A sonnet is a fourteen line poem devoted to a single theme. Sonnets were first invented in Italy in the 13th century and were then a form of elegiac verse. They were perfected by Alighieri Dante and Petrarch, the regular or Petrarcan sonnet consisting of fourteen iambic lines of ten or eleven syllables, the first eight or octave generally devoted to the expression of the theme, having the rhyme-scheme abbaabba, and the last six, or sestet, containing the application of the idea, with two or three rhymes variously arranged, a closing couplet being avoided. In England many irregular forms of sonnet were used, the chief being the Shakespearean sonnet, rhyming ababcdefefgg. Milton used the Petrarcan form, but ignored the break after the eighth line. Research Sonnet
Chinua Achebe is a Nigerian novelist and poet. He was born in 1930. His first novel, Things Fall Apart (written in 1958), set the theme for his subsequent work: the impact of Western influences on traditional African society. Achebe's other works include The Arrow of God (written in 1964), and A Man of the People (written in 1966). Unsentimental, often ironic, they vividly convey tribal culture and the very speech of the Ibo people. Achebe' s later works include a short-story collection, Girls at War (written in 1972), and Christmas in Biafra and Other Poems (published in 1973). Since 1971 he has been co-editor of Okike, one of Africa's most influential literary magazines. Research Chinua Achebe
Delia Derbyshire was a British composer and the inspiration behind modern electronic music. She died in 2001. As a studio manager at the BBC, working in the radiophonic workshop she arranged the theme tune for the 1960's television series 'Dr Who' from a few suggested notes passed to her on a scrap of paper by her boss. Delia Derbyshire composed music from adjusting sounds she found in everyday life, such as a metal lamp shade being struck by a stick, or a key run along a piano string, a sound which features in the Dr Whotheme tune, recording these sounds onto short pieces of tape, and splicing them, adjusting the speed at which they were played and playing them backwards to produce revolutionary new sounds, all without the benefit of computers or synthesisers. Research Delia Derbyshire
Sir Edward Elgar was a British composer. He was born in 1857 at Broadheath, Worcestershire and died in 1934. Self-taught, for some time he acted as conductor of the Worcester Instrumental Society, and as organist at St. George's, Worcester, but when later he turned to composition he resigned both these positions. In 1892 he produced the Black Knight, and this was followed by several oratorios, cantatas, and other works, including The Light of Life, a short oratorio (Worcester Festival, 1896); King Olaf, a cantata (North Staffordshire Festival, 1896);' Imperial March (1897); Te Deum (Hereford Festival, 1897); Caractacus (Leeds Festival, 1898); and Orchestral Variations later known as 'Enigma Variations' in 1899, an orchestral work based on an unheard theme, which brought him worldwide acclaim. In 1900 his famous sacredcantata, The Dream of Gerontius, was produced at the Birmingham Festival (repeated at Dusseldorf in 1901 and at the Niederrheinische Musik Fest in 1902), and added immensely to his already considerable reputation. He went on to compose other works including 'Pomp and Circumstance', and in 1904 was knighted. Research Edward Elgar
Edward Gibbon was an English writer and historian. He was born in 1737 at Putney and died in 1794. He was the son of a gentleman of an ancient Kentish family. He entered Magdalen College, Oxford, where he remained for fourteen mouths. Having declared himself a Roman Catholic, his father placed him under the care of Pavillard, a learned Calvinistic minister at Lausanne, by whom he was reconverted to the Protestant faith. His residence at Lausanne was highly favourable to his progress in knowledge and the formation of regular habits of study. The belles-lettres and the history of the humanmind chiefly occupied his attention. In 1758 he returned to England, and immediately began to lay the foundation of a copious library; and soon after composed in the French language his Essai sur l'Etude de la Litterature (published in 1761).
In 1763 he visited Paris and Lausanne, and he journeyed in Italy during 1764. It was here that the idea of writing his great history occurred to him as he sat musing among the ruins of the capitol at Rome, while the barefooted friars were singing vespers in the Temple of Jupiter. In 1770 he published a pamphlet entitled Critical Observations on the Sixth Book of the AEneid. In 1774 he obtained a seat in parliament for Liskeard, and was a silent supporter of the North administration and its American politics for eight years.
