Sonnet Analysis Part I

• A sonnet is a form of poem that typically has 14 lines
• The most common type of sonnet is a "Shakespearean" sonnet
• 14 lines
• 10 syllables per line
• iambic pentameter
• usually deals with the juxtaposition of two ideas by either showing tension or resolving it
• Rhyme scheme:

a b a b
c d c d
e f e f
g g

• 3 quatrains of alternating rhyme and a couplet 
• Other sonnet types:
• Italian/Petrarchan Sonnet:
• First eight lines:

a b b a a b b a

• Remaining six lines 

c d c d c d
c d d c d c
c d e c d e
c d e c e d
c d c e d c 

Sources:
 http://www.sonnets.org/basicforms.htm
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/English+sonnet
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/sonnetstyle.html

Big Question

My big question(s):
What causes preferences?  Is it genetically inherent, or acquired?  Do they serve a practical purpose?

I've always found preferences fascinating.  More than anything else, they are what separates people from one another (or brings them together, in some cases).  I suppose in the end it really boils down to a nature versus nurture type of discussion, but there are a lot of sides to the question.  I'm interested to see if there is any factual answer to be found.

Growing My Personal Learning Network: Follow Up

I contacted Dr. Delahoyde from Washington State University (found through this resource).  To my pleasant surprise, I got a prompt response.  I took the opportunity to ask about some of the oddities surrounding Ophelia's death, which was a source of contention within our small group discussions.  You can check out the full conversation below:

Vocabulary: Fall List #11

Justin Thompson made another vocab Prezi.  Check it out!

affinity: a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc.
His affinity for the outrageous gave him a reputation as class clown.

bilious: peevish, irritable, cranky; or extremely distasteful
The bilious decor put him into a bilious mood.

cognate: allied or similar in nature or quality
To him, apples and oranges were cognates -- both fruit, after all.

cul-de-sac: any situation in which further progress is impossible
After a lifetime of hard work, he finally reached a cul-de-sac in his chosen field.

derring-do: daring deeds; heroic daring
Through a mixture of fool-hardiness and derring-do, he emerged the victor.

Sonnet

Admittedly, I did not even know Edgar Allen Poe wrote sonnets until I saw the one Ubi Kim posted (which I saw while checking his blog to reference him in the previous post).  I thought Poe would be a welcome break from all the Shakespeare we've been doing recently.  I chose this particular one of his because while I enjoyed the imagery, there are plenty of allusions in there worthy of discussion.

"Sonnet - To Science"

Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art!

Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.

Why preyest thou thus upon the poet's heart,

Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?

How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,

Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering

To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,

Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?

Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car?

And driven the Hamadryad from the wood

To seek a shelter in some happier star?

Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood,

The Elfin from the green grass, and from me

The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?

Growing My Personal Learning Network

I ran into an awkward problem while attempting to contact the learning communities I listed.  I could not find a way to get into contact with any of them.  Granted, most of them are old, so getting a reply was doubtful any way.  I had stupidly forgotten that a learning network would actually require communication.  I had a pretty good set of Hamlet resources, but an actual network was nonexistent.

So, to solve the problem, I went with what has been a classic solution for this class -- collaboration.  I went through several of my peers' blogs.  While many had the same problem I did, I eventually found a contactable and current resource on Ubi Kim's blog.  He gave me permission to use his resource (thanks!) and I sent out my email:

I blurred out the name for good measure.  If I get a reply, I'll make sure to ask if I can post the entire conversation.  Updates will come in the future!

Update: I got a response; you can see it here.

AP Hamlet Personal Learning Network

Here's the top five courses with online presence that I found studying Hamlet.  The top five are in no particular order.  I had trouble finding communities that were still active, so I chose based on the assumption that I could still contact these courses.