Patterns of the Estonian sonnet from 1881–2015

Rebekka Lotman

doi:https://doi.org/10.54013/kk737a1

Patterns of the Estonian sonnet from 1881–2015: Frequency, metre, rhyme schemes, authors

Keywords: sonnet, Estonian poetry, metre, rhyme schemes

The article reports an attempt of multi-aspect analysis of the Estonian sonnet from its emergence in 1881 to 2015 (incl.). The research material covers all 4551 sonnets published in the Estonian language space. Diachronic analysis shows that despite the ever increasing number of sonnets their proportion in published poetry has decreased to the extent of becoming marginal by the 21^st century. The metre of the Estonian sonnet is varied. Similarly to Germanic languages, a traditional Estonian sonnet uses iambic pentameter, yet this applies only to 58% of all sonnets. The runner-up (10%) is a metric pattern specific to Estonian: a few (mostly one to three) verse lines are in iambic hexameter while the rest are in iambic pentameter. Seven percent of the sonnets use isometric iambic hexameter. The rest of the iambic sonnets (7%) use shorter or longer lines or combine other lengths. Notably, as many as 5% of Estonian sonnets are in free verse; 4% use accentual verse system. Trochaic sonnets form 4%, most of which use trochaic pentameters. As for syllabic-accentual triple measures, we can find dactyl, amphibrach as well as anapest (3% in total). Some sonnets even use a runic or syllabic measure.

A separate section addresses the distribution of Estonian sonnet metres on the time axis. Comparative statistical analysis is used to highlight the tendencies characteristic of different periods, while the percentage of iambic pentameter is used to classify a period as more classic or, on the contrary, more avant garde. In my study the history of the Estonian sonnet has been divided into seven periods: (1) the sonnet of post-national awakening 1881–1908, (2) the modernist sonnet 1909–1939, (3) early Soviet Estonian sonnet 1944–1961, (4) sonnets written in exile 1946–1986, (5) late Soviet Estonian sonnet 1962–1986, (6) the postmodernist sonnet 1987–1999, and (7) the post-postmodernist sonnet 2000–2015. The percentage of isometric iambic pentameter is highest (85%) in the sonnets written in exile and the lowest (40%) in the postmodernist era, showing a tendency for increase in the current 21^st century (49%).

As far as rhymes are concerned, most of the Estonian sonnets follow the Italian model, while a mere 10% can be called English sonnets.

The English sonnet made a relatively late arrival, represented by single occurrences in the Estonian poetry before World War II. Their proportion is the highest among the sonnets written in postwar Soviet Estonia, where nearly one of every two sonnets (45%) follow the rhyme scheme abab/cdcd/efef/gg.

Rebekka Lotman (b. 1978), MA, doctoral student, University of Tartu, Institute of Cultural Research; Editor-in-Chief, Tallinn University Press (Narva mnt 25, 10120 Tallinn), rebekka.lotman@tlu.ee

References

Arhiiviallikad

Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum (EKM), Eesti Kultuurilooline Arhiiv:

EKLA, f 310, m 11: 1. Kangro, Bernard 1934. Bibliograafia.

EKLA, f 310, m 143: 8. Bernard Kangro, Oktoobri sonetid. Biograafiline tsükkel luuleproosat (1991).

Kirjandus

Aavik, Johannes 1921. Puudused uuemas eesti luules. 2. – Eesti Kirjandus, nr 8, lk 238–250.

Adams, Valmar 1924. Lahtine leht. – V. Adams, Suudlus lumme. Tartu: Sõnavara, s. p.

Ehin, Andres 1968. Hunditamm. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Ehin, Andres 1988. Tumedusi rüübatan. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Grünthal, Ivar 1962. Peetri kiriku kellad. [Göteborg]: Mana.

Grünthal, Ivar 1977. Laulu võim. II peatükk. – Mana, nr 44, lk 1–6.

Grünthal, Ivar 1978. Laulu võim. III peatükk. – Mana, nr 45, lk 48–51.

Grünthal, Ivar 1985. Laulu võim. XV peatükk. – Mana, nr 54, lk 65–68.

Hiir, Erni 1925. Kodukurun. – E. Hiir, Johannes Schütz, Mihkel Jürna, Bumerang. Koguteos. Tartu: [autorite kirjastus], lk 5–27.

Jakobson, Peeter 1885. P. Jakobson’i Luuletused. Teine anne. Rakvere: G. Kuhls.

Jakobson, Peeter 1888. Neiu Alt’ile. – Postimees 18. VIII, nr 93, lk 3.

