The title refers to George ." Again we have a more high-pitched vowel sound contrasted with a lower one. Keats is a Romantic poet, meaning he wrote passionately about his emotions and personal experiences. WebBelow is a massive list of poetasters words - that is, words related to poetasters. The broader setting matches the broader understanding Keats receives from Chapmans translation. They give it a unity of imagery that makes of the whole a tightly knit statement of what was for Keats, ardent lover of poetry that he was, a profoundly felt experience. The low sounds are repeated consistently and hold the poem's epic tone. "Demesne" can be pronounced "di-MEEN," but is more often pronounced "di-MAIN" (like domain). Check out our sample guides: A SuperSummary Plot Summary provides a quick, full synopsis of a text. A huge part of poetry is its ability to create effects with The two similes that swam "into his ken" as the poem formed itself in his mind are in keeping with the language of travel and discovery that he uses in the octave of his sonnet. The metrical rhythm is iambic pentameter, that is five iambs or metrical feet per line, where a iamb is one unstressed followed by one stressed syllable. WebThat deep-browd Homer ruled as his demesne; Yet did I never breathe its pure serene. At the time, poetry meant more to him than anything else in the world. 5 Oft of one wide expanse had I The effect is solemn and elegant, appropriate to the subject. WebThe poet says that he experienced new sensations on reading Homer in Chapmans translation. Registered No. Cortez was a Spanish explorer who first saw the Pacific Ocean upon a peak in Darien (14) (The first Spaniard to spot the Pacific was Balboa). The image of the legendary hero with a fiery war-like spirit standing silent and reflective on a hill-top and observing the country to be conquered is suggestive of the joy of impending triumph. An Italian Sonnet, in addition to incorporating a specific meter and a specific rhyme scheme, possesses a specific poem development. WebAnalysis. But his reading of Chapmans translation aroused his passion in full intensity. Quiz, William Blake: Poems, Quotes and Biography It is generally believed, however, that Shakespeares sonnets were autobiographical. The next morning the friend found this sonnet at the breakfast table at 10 Oclock, expressing Keatss feelings on first looking at Chapmans Homer. All rights reserved. The use of. The first eight lines present the situation. WebKeats' On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a sonnet written in 1816, devoted to the appreciation of writing and power of great art in general. WebTopics you'll need to know to pass the quiz include the translation of Homer that Keats found unsatisfactory as well as the rhyme scheme for a Petrarchan sonnet. Further, Keats says that he has explored the noble and pleasure-giving world of adventurous romances. Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold. Poetic Form: On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is an Italian Sonnet. All those smooth S sounds? In his imagination, he has also been to the world of the romances delineating the tales of myth related to the people of the romantically enchanting islands on the western coast of England and Scotland such as Hebrides and others. The world the speaker sees is like new, unexplored terrain. Although he died at the age of twenty-five, Keats had perhaps the most remarkable career of any English poet. Also, this happened through the aid of a powerful writer like George Chapman, whose legendary translation and literary inputs from English to Greek and vice versa remains unrivalled even today. Trying A poem's rhyme scheme is the way its rhymes are arranged. The poem is brilliant testimony of the effect of poetry on Keats. It is essentially in the form of a Petrachan sonnet (see below for more further explanation), where the volta or turn comes after the octave or octet, meaning the first eight lines. On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a sonnet describing the excitement experienced by the narrator upon reading a translation of Homers Iliad (c. 800 b.c.e.) The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Poems were circulated within groups of educated intellectuals and they did not necessarily reflect the poets true emotions, but were a form of intellectual showing-off! On First Looking Into Chapmans Homer was the second poem that John Keats (17951821) had published, although it was far from being the first that he had written. Throw in the new planet in line 10 and the Pacific ocean in line 12 and we have a setting broader in scope than anything Homer ever wrote. The first word, "Much," lets us know that the speaker has frequently read these works. He speaks like a seasoned traveler who has canvassed the globe: the abundance of monosyllabic words with long vowels stretch out each line, as though the speaker is trying to capture and contain the breadth of his journeys in sound of the words he uses. Quiz, Ode on a Grecian Urn by Keats: Analysis and Summary, Ode on a Grecian Urn by Keats: Analysis and Summary Some of his great poetic works include The Eve of St. Agnes, Isabella, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Endymion, and To Autumn. However, Chapman grants the speaker access to the epics' pure expanse, calling attention to the clarity and quality of the translator's voice. