically fourteen lines with a set rhyme scheme—allowed for a compact 'argument', with an octave posing a problem and a sestet offering resolution. The form was flexible enough to accommodate variations, including different rhyme schemes and even abandonment of rhyme in modern times. The form was so widespread in Italian society that practitioners included painters Giotto and Michelangelo, and the astronomer Galileo. The sonnet's legacy includes its role in shaping poetic tradition and its continued use as a flexible, expressive form.
Did You Know?
- The term 'sonnet' derives from the Italian word 'sonetto', meaning 'little song', from the Latin 'sonus' meaning 'sound'.
- Giacomo da Lentini is credited with inventing the sonnet at the Court of Frederick II in Palermo.
- The earliest Sicilian sonnets survive only in Tuscan dialect translation, not in the original Sicilian.
- Hassanally Ladha argued that the Sicilian sonnet drew upon Arabic poetry, specifically the qasida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sonnet?
A sonnet is a fixed poetic form built around exactly fourteen lines that follow a prescribed rhyming pattern. It originated in 13th-century Sicily and was traditionally used to explore romantic love, though later poets applied it to virtually any subject.
Where and by whom did the sonnet originate?
The form is credited to Giacomo da Lentini in 13th-century Sicily, where it first appeared in the Sicilian dialect. The earliest surviving examples exist only in a later Tuscan translation rather than in the original Sicilian.
What does the word 'sonnet' actually mean?
The term comes from the Italian sonetto, which translates to 'little song,' and that in turn derives from the Latin sonus, meaning 'sound.' So the name essentially evokes a short, musical composition.
What is the standard Italian sonnet rhyme scheme?
The octave (first eight lines) typically follows the ABBA ABBA pattern, while the sestet (final six lines) most commonly uses CDECDE or the shorter CDC CDC arrangement. These structures create a musical turn between the two sections.
Which poet is most closely associated with early sonnet writing?
Petrarch is the key early figure most fans associate with the form, as his love sonnets set a template that influenced centuries of European poetry. His work helped spread the sonnet from its Sicilian roots into broader Italian and then continental use.
More in Narrative Forms And Devices 1-23
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record