Practice question · Multiple choice
Ottava rima pairs an alternating six-line weave with a closing couplet. What follows from this architecture for a poet constructing a long narrative?
Hints
- What rhetorical task does a concluding couplet perform after alternating lines?
- How does structural resolution shape the pacing of sequential episodes?
Show the answer
C. Every stanza functions as a self-contained narrative argument
Why
Ottava rima operates by generating sustained structural tension across six alternating lines before snapping shut in the closing couplet. Confusing resolution with disintegration overlooks how rhyme architecture enforces narrative closure rather than lyrical ornament.
Practise Poetic Traditions I: the Medieval and Renaissance Lyric
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More questions on Poetic Traditions I: the Medieval and Renaissance Lyric
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