Kaalep, Ain 1971. Klaasmaastikud. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Kaalep, Ain 1986. Kuldne Aphrodite ja teisi luuletusi. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Kangro, Bernard 1935. Sonetid. Tartu: Kammisseppade kirjastus.

Kangro, Bernard 1938. Eesti soneti ajalugu. (Akadeemilise Kirjandusühingu toimetised 13.) Tartu: Akadeemilise Kirjandusühingu Kirjastus.

Kangro, Bernard 1972. Allikad silla juures. Neljateistkümnes kogu luuletusi. Lund: Eesti Kirjanike Kooperatiiv.

Kangro, Bernard 1985. Tuiskliiv; Talvereis. Kuueteistkümnes kogu luuletusi. Lund: Eesti Kirjanike Kooperatiiv.

Karlson, Ferdinand 1935. Rännakuil. Sonetid. Tartu: Noor-Eesti.

Kivisildnik 1996. Nagu härjale punane kärbseseen. Tallinn: Eesti Kostabi Selts.

Laaban, Ilmar 1946. Ankruketi lõpp on laulu algus. Luuletusi 1943–1945. Stockholm: [s. n.]

Lentini, Jacopo da 1968. Sonetti. La poesia lirica del Duecento, a cura di Carlo Salinari, UTET Torino. – Biblioteca dei Classici Italiani. http://www.classicitaliani.it/duecepdf/Lentini_son.pdf (30. VIII 2018).

Liiv, Jakob 1933. Päikese veerul. Rakvere: J. Liiv.

Liiv, Toomas 1981. Fragment. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Lotman, Mihhail, Lotman, Maria-Kristiina 2018. Eesti silbilis-rõhulise rütmika jooni: neliktrohheus ja -jamb 19. sajandi teisel poolel ja 20. sajandi alguses. Tallinn: EKSA.

Lotman, Rebekka 2012. Kas Jakob Liiv kirjutas esimesed eestikeelsed sonetid? – Keel ja Kirjandus, nr 6, lk 401–416. https://doi.org/10.54013/kk655a1

Lotman, Rebekka 2017. The patterns of the Estonian sonnet: periodization, incidence, meter and rhyme. – Studia Metrica et Poetica, kd 4.2, lk 67–124. https://doi.org/10.12697/smp.2017.4.2.04

Luiga, Georg Eduard 1888. G. E. Luiga laulud. Tartu: K. A. Hermann.

Marie Underi sonetid. Viiskümmend tänapäeva luuletajat kõneleb Marie Underiga. Koost Hasso Krull, Carolina Pihelgas. Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus, 2015.

Navakas, Kȩstutis 2017. Kala peeglis. Tlk Rein Raud. – Loomingu Raamatukogu, nr 40. Tallinn: Sihtasutus Kultuurileht.

Oppenheimer, Paul 1989. The Birth of the Modern Mind. Self, Consciousness, and the Invention of Sonnet. New York–Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Perler, Jüri 2010. Oo Hamlet, mu vend! Tartu: Tartu Ülikooli Kirjastus.

Pihlak, August 1960. Tuled soos. Kolmas kogu luuletusi. Toronto: Ortoprint.

Pihlak, August 1962. Niagara. Neljas kogu luuletusi. Toronto: Ortoprint.

Ronsard, Pierre 1903 [1565]. Abregé de l’art poetique françois. London: Hacon and Ricketts.

Rooste, Jürgen 1999. Sonetid. Taanilinn: Huma.

Sinimäe, Juhan 1936. Isamaa. Tartu: Kuldvillak.

Sütiste, Juhan 1945. Umbsed päevad. Tallinn: Ilukirjandus ja Kunst.

Tagel, Paul 1999. Retsitaal. Virumaa: P. Tagel.

The Poetry of Giacomo da Lentino. Sicilian Poet of the Thirteenth Century. Toim Ernest F. Langley. Cambridge–Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 1915.

Torraca, Francesco 1902. Il notaro Giacomo da Lentini. – F. Torraca, Studi su la lirica italiana del duecento. Bologna: Ditta Nicola Zanichelli, lk 1–85.

Under, Marie 1917. Sonetid. Tallinn: Siuru.

Verev, Velly 1981. Võilillesaatus. Luulet 1977–1980. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat.

Väljataga, Märt 2000. Sada tuhat miljardit millenniumisonetti. Tallinn: Vagabund.

Wilkins, Ernest Hatch 1959. The Invention of the Sonnet. – E. H. Wilkins, The Invention of the Sonnet and Other Studies in Italian Literature. Roma: Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, lk 11–39.