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Difficulty: MediumPoetic Structure and Form

Read the stanza below carefully:

When ocean waves crash on the rocky shore,
The silent gulls fly upward in the night,
They seek a peaceful refuge in their flight,
And dream of calm waters forevermore.

Which of the following correctly identifies the rhyme scheme and stanzaic structure of the excerpt?

  1. abba, forming an enclosed quatrainAnswer
  2. B
    abab, forming an alternate quatrain
  3. C
    aabb, forming a coupled quatrain
  4. D
    abcb, forming a ballad quatrain

Answer

The rhyme scheme is abba, which characterizes an enclosed quatrain.
The end-rhymes of the stanza map to 'shore' (a), 'night' (