How Does Rossetti Engage With The Sonnet Form?
This essay will address how Shakespeare and Rossetti engage with the sonnet form, through Rossetti’s “A Sonnet” (1881) and Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 52” (1609). Both poets arguably subvert the traditional Petrarchan sonnet genre, though in different ways. Rossetti’s “A Sonnet” explores the sonnet as an art form rather than as a means of currency, as this was a use of sonnets at the time, and how if treated as a commodity, the value of a sonnet is diminished. Similarly, Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 52” challenges the traditional sonnet genre, as he subverts the sonnet structure and hence creates his own “Shakespearian” sonnet. However, “Sonnet 52” still presents the traditional theme of romance, through the speaker’s idealisation of the “fair youth”. In
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contrast, Rossetti subverts the genre conventions by using “The Sonnet” as a metatextual device to explore his ideas around the form of a sonnet itself.
Rossetti’s “The Sonnet” served as the introductory sonnet to his “The House of Life” series of poems. It is written in traditional iambic pentameter and employs the structure of a Petrarchan sonnet. However, “The Sonnet” differs from conventions of the genre, as it is arguably a commentary on the commodification of poetry in the late 19th century. As a predecessor to the Aesthetic movement, Rossetti valued sonnets as “art for art’s sake”, the belief that art must separate itself from serving a didactic or moral purpose in order to be considered culturally valuable, rather than as a means of generating profit; as sonnets were considered at the time. Challenging the traditional sonnet genre, the poem unites form and content; it carries the form and structure of a traditional Petrarchan sonnet, yet its subject matter concerns the sonnet itself. Thus Rossetti challenges the conventions of the sonnet genre, by subverting the notion that traditional sonnets were chiefly concerned with themes of love and courtship.
In line one, the alliteration of “moment’s monument” (1) suggests a connection between the brevity of a moment and the permanence of a monument. The speaker aims to present the “moment” in which a sonnet personally affects the reader. The impression left by the sonnet leads to its eternalisation as a “monument”. Furthermore, the speaker implies that a sonnet enables the “Soul’s eternity” (2). This idea is supported by the deliberate capitalisation of “Sonnet” and “Soul”, as it indicates their unity. This suggests that the speaker feels that the sonnet is sacred, as the soul was highly valued in Christianity during that era. Additionally, the speaker’s notion of poetry being the key to “Soul’s eternity” may suggest a marriage of religion and poetry, alluding to the Aesthetic movement prevalent at the time, which held art in high regard. Indeed, Rossetti’s ink drawing that accompanies the poem depicts an angel- a familiar image of religion. This suggested equality between religion and art shows the speaker’s adherence to traditional conventions of sonnet writing, which often contained religious imagery intent on elevating the subject matter’s spirituality, and thus its importance. However, the speaker’s sonnet does not explore the traditional theme of earthly love and attraction, rather a religious and spiritual appreciation; “of its own intricate fullness reverent”, of the art of sonnet writing (5).
Expanding on this unification of poetry and religion, the speaker uses the religious lexis “rite” (4) to describe the use of a sonnet, arguably appropriating the sonnet form as a religious activity. Indeed, Moller agrees the speaker considers art as an extension of religion: “the creation of art was an act of devotion and the appreciation of female beauty a form of prayer” (Moller 2004). During the 19th century, religion was looked upon as the foundation of morality, yet as previously discussed, the speaker’s ideas expressed in “The Sonnet” arguably present the art of writing a sonnet as the key to an eternal soul, which was believed by Christians to be the means of gaining access to heaven. Thus the speaker challenges the traditional sonnet form, as he elevates the act of sonnet writing to equal height as religion, rather than the more conventional, spiritual idealisation of a lover.
Throughout the octave of the sonnet, the speaker discusses not the theme of love, which was typical of the genre, rather an appreciation for the sonnet form itself, this is supported by his use of precious metaphors such as “impearled and orient” (8).
Furthermore, the speaker challenges the Petrarchan sonnet genre, through his arguable portrayal of the sonnet as an art form. Rossetti was part of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, and was highly regarded for his work as a painter and illustrator, therefore his exploration of the artistic construction of the sonnet is to be expected. This idea is supported by the speaker’s suggestion that the act of writing a sonnet was a craft, for instance in line six: “carve it in ivory or in ebony”. The use of “carve” suggests the speaker may believe the sonnet is a piece of art, and should not be written as a means of generating profit. This is supported by the use of “ebony and ivory”, which serves to remind the reader of the black ink of printed, mass-produced poetry (6). Rossetti, in his later years, refused to display his art in major galleries and often delayed his poetry from publication, perhaps to protect his art from becoming mass produced. Indeed he presented the sonnet in its original design to his mother as a personal gift, choosing not to reveal it to the mass market, as may have been expected. Wayne agrees that Rossetti “had remained an artist with negligible public exposure” (Wayne, 2000). Therefore, through his resistance to publishing, the speaker challenges the conventions of the sonnet
genre.
contrast, Rossetti subverts the genre conventions by using “The Sonnet” as a metatextual device to explore his ideas around the form of a sonnet itself.
