Before Reading
Review the Organization of a Sonnet
A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem that follows one of a number of rhyme schemes. The Petrarchan sonnet is divided into two parts, the octave and the sestet. The octave can be divided into two parts: the first quatrain presents a theme, while the second quatrain develops it. The sestet can also be divided into two parts: a reflection on the theme and three closing lines that unify the poem. Keep this organization in mind as you read the poem and examine the theme.
During Reading
Use the Organization of a Sonnet
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first four lines of the sonnet aloud. What theme is presented in these lines? Write the theme in your notebook.
2. Continue reading the selection on your own. As you read lines 5–8, think and make a note about how they develop the theme presented in lines 1–4. As you read lines 9–11 think and make a note about the speaker's reflection on the theme. As you read lines 12–14, think and make a note about the closure of the theme.
Fix-Up Idea: Reread
Listen as someone else reads the whole poem aloud. Then read along as you listen again. Finally read the poem on your own. Remember to read through to the end of a sentence instead of stopping at the end of every line.
After Reading
Summarize Your Reading Experience
With a partner, compare the notes you took while reading. Then answer the following questions: What is the theme of the poem? How does Browning develop and conclude her theme?