English Literature GCSE
Petrarchan Blazon
What Petrarchan Blazon means in English Literature GCSE, as defined for OCR.
Definition of Petrarchan Blazon
A rhetorical device in which a poet catalogues the physical attributes of the beloved, comparing them to idealised natural imagery (roses, stars, etc.). Shakespeare subverts this tradition in Sonnet 18 by critiquing the comparison to summer.
Topics that use Petrarchan Blazon
- Sonnet 18 (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- Chiasmus
- Deictic Demonstrative
- Eternalising Metaphor
- Extended Metaphor
- Iambic Pentameter
- Oxymoron
- Personification
- Rhyming Couplet
Using Petrarchan Blazon in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
Practise English Literature questions
Create a free account to answer exam-style questions on this topic and get feedback on your answers.
Start free
All English Literature GCSE terms7 days Premium · Then free forever · No card, no charge