The sonnet form was invented by Giacomo da Lentini in the 13th century in Italy. The sonnet, which is derived from sonetto, which means “little song” in Italian, is traditionally a 14-line poetic form that includes a turn, also known as a volta, highlighting a change in direction of the poet’s thought. Shakespeare’s sonnets are among the earliest English sonnets. The English sonnet arose from the Italian sonnet, or Petrarchan sonnet, named after the famous Italian Renaissance poet Francesco Petrarca who popularized the form.

The English sonnet was invented by Sir Thomas Wyatt, who brought the Italian sonnet to England in the mid-1500’s. Wyatt innovated the sonnet by modifying it from its Italian version. By lowering the number of similar rhymes, the sonnet became better suited to the comparatively rhyme-poor English language, offering a greater variety of rhymes through the quatrain divisions. The Earl of Surrey, a follower of Wyatt, gained great popularity for his sonnets. The height of the sonnet’s ascendance in England was from 1580-1600. Though Shakespeare did not invent the form, it is given his name because his sonnets are considered some of the greatest ever written. However, upon their publication in 1609, Shakespeare’s sonnets were largely ignored by the public, as the form had not been popular for approximately thirty years.