Have I heard sonnets? Let me count the times. / I will gag on words so antiquated / and this makes me wish I was sedated. / To inseminate a calm in my mind. Historically, the sonnet has been a tool of love. Its flowing rhythm creates an ideal medium for the expression of affection. Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "How do I Love Thee" is one of the most recognizable sonnets of love. In contrast, Claude McKay's "The White City" used the sonnet to express his views on injustice. The poetry of Browning and Mckay illustrates the broad spectrum of the sonnet form, and the uniform order that allows two opposing themes to be contained in a single pattern.
The sonnet originated in Italy long before Browning or Mckay were even born. Introduced by Petrarch in the twelfth century, the sonnet eventually became a widely used form of poetry popularized by Shakespeare. This harsh structure that frames the sonnet houses a creative voice chiseled strong by its demanding composition. Iambic pentameter dictates the flow of the sonnet, and most will adhere to this meter. The rhyming scheme in sonnets is not as rigid. The patterns by which words are connected is subject to change depending on its form. The sonnet, despite its rigor, is no exception to evolution, and over the years it has adopted a number of different rhyming patterns. .
Browning's love sonnet, "How Do I Love Thee?" follows the Petrarchan pattern. The rhyming scheme of ABBAABBA forms the first eight lines and is called the octave. The last six lines is called the sestet. A scheme of CDCDCD completes the poem and remains true to form. Her sonnet follows faithfully not only in its classical Italian form, but also in its classical theme of love. She strives for a refined impression of sincerity. This simplicity is echoed with support throughout the poem itself. The deconstruction of her sonnet reveals a simple pattern following the progression of her words.