Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyAnalysis of Poetic Form, Structure, and Rhyme Scheme

Read the following lines of poetry carefully:

The morning mist begins to clear away,
And songbirds awaken in the tall oak tree,
A gentle breeze heralds the brand new day,
While quiet waters wander toward the sea.

What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza above?

  1. ababAnswer
  2. B
    abba
  3. C
    aabb
  4. D
    abcd

Answer

The rhyme scheme of the quatrain is abab.
The correct pattern is abab because the first line end-word ('away') rhymes with the third line end-word ('day'), and the second line end-word ('tree') rhymes with the fourth line end-word ('sea'). This creates an alternating rhyme scheme.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the ending word of the first line
Line 1 ends with 'away', which is assigned the letter 'a'.
Rhyme schemes begin by assigning the letter 'a' to the first line's ending sound.
2
Examine the ending word of the second line
Line 2 ends with 'tree', which does not rhyme with 'away'. It is assigned the letter 'b'.
A new sound at the end of a line receives the next letter of the alphabet.
3
Examine the ending word of the third line
Line 3 ends with 'day', which rhymes with 'away' (line 1). It is assigned the letter 'a'.
Lines that share an end sound share the same assigned letter.
4
Examine the ending word of the fourth line and synthesize the pattern
Line 4 ends with 'sea', which rhymes with 'tree' (line 2). It is assigned the letter 'b'. The final pattern is abab.
Matching each line's sound sequentially reveals the overall rhyme scheme abab.

Key Concept

Identification of End-Rhyme Scheme
Rate this question

Topics

Analysis of Poetic Form, Structure, and Rhyme Scheme

More questions from this topic