Close Reading Of Shakespeares' Sonnet 12 And 17
...has certain aspects of language to convey the feeling of his words. Among these techniques in use, for example, are aspects of meter, rhyme, reference, and figurative language. At the same time he also uses the iambic pentameter in interesting ways to stress meaning a point to key phrases, thoughts, or ideas. This paper will discuss two of Shakespeare's sonnets and examine these qualities to see exactly how he brings these things into dramatic effect. The sonnets being discussed will be Sonnet 12 and Sonnet 17. I find that these two poems can be compared easily and also share a similar theme: the denial of the ability of mankind to see the same beauty the poet sees in words that makes the subject so interesting.
The first technique of note when dealing with the writings of Shakespeare is his use of rhyme. Both poems have the following rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. In both of these sonnets, meter and rhyme are used interestingly. Sonnet 17 starts out in an interesting way in that it does not rhyme in the traditional sense. The key words of note here are, "come" and "tomb", and "deserts" and "parts", in comparison, every other line ending in both sonnets ends in traditional rhyme, such as, "eyes" and "lies", or "age" and "rage". However, Shakespeare does not abandon rhyme entirely for the opening of Sonnet 12. He does something entirely different. Here he uses words that rhyme only to the human ear. In other words, on script, they do not appear to rhyme. But, when saying out loud, they have the similarities of rhyming words. For example, "come" and "tomb", both have a long "o" sound, which is stressed when read aloud. Just as the "rts" of "parts" and "deserts", is the stressed sound. In this way our mind can be trained to "see" rhyme where it is difficult to hear. This use of rhyme helps to compel us to continue reading the next line. It creates a feeling of...
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