A sonnet is a 14-line poem that rhymes in a specific pattern. Shakespeare’s sonnets use the rhyme pattern abab cdcd efef gg, with the final couplet used to outline the previous lines presenting a surprise ending. The rhythmic pattern of the sonnet is iambic pentameter. An iamb is a metrical foot made up of one stressed syllable and one unstressed syllable.
hakespeare applies five of these in each line, which makes it pentameter. The sonnet is a complicated art form for the poet because of its restrictions on length and meter. The sonnet is unique among poetic forms in Western literature in that it has retained its appeal for significant poets for centuries.
