Introduction to Sonnet I. Objectives At the end of the period, the students will be able to: 1.

watch a short video related to the lessons theme; 2. read a sonnet written by Shakespeare;
3. interpret textual details to discover the poems theme;

4. analyze the salient features that make up a sonnet; 5. express feelings and thoughts about the topic in class; and, 6. write concrete examples/manifestations of true love.

II. Pre-reading Phase Students are asked to give one word to describe love in general and to explain their answer briefly. Students watch the video Love Language. Afterwards, the following questions are discussed: 1. Who are the characters in the video? What are they doing at the park?
2. What were the attempts made by the guy to speak with the girl? Why did he not

succeed? What did he try to do instead? 3. What did you feel when the girl had not removed her earphones? What was the reason behind the girls behavior? 4. What were the love languages shown by the guy to express his intentions?
5. What was the ultimate love language that he expressed to the girl? What does

the sentence Youre still beautiful mean? What is one describing word can you use for the guys love for the girl? 6. If you were the girl, how would you feel? How would you respond to the guys statement?

III. While-reading Phase

Students read Sonnet 116 silently. Afterwards, they work with their partners to paraphrase the lines using modern language. Their work is presented to the class afterwards to facilitate discussion.

The following questions are used to process the text:

Literal level
1. What does Shakespeare define in his poem?

2. Who is the persona in the text?

Interpretive level
3. What does the phrase true minds mean? What kind of love is described in the

first four lines?

4. Which objects are used to support the claim that true love is constant?

5. What does line 8 tell us about true love? 6. What effect does time have on love? 7. What statement does the persona try to make in the last two lines? 8. What is love based on this poem?

Applied level
9. Have you ever experienced an unchanging love? It does not have to be a

romantic one.

Literary Element 1. What are the salient features evident in the poem? 2. What do you call this poem composed of 14 lines?

IV. Post-reading Phase/ Synthesis

Based on our discussion of the video and the sonnet, love is constant. However, love is an abstract concept. How can we show/prove our love to the people who are dear to us? Write a 5-sentence paragraph to express your answers.

V. Assignment Students read the sonnet Death, be not proud by John Donne.

VI. Appendices

Video found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyB_U9vn6Wk

Sonnet 116 William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wandering bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

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Death, be not proud, though some have calld thee (Holy Sonnet 10) John Donne Death, be not proud, though some have calld thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou thinkst thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and souls delivery. Thourt slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell; And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well And better than thy stroke; why swellst thou then? One short sleep past, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more: Death, thou shalt die.

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