On the Sonnet

John Keats

If by dull rhymes our English must be chain’d,
And, like Andromeda, the Sonnet sweet
Fetter’d, in spite of pained loveliness;
Let us find out, if we must be constrain’d,
Sandals more interwoven and complete
To fit the naked foot of poesy;
Let us inspect the lyre, and weigh the stress
Of every chord, and see what may be gain’d
By ear industrious, and attention meet:
Misers of sound and syllable, no less
Than Midas of his coinage, let us be
Jealous of dead leaves in the bay wreath crown;
So, if we may not let the Muse be free,
She will be bound with garlands of her own.

2. The poem prescribes a specific approach to writing sonnets. What qualities does the speaker suggest a good sonnet should have?

Melodious, attention to the "sound" of the sonnet, the meter, the rhythm.

3. The speaker compares poetry to a foot and the sonnet form to a sandal. What does he mean by suggesting the sonnet should be "more interwoven and complete" (5)?

Sonnets are supposed to be better or carefully crafted. One should take care when writing a sonnet.

4. What negative qualities does the poem imply that bad sonnets display?