In 1776 the first quarto volume of his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was published, and at once made a public reputation for its author. In 1778 he drew up on behalf of the English government a Memoire Justificatif in answer to the manifesto of the French court, and for this service he was made one of the lords of trade. On the retirement of North he lost his appointment, and soon after withdrew to Lausanne in 1783, where, in the course of four years, he completed the three remaining volumes of his history, which were published together in 1788.
In 1793 he returned to England, where he died on the 16th of January, 1794. His history, though not without its defects, has great merits. Its style, if at times somewhat stiff and pompous, has the energy and elevation required for so great a theme; his learning is vast and thorough, and his insight into human nature in every variety of circumstances in remote countries and epochs is that of a great and philosophical historian. In 1796 his friend LordSheffield published two quarto volumes of his miscellaneous works, of which the most valuable part is the Memoirs of his Life and Writings. Research Edward Gibbon
Gerrit Achterberg was a Dutch poet. He was born in 1905 at Larigbroek and died in 1962. He had already published two collections of poetry whose major theme had been his desire to be united with a beloved in death, when in 1937 he shot and killed his landlady and shot at her young daughter, who survived the incident. He then spent six years in a psychiatric hospital. His poetry opposes a close observance of traditional form to an extreme, and deliberately psychotic, violence of content. His most famous poem is De ballade van de gasfitter written in 1953, a series of fourteen strict sonnets about a confused gas worker whose job is to fill holes. Research Gerrit Achterberg
Gerrit Achterberg was a Dutch poet. He was born in 1905 at Larigbroek and died in 1962. He had already published two collections of poetry whose major theme had been his desire to be united with a beloved in death, when in 1937 he shot and killed his landlady and shot at her young daughter, who survived the incident. He then spent six years in a psychiatric hospital. His poetry opposes a close observance of traditional form to an extreme, and deliberately psychotic, violence of content. His most famous poem is De ballade van de gasfitter written in 1953, a series of fourteen strict sonnets about a confused gas worker whose job is to fill holes. Research Gerrit Achterberg
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley was a British political leader. He was born in 1896 and died in 1980. Mosley was a Member of Parliament successively as a Conservative from 1918 to 1922, Independent from 1922 to 1924, and Labour from 1925 to 1931. He formed a progressive socialist movement, the New Party in 1931 advocating state intervention. Calling for a dictatorial system of government, he formed the National Union of Fascists in 1932. Anti-Semitic and fascist in character, its black-shirted followers staged violent marches and rallies in the East End of London. Mosley was interned during 1940 to 1943. In 1948 he founded the 'Union Movement', whose theme was European unity. Research Oswald Mosley
Philip Henry Sheridan was an American general. He was born in 1831 at Albany, New York of Irish parents and died in 1888. Educated at West Point he graduated in 1853. In the first stages of the American Civil War he was quartermaster, but in 1862 he received a cavalry command. At the battle of Perryville he led a division, and on the bloody field of Murfreesboro he especially distinguished himself.
Appointed major-general of volunteers, he fought at Chickamauga, and at Missionary Ridge he shared with Hooker and others the honours of the day. The great period of his career was now approaching. In 1864 Grant gave him the charge of the cavalry corps in the Army of the Potomac; he was present at the Wilderness, fought the battle of Todd's Tavern, conducted an extended raid in May and June, and was in August placed in charge of the Army of the Shenandoah. He defeated Early at Winchester and Fisher's Hill, and was absent at Winchester, when, on October the 19th, 1864, the enemy made a sudden attack on his army at Cedar Creek.
His ride from Winchester, twenty miles away, to the battle-field, his reforming the army and turning defeat into a brilliant victory, is the theme of story and poetry. He was made a major-general in the regular army. In the operations of 1865 he took the leading part, won the Battle of Five Forks, on April the 1st, and helped materially in the denouement at Appomattox. In 1869 he was promoted to be lieutenant-general and in 1888 general. In 1883 he succeeded General Sherman as commander-in-chief of the army. Research Philip Sheridan
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Sonnet
