You’ve probably heard of the Shakespearean sonnet, or maybe even the Petrarchan sonnet. But those are just two types of sonnets. There are actually many other forms!
As new poets have tinkered with more traditional approaches to the sonnet over time, they’ve come up with their own approaches to writing sonnets, too. In this article, we’re going to help you learn about all of the major types of sonnets by:
- Briefly introducing you to the sonnet
- Breaking down different types of sonnets, including an example and analysis of each type
- Explaining nine poetic terms you need to know in order to successfully analyze the different types of sonnets
Are you ready? Let’s check out some sonnets!