Rossetti’s “The Sonnet” served as the introductory sonnet to his “The House of Life” series of poems. It is written in traditional iambic pentameter and employs the structure of a Petrarchan sonnet. However, “The Sonnet” differs from conventions of the genre, as it is arguably a commentary on the commodification of poetry in the late 19th century. As a predecessor to the Aesthetic movement, Rossetti valued sonnets as “art for art’s sake”, the belief that art must separate itself from serving a didactic or moral purpose in order to be considered culturally valuable, rather than as a means of generating profit; as sonnets were considered at the time. Challenging the traditional sonnet genre, the poem unites form and content; it carries the form and structure of a traditional Petrarchan sonnet, yet its subject matter concerns the sonnet itself. Thus Rossetti challenges the conventions of the sonnet genre, by subverting the notion that traditional sonnets were chiefly concerned with themes of love and courtship.
In line one, the alliteration of “moment’s monument” (1) suggests a connection between the brevity of a moment and the permanence of a monument. The speaker aims to present the “moment” in which a sonnet personally affects the reader. The impression left by the sonnet leads to its eternalisation as a “monument”. Furthermore, the speaker implies that a sonnet enables the “Soul’s eternity” (2). This idea is supported by the deliberate capitalisation of “Sonnet” and “Soul”, as it indicates their unity. This suggests that the speaker feels that the sonnet is sacred, as the soul was highly valued in Christianity during that era. Additionally, the speaker’s notion of poetry being the key to “Soul’s eternity” may suggest a marriage of religion and poetry, alluding to the Aesthetic movement prevalent at the time, which held art in high regard. Indeed, Rossetti’s ink drawing that accompanies the poem depicts an angel- a familiar image of religion. This suggested equality between religion and art shows the speaker’s adherence to traditional conventions of sonnet writing, which often contained religious imagery intent on elevating the subject matter’s spirituality, and thus its importance. However, the speaker’s sonnet does not explore the traditional theme of earthly love and attraction, rather a religious and spiritual appreciation; “of its own intricate fullness reverent”, of the art of sonnet writing (5).
Expanding on this unification of poetry and religion, the speaker uses the religious lexis “rite” (4) to describe the use of a sonnet, arguably appropriating the sonnet form as a religious activity. Indeed, Moller agrees the speaker considers art as an extension of religion: “the creation of art was an act of devotion and the appreciation of female beauty a form of prayer” (Moller 2004). During the 19th century, religion was looked upon as the foundation of morality, yet as previously discussed, the speaker’s ideas expressed in “The Sonnet” arguably present the art of writing a sonnet as the key to an eternal soul, which was believed by Christians to be the means of gaining access to heaven. Thus the speaker challenges the traditional sonnet form, as he elevates the act of sonnet writing to equal height as religion, rather than the more conventional, spiritual idealisation of a lover.
Throughout the octave of the sonnet, the speaker discusses not the theme of love, which was typical of the genre, rather an appreciation for the sonnet form itself, this is supported by his use of precious metaphors such as “impearled and orient” (8).
Furthermore, the speaker challenges the Petrarchan sonnet genre, through his arguable portrayal of the sonnet as an art form. Rossetti was part of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, and was highly regarded for his work as a painter and illustrator, therefore his exploration of the artistic construction of the sonnet is to be expected. This idea is supported by the speaker’s suggestion that the act of writing a sonnet was a craft, for instance in line six: “carve it in ivory or in ebony”. The use of “carve” suggests the speaker may believe the sonnet is a piece of art, and should not be written as a means of generating profit. This is supported by the use of “ebony and ivory”, which serves to remind the reader of the black ink of printed, mass-produced poetry (6). Rossetti, in his later years, refused to display his art in major galleries and often delayed his poetry from publication, perhaps to protect his art from becoming mass produced. Indeed he presented the sonnet in its original design to his mother as a personal gift, choosing not to reveal it to the mass market, as may have been expected. Wayne agrees that Rossetti “had remained an artist with negligible public exposure” (Wayne, 2000). Therefore, through his resistance to publishing, the speaker challenges the conventions of the sonnet
genre.