Question

Thomas Wyatt and Surrey adapted the ------------- into English literature.

• A. Elegy
• B. Sonnet
• C. Pastoral elegy
• D. Ode

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Sonnet

The Introduction of the Sonnet Form to English Literature

• Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey are credited with introducing the sonnet form into English literature in the 16th century.
• They were inspired by the Italian poet Francesco Petrarch, often referred to as the 'Father of Humanism' and a master of the sonnet.
• Wyatt and Surrey encountered the sonnet form during their travels in Italy and subsequently adapted it to the English language.
• Wyatt's translations and adaptations of Petrarch's sonnets were among the first to appear in English. He is known for his translation of Petrarch's Sonnet 140 ('I find no peace') and Sonnet 173 ('Like as the culver').
• Surrey is credited with developing the English (or Shakespearean) sonnet rhyme scheme (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) and dividing the sonnet into three quatrains and a concluding couplet, which differs from the Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet's octave and sestet structure.
• The sonnet is a 14-line poem, typically written in iambic pentameter.
• The Petrarchan sonnet typically has a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA CDECDE or ABBAABBA CDCDCD, with a 'volta' or 'turn' of thought occurring between the octave and the sestet.
• The English sonnet, popularized by Shakespeare, has a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, with the final couplet often providing a summary or twist.
• Wyatt and Surrey's pioneering work paved the way for later English poets, most notably William Shakespeare, who further refined and popularized the English sonnet form.
• Understanding the origins and adaptations of the sonnet is crucial for analyzing poetry from the Renaissance period and beyond, and frequently appears in university-level literature exams and NET/SET examinations for English.