Sound & Sense Chapter 9 Part 2

Thesis:  Both On the Sonnet by John Keats and Sonnet by Billy Collins focus on the restrictive nature of sonnets. On the Sonnet has a mildly annoyed tone, which expresses the speakers boredom with the sonnet, whereas Sonnet has a jocular tone, making fun at the strict regulations of a sonnet.

Although the tones of the poems differ, both speakers have the same complaints about sonnets. In the first line of On the Sonnet the speaker says, "If by dull rhymes our English must be chain'd" (1) in order to express his complaint of the restrictive nature of sonnets. Specifically, he points out the required rhyming scheme of sonnets, using the word "chain'd" to express his complaint with the restriction on language the rhyming scheme of a sonnet implements. In the opening lines of Sonnet, the speaker jokes about the line requirement of a sonnet: "All we need is fourteen lines, well, thirteen now, / and after this one just a dozen / to launch a little ship on love's storm-tossed seas" (1-3). Although the speakers tone is light-hearted and jocular, he identifies a restriction sonnets place on poetry. He uses the metaphor of a little ship to express his disapproval of the expectations of a sonnet. Poets are expected to fill a poem with genius in just fourteen lines, and the speaker believes that the expectations of a sonnet can be somewhat unreasonable. Despite the contrasting tones of the poems, both speakers identify a requirement of a sonnet in order to express a complaint about the restrictive nature of sonnets.

Both poets offer resolution to the problems they both have with sonnets. In On the Sonnet the speaker says, "Let us find out, if we must be constrain'd, / Sandals more interwoven and complete / To fit the naked foot of poesy" (4-6). The speaker encourages exploration of poetry past sonnets in order to fit the unique poetic style of each poet. He creates the metaphor of a shoe in order to express the individuality of poetry. Poetry is creative and artistic, and one set style of poetry cannot satisfy the creative needs for all poetry. Similarly to shoes, one shoe is not going to fit every person, and one poetic style is not going to fit every poem. Exploration allows for freedom from the restriction of sonnets, which solves the speakers problems. In Sonnet, the speaker cites the life of a famous poet when he offers resolution to his problems with sonnets: "All will be resolved, / where longing and heartache will find an end, /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" (10-14). The speaker suggests the abandonment of sonnets because they are outdated. The speaker references Petrarch to express the necessity of change in the style of poetry. If one of the most famous poets abandons the sonnet, change is obviously necessary.