Critical Analysis of Billy Collins “Sonnet”

I'm not a big fan of poetry. I can enjoy reading poetry of Latvian writers from time to time and, but I’ve never been in to poetry. Of course, I have not read much poetry. But I got interested in Billy Collins poetry and in his style of writing. That’s why I chose to analyze exactly this poem. Moreover, I got interested in reading more. Collins poetry seems contemporary, accessible, easy to read and surprisingly pleasant. You feel kind an included. The diction is simple, you can find in a poem a lot of irony and a catch yourself with a smile on your face reading it.

To analyze this poem, I immediately realized that it is full of irony and there will be need to study the structure of traditional sonnets. As declared in the title this poem is a sonnet. “Traditionally, the sonnet is a fourteen-line poem written in iambic pentameter, which 'employ one of several rhyme schemes and adhere to a tightly structured thematic organization.”[footnoteRef:1] “Sonnets usually feature two contrasting characters, events, beliefs or emotions. Poets use the sonnet form to examine the tension that exists between the two elements.”[footnoteRef:2] Broadly, sonnets are divided into groups based on the rhyme scheme they follow. One of the is Petrarchan sonnet: written in iambic pentameter; “a sonnet is divided into two stanzas, the octave (the first eight lines) followed by the answering sestet (the final six lines). Since the Petrarchan presents an argument, observation, question in the octave, a “turn” occurs between the eighth and ninth lines. This turn marks a shift in the direction of the foregoing argument or narrative, turning the sestet into the vehicle for the clarification.”[footnoteRef:3] Then there is Shakespearian sonnet (also called Elizabethan sonnet): a sonnet is divided into four parts. “The first three parts are each four lines long, and are known as quatrains. The fourth part is called the couplet. The Shakespearean sonnet is often used to develop a sequence of metaphors or ideas, one in each quatrain, while the couplet offers either a summary or a new take on the preceding images or ideas.”[footnoteRef:4] Shakespeare often places the 'turn' at ninth line. [1: The Sonnet: Poetic Form poets, Academy of American Poets, poets.org/poetsorg/text/sonnet-poetic-form] [2: What Is a Sonnet?, Wonderopolis, wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-sonnet] [3: The Sonnet: Poetic Form poets, Academy of American Poets, poets.org/poetsorg/text/sonnet-poetic-form] [4: Shakespeare’s sonnets summary, sparknotes.com/shakespeare/shakesonnets/summary/]

Talking about whole poem it consists of fourteen lines, which is typical for a sonnet. A poem is written all in one text without division in stanzas. But reading through it seems that it contains of an octave and a sestet like a traditional Petrarchan sonnet. But it also feels that a poem is divided like Shakespearian sonnet – in quatrains, at least at the beginning where I can subdivide two quatrains. But maybe this feeling arises because there are two sentences, each four lines long and each end of the sentence match with quatrain length. Also, reading this poem in voice you kind an automatically make a pause and intensify this feeling about a division in quatrains. Talking about similarities with a traditional sonnet form this poem also “turns” at line 9, but this is where the similarity ends. There are no any rhymes or metre throughout the poem, what is unusual and different from a traditional sonnet. Also, there are no ten syllables in line, the number of syllables in each line differs. After reading this poem I would say that the speaker in this sonnet is addressed to the reader or an auditory full of people like students. Because a voice is ironical, but also instructive and perceptive. Moreover, there is frequently used the pronoun “we” (“All we need is fourteen lines, well, thirteen now,”; “But hang on here while we make the turn”). Although in the poem is no exact clue about the speakers gender, but I would say that the speaker is a male, because it seems believable that the speaker is the author himself who tells others, possibly poetry students or simply modern people how to write a sonnet. A poem is written as a manual or an instruction about a sonnet construction.

So, there is a little room for doubt whether it is really a sonnet or not. Structure is that what makes me think it is a sonnet but maybe it’s really not. Simple the structure of sonnet is used, but all idea of text and dissimilarities with sonnet is just like a game, that makes the reader think that it is sonnet. In even more ironical way playing around an idea about preposterous of traditional sonnet form. Nevertheless, it is an irony about old fashioned sonnet form, structure and subject. The whole sonnet is a humorous poem about traditional sonnets. In the “Sonnet” the author both adheres and strays away from the traditional sonnet rules in terms what were discussed before. The speaker wants whether persuade the reader that old sonnets are pointless and absurd, whether say how hard it was to that time writers to obey and follow that time foolish rules. Possible also the author himself wants to protest against the traditional way of writing sonnet and avoid of these rules. But it makes it all more satirical, because he is actually writing this poem in apparently traditional sonnet form.

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Looking at all poem in general the author uses only fourteen lines to lead the reader thought these lines telling about a traditional sonnets history and structure using some metaphors and obvious statements. When come a line nine and make a “turn”. Not only a turn as in Shakespearian sonnets, but also a turn in a topic, when start to speak about Petrarch. There is no solution or answer in last six lines of a poem, it is more like ironical conclusion.

Looking in details first two lines is pure irony or self-evident statement. In these lines, there is clearly defined and said the length of a sonnet. They are kind an obvious, like in a math lessons made calculations, but with added satirical tone ('All we need is fourteen lines, well, thirteen now, and after this one just a dozen'). The line three is a metaphor “to launch a little ship on love's storm-tossed seas,”. The author ironizes about all sonnets, about the fact that all of them is mostly written about love. A one sonnet (little ship) in a sea of many similar sonnets which are written about love (love's storm-tossed seas). In the line four the author returns back to numbers and math, notifying them, who didn't know yet, that only ten lines left in this sonnet ('then only ten more left like rows of beans.'). The author uses comparison, comparing these ten lines with beans – small, all almost similar and hard to differ one from the other. This become like a game, where is combined technical knowledge about sonnet structure and a satirical spirit. There is the end of sentence and comes the line five. Following four lines is more or less about the Shakespearian sonnet form. But word “Elizabethan” is connected with it, as I mentioned before (“How easily it goes unless you get Elizabethan and insist the iambic bongos must be played and rhymes positioned at the ends of lines,”). In these lines are expressed how hard to follow these sonnet writing rules, how easy it would be to write a poem if not to fit in these norms. All these metres, in this case iambic, which is integral component of a Shakespearian sonnet. The next point the author makes seems a reference to the rhyme scheme of a typical Shakespearian sonnet, where the main idea is that authors needed to think hard to find appropriate words that will fit in context and also rhyme.

Then comes the line nine. Eight lines ends the octave and the ninth line starts the concluding six lines, in which some kind of answer should be given. There is also a “turn”; a sonnet ninth line is the turning point of the sonnet, which can change the meaning of the whole poem according to theory. It is said there directly (“But hang on here while we make the turn”). In the line ten follows a reference to theoretical material about a traditional sonnet structure (“into the final six where all will be resolved,”). A satirical deviation comes next where the author makes fun about previously mentioned fact that all that time sonnets are written about love; and finishing writing a sonnet the writer will be free of heartache and a sonnet will be completed (“where longing and heartache will find an end,”). Further can find four lines that are full of irony ('where Laura will tell Petrarch to put down his pen, take off those crazy medieval tights, blow out the lights, and come at last to bed.'). After research turns out that Laura was a woman, who Petrarch (famous poet in 1300s) felt in love with. It is funny conclusion what makes a reader to smile. All in all, real life and love of a life is more important than long and exhausting sonnet writing process.

I really enjoyed an ironical tone, simplicity and clear message is like a fresh air to me. This poem is easy to understand. There is no need for massive prior knowledge and headaches. After reading this poem I feel like I’m really gained some knowledge.