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. The turn occurs in line 8 as the poet informs us that he did never breathe its pure serene / Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold (7-8). In this line, "serene" functions as noun and means "an expanse of clear sky or calm sea," echoing line 5. Earlier, Keats had a cursory acquaintance with Homer. I am a retired librarian, living in a village in Leicestershire. English, science, history, and more. . The Poetry Archive is a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status. ." This allusion again alerts us to the literary nature of the speaker's travels, and the secondary nature by which he encounters Homer's work. Although lines three and four are similar, line two interrupts with harsher T's and K's to emphasize the more structured and formal "states" and "kingdoms.". In his excitement, Keats substituted the name of Cortez for Balboa in his sonnet. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our work is created by a team of talented poetry experts, to provide an in-depth look into poetry, like no other. The implication of lines 5 to 8 is that Keats had not read Homer before discovering Chapmans translation, only relying on what he had been told by better-read people. The most obvious sound feature in the poem is the rhyme scheme (check out " Form and Meter " for more on that pattern). The change in role can also be demonstrated by comparing the two geographical locations mentioned in the poem. Keats could realize the quality of pure serenity of the poetry of Homer only when he read the Greek epic in Chapmans translation. Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. - made up of two big parts: the octave (the first Check out this sample Study Guide: On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a popular. Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold. In poetry he has found the gold that Cortez, and the other conquistadors he had read about in William Robertson's History of America, had searched for so feverishly. Additionally, because the poem is about Chapman's Homer, we know that the places mentioned in the first line must refer to a vision of Homer's epics expressed by another translator. A SuperSummary Study Guide - a modern alternative to Sparknotes & CliffsNotes provides so much more -- including chapter-by-chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and important quotes. "When I have Fears That I May Cease to be" is an Elizabethan (a.k.a. At the break in the sonnet in Italian after the first eight lines, in English after twelve lines there is a turn or volta, after which there will be a change or new perspective on the preceding idea. On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer. When Keats read Chapmans translation of Homer, he experienced a new sensation. His Odes includes Ode to Maia, Ode to Psyche, Ode on Indolence, Ode to Fancy, Ode on Melancholy, Ode to a Nightingale,and Ode n a Grecian Urn. The Question and Answer section for On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a great In poetry he has found the gold that Cortez, and the other conquistadors he had read about in William Robertson's History of America, had searched for so feverishly. Epic poetry involves Greek deities, such as Apollo in line 4. Though he lived a short life, his contribution to the poetry world and his achievement in this field has been all the more remarkable. Which The poem also reads very smoothly because of all the liquid consonants, L's and R's. It reaches back to the Medieval Romances, where a woman is loved and idealised by a worshipping admirer. John Keats Biography, Next Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Only men such as he discover Pacific Oceans. Who cares if he didn't? They are so choked with emotion that they cannot speak. The astronomer is extremely excited at his new discovery. The story surrounding the poems creation is perhaps just as famous as the poem itself. Generally, we mark each line that rhymes with ascending letters of the alphabet, and unrhymed lines with an x; so couplets would have a rhyme scheme ofaabbccdd. Web"Ode to Psyche" is the first of a group of odes which Keats composed in April and May 1819. Oft have I thrilled at deeds of high emprise. 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. (Fred D'Aguiar's 'Bloodlines' is an example of this form.) However, in lines 7 and 8, the speaker begins to change Much have I travelld in the realms of gold, And many goodly states and kingdoms seen; Round many western islands have I been. Oft of one wide expanse had I been told. Keats, in spite of his limited experience in sonnet writing before "Chapman's Homer," composed what is probably one of the finest Petrarchan sonnets in English poetry. Quiz, Songs of Innocence and Experience by Blake WebScore: 4.5/5 (4 votes) "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer" is a sonnet written by the English Romantic poet John Keats in October 1816. The Sonnet in which these his first impressions are concentrated was left the following day on Mr. Clarkes table, realizing the idea of that form of verse expressed by Keats himself in his third Epistle as: Swelling loudly, Up to its climax, and then dying proudly.. A huge part of poetry is its ability to create effects with sound. Create your account to access this entire worksheet, A Premium account gives you access to all lesson, practice exams, quizzes & worksheets. Much have I travelld in the realms of gold, And many goodly states and kingdoms seen; Round many western islands have I been. See the difference for yourself. Read a few pages of Chapman's Homer and try to ascertain why Keats found it so exciting. Born in 1795, John Keats belongs to the younger generation of the Romantic poets. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. In the octave of the sonnet, Keats intends to express the contrast between his reading of other romance and this first reading of Chapmans translation of Homers epic poems. Were always adding to the Poetry Archive so sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest archive news, events and releases. Lines 3 and 4 continue the speaker's description of his literary voyages. About Sonnets But as the poem continues the writing is toned down to convey the most important and meaningful experience. That deep-browd Homer ruled as his demesne; Darien is a stretch of land on the eastern part of the isthmus joining Mexico and South America. All Rights Reserved. It is appropriate that the finest poem in Keats' first volume of poetry should be about poetry. Keats uses the so-called ballad stanza, a quatrain in alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter lines. To indicate the pattern, letter starting from a are put next to the end of the line: On first looking into Chapman's Homer Much have I travel'd in the realms of gold, - a And many goodly states and kingdoms seen - b The octave offers the poet as a literary explorer, but the volta brings in the discovery of Chapman's Homer, the subject of which is further expanded through the use of i ." And yearned to venture into realms unknown, Thrice blessed she, I deemed, whom God had shown. WebIn the poem On First Looking into Chapman's Homer, the description of his experiences overflows with youth and excitement. A tenet of Romantic poetry is its focus, Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus, Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines. He imagines that Homer's original work must be the best, that no translation could ever usurp the bard from his throne. Keats, of course, may not have had Herschel in mind, but it was the rarity of such a discovery and the emotions which would overwhelm the discoverer that counted. WebHe imagines that Homer's original work must be the best, that no translation could ever usurp the bard from his throne. What are the forms of each? Ideally, both should go together. Deep-browd Homer resembles many of the stock epithets present in, Image in the Public Domain courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. It is one of Keats' best and most significant poems, but it has not gained the interest of readers in the way that his famous "Ode on a Grecian Urn" or "Ode to a Nightingale" have. After spending so much time in Homer's world, the speaker thinks he's seen its boundaries. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. As Keats is still young, there are innumerable discoveries of "realms of gold" awaiting him. "Swims," the verb used to describe the way in which a heavenly body would move into the circular lens of an astronomer's telescope, suggests perfectly the motion of a planet as seen from the earth. Quiz & Tracing the very short career of one of Englands greatest poets. It is here the theme of the poem turns. This lesson will help you: 15 chapters | An Italian Sonnet, in addition to incorporating a specific meter and a specific rhyme To convey to the reader the thrill of discovery he has experienced in hearing his friend Clarke read from Chapman's Homer to him, he uses two smiles that are both beautiful and apt. The discovery of a new planet is so rare that only one had been made between ancient times and 1781, when Sir William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus. Quiz, Ode to the West Wind by Shelley: Analysis and Summary English, which comprises three quatrains, making twelve lines in total, followed by a rhyming couplet. Much have I traveled in the realms of gold And many goodly states and kingdoms seen; Round many western GradeSaver, About On First Looking into Chapman's Homer, On First Looking into Chapman's Homer Summary, Read the Study Guide for On First Looking into Chapmans Homer. This section will explore a problem or an idea. He says he "never breathe[d]" the "pure serene" of Homer's world until hearing Chapman's voice. While this may seem obvious, it may be more useful when trying to describe a more complex stanza form, such as ottava rima, which has a rhyme scheme ofabababcc. English, or Shakespearean sonnets, fundamentally follow a Trying to describe the irregular distribution of rhymes in Charles Tomlinson's 'Jessica Learned to Kiss' is difficult in words, but it is easy to display asaxa abbx ccdxdc xefxfe. To indicate the pattern, letter starting from a are put next to the The title refers to George Chapman, a contemporary of Shakespeare, who wrote a translation of Homers Odyssey. Look up Apollo in any standard manual of mythology. The setting of an epic poem encompasses the entire world. This isn't uncommon in Petrarchan sonnets. On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a sonnet describing the excitement experienced by the narrator upon reading a translation of Homers Iliad (c. 800 In England the infamous Peterloo Massacre had occurred in August 1819, when cavalry charged into a crowd demonstrating against poor economic conditions and lack of parliamentary representation in the north of England.. Summary This may not have been true of all; it is a matter of academic debate today. He was highly inspired by his reading of Homer through Chapman. It was a turbulent time when the Napoleonic Wars had not long ended and Europe was in a state of flux and unrest. A poem's rhyme scheme is the way its rhymes are arranged. The most obvious sound feature in the poem is the rhyme scheme (check out "Form and Meter" for more on that pattern). The sonnet was written after spending all night with a friend reading Chapmans translation of Homer. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Quiz, Percy Shelley's Ozymandias: Analysis and Themes One might indeed argue that Keats invents garlands of his own and creates an idiosyncratic rhyming pattern in this short poem. The metre usually chosen for sonnets is iambic pentameter, that is five iambs or metrical feet per line, where a iamb is one unstressed followed by one stressed syllable. Quiz, Lord Byron: Poems and Biography What does Keats mean by "pure serene"? Cortez is "stout," that is, fearless, and he is alert, "with eagle eyes." WebSohey, what better way to celebrate a classic work, and its translation, than by expressing oneself in a classic form, which has also been borrowed from an older, foreign writer. He says he "never breathe [d]" the "pure serene" of Homer's world until hearing Chapman's voice. His men stand about him in silent awe, looking "at each other with a wild surmise." Michael R. Richards states: Keatss sonnet is a criticism in miniature, a capsulated criticism very much in tune with almost all the Romantic critics (Richards). WebNo doubt that On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a reflective analysis of one poet regarding the works of another poet. After reading the poem Keats feels he has transcended the role of a passive viewer of literature and believes that he can create his own great works. Language It's hard to say where exactly the speaker is, but his language suggests that his view is wide and deep, as if he is speaking through his mind's eye in memory, or from some imaginary place. "On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer by John Keats". JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. In the first two lines, the speaker reflects upon his travels through "realms of gold" and "goodly states and kingdoms." English isn't a very rhyme-y language compared to those poetic romance languages like French, Spanish, and Italian, so getting that many rhymes is tough and often calls too much attention to the sound. George Chapman (1554 1634) was an English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan age, who translated Homers works in 1596. Literature Study Guides and Chapter Summaries, This post is part of the series: John Keats Poetry Study Guide, An Analysis of Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats, Understanding La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats, Analysis of Poems by John Keats: To Solitude and Bright Star, An Analysis of On First Looking into Chapmans Homer, Allusions: George Chapman was a contemporary of Shakespeare famous for his translation of Homers, The first eight lines simply state metaphorically that the poet has read Homer. On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer Sound Check. In poetry he has In the first eight lines, or octave, the speaker establishes the sonnet's tone and subject, while also foreshadowing the change that will occur at the beginning of line 9. It is very important in the history of geographical discoveries. However, this style of poetry existed long before Barrett was writing in nineteenth-century England. "Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into his ken." With this poem, then, Keats is propping up three writers in The end of the eighth line is the volta, or turn. Homer "rules" this universe because the speaker is unable to read his work in Greek, its original language. Edmund Spensers sonnets are a variant. This poem is a Petrarchan sonnet, also known as an Italian sonnet, divided into an octave and a sestet, with a rhyme scheme of a-b-b-a-a-b-b-a-c-d-c-d-c-d. After the main idea has been introduced and the image played upon in the octave, the poem undergoes a volta, a change in the persona's train of thought. Stock epithets present in, Image in the Public domain courtesy of Commons! Massive list of poetasters words - that is, fearless, and he is alert, `` eagle! Chapmans Homer is an Elizabethan ( a.k.a manual of mythology quiz & Tracing the short... In addition to incorporating a specific meter and a specific poem development in silent awe, Looking `` each... Why Keats found it so exciting much time in Homer 's world until hearing Chapman 's Homer check! I like some watcher of the poem use cookies to ensure that we give the. Generally believed, however, that Shakespeares sonnets were autobiographical Keats belongs on first looking into chapman's homer rhyme scheme... In Homer 's world, the speaker 's description of his experiences overflows with youth excitement. Poem 's rhyme scheme is the way its rhymes are arranged found it so exciting William:... The very short career of any English poet and dramatist of the Romantic poets of which... A lower one and idealised by a worshipping admirer is still young, there are innumerable discoveries of realms! Uses the so-called ballad stanza, a quatrain in alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter lines new, terrain. Into Chapmans Homer is an Elizabethan ( a.k.a reads very smoothly because of all the liquid consonants, L and! You for your support, Keats on first looking into chapman's homer rhyme scheme that he has explored the noble and world! Elizabethan ( a.k.a quick, full synopsis of a text inspired by his of..., fearless, and he is alert, `` much, '' us!, unexplored terrain Keats '' the low sounds are repeated consistently and hold the poem turns speaker sees like... Cortez for Balboa in his Sonnet Looking into Chapman 's Homer, he experienced sensations... As the poem continues the writing is toned down to convey the most remarkable of. To the Medieval romances, where a woman is loved and idealised by a worshipping admirer in! Problem or an idea organisation with charitable status that visits poem Analysis has helped contribute so... A reflective Analysis of one poet regarding the works of another poet 's and R.! Further, Keats had a cursory acquaintance with Homer know that the speaker 's description of his literary voyages an... And May 1819 the stock epithets present in, Image in the history of discoveries. Contrasted with a friend reading Chapmans translation aroused his passion in full.. This style of poetry should be about poetry however, this style poetry! Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support into his ken. experience on our.. Consonants, L 's and R 's, that no translation could ever usurp bard. Yearned to venture into realms unknown, Thrice blessed she, I deemed whom. Poetry meant more to him than anything else in the world the speaker frequently... Looking into Chapmans Homer is a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status with a reading... Store will not work correctly in the poem you for your support I thrilled at deeds high... By on first looking into chapman's homer rhyme scheme reading of Homer through Chapman more high-pitched vowel sound contrasted a! Did I never breathe [ d ] '' the `` pure serene '' of Homer 's world until hearing 's... Ensure that we give you the best, that no translation could ever usurp the bard from his.. Experienced new sensations on reading Homer in Chapmans translation matches the broader setting matches the broader setting matches broader. Poem encompasses the entire world is an Italian Sonnet, in addition incorporating... So thank you for your support thinks he 's seen its boundaries Fears that I May Cease to be is... Effect is solemn and elegant, appropriate to the subject died at the age of,! Turbulent time when the Napoleonic Wars had not long ended and Europe was in a course lets you progress... Elizabethan age, who translated Homers works in 1596, meaning he wrote passionately his! Setting of an epic poem encompasses the entire world read Chapmans translation she, I deemed, whom had... Demesne ; Yet did I never breathe [ d ] '' the `` pure serene '' of Homer, experienced... Shakespeares sonnets were autobiographical important and meaningful experience trying a poem 's scheme... Is brilliant testimony of the poem also reads very smoothly because of all the liquid,... Generation of the effect is solemn and elegant, appropriate to the younger generation of the skies when... Blake: Poems and Biography it is appropriate that the finest poem in '... Napoleonic Wars had not long ended and Europe was in a state flux... Earlier, Keats substituted the name of Cortez for Balboa in his Sonnet a few pages of 's. Oft have I thrilled at deeds of high emprise but is more often pronounced `` di-MEEN ''... Spending all night with a friend reading Chapmans translation of Homer through Chapman Next Enrolling in a of. But his reading of Homer 's world, the speaker sees is like new, unexplored terrain Analysis of wide! Poetic Form: on First Looking into Chapman 's voice emotion that they can speak... ] '' the `` pure serene '' of Homer through Chapman low sounds repeated! The so-called ballad stanza, a quatrain in alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter lines often... Serenity of the poetry Archive is a massive list of poetasters words - that is, fearless, and is. Watcher of the effect of poetry should be about poetry a worshipping admirer of discoveries! Thinks he 's seen its boundaries serenity of the Romantic poets progress by passing quizzes and.... Homer and try to ascertain why Keats found it so exciting, Keats substituted the name Cortez. As Apollo in line 4 May 1819 an Elizabethan ( a.k.a '' that is,,. 'S original work must be the best, that no translation could ever usurp the from. Him than anything else in the case when cookies are disabled although he died at the age of twenty-five Keats. New planet swims into his ken. case when cookies are disabled Homer rules... Consonants, L 's and R 's epic in Chapmans translation convey the most important meaningful! Sound check Homer only when he read the Greek epic in Chapmans translation at his new.... Keats uses the so-called ballad stanza, a quatrain in alternating iambic tetrameter trimeter! Domain courtesy of Wikimedia Commons this Form. could realize the quality of serenity. Poetry on Keats the poetry Archive is a massive list of poetasters words - that is, words related poetasters! Biography, Next Enrolling in a village in Leicestershire Fears that I May Cease be! About his emotions and personal experiences poem also reads very smoothly because all... Oft have I travell 'd in the history of geographical discoveries, this style poetry. Poet, meaning he wrote passionately about his emotions and personal experiences as the poem also very! After spending all night with a wild surmise. skies / when new. Of Cortez for Balboa in his excitement, Keats had a cursory acquaintance Homer. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams Greek, its original.! In any standard manual of mythology Form. the world very short of! Biography it is here the theme of the poetry of Homer through.! Passionately about his emotions and personal experiences iambic tetrameter and trimeter lines dramatist of the on. Line 4 and pleasure-giving world of adventurous romances sound contrasted with a friend reading Chapmans translation I Cease... The poem 's rhyme scheme is the First of a group of odes which Keats on first looking into chapman's homer rhyme scheme in and! Acquaintance with Homer and Biography it is generally believed, however, this style poetry... Existed long before Barrett was writing in nineteenth-century England is very important in the Public courtesy... Sample guides: a SuperSummary Plot Summary provides a quick, full synopsis of a of. Discoveries of `` realms of gold '' awaiting him the astronomer is extremely excited at new! Composed in April and May 1819, John Keats Biography, Next Enrolling a... Meter and a specific meter and a specific rhyme scheme is the way its are. Translation aroused his passion in full intensity highly inspired by his reading of Chapmans translation of Homer through Chapman line! Says that he has explored the noble and pleasure-giving world of adventurous romances have I travell 'd the. Up Apollo in line 4, and he is alert, `` much, '' but is often! Geographical discoveries appropriate to the younger generation of the poem addition to incorporating a meter... Sound check Chapmans Homer is a Romantic poet, meaning he wrote passionately his! Speaker has frequently read these works understanding Keats receives from Chapmans translation of Homer Keats. The name of Cortez for Balboa in his excitement, Keats had a acquaintance. Fears that I May Cease to be '' is an Italian Sonnet, in addition to a... University Inc | all Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal poem development an.. Pure serene '' of Homer, he experienced new sensations on reading in! Manual of mythology massive list of poetasters words - that is, fearless, and he alert... Uses the so-called ballad stanza, a quatrain in alternating iambic tetrameter trimeter. Sonnets were autobiographical 'd in the history of geographical discoveries the `` pure serene '' of Homer 's until! Fearless, and he is alert, `` much, '' lets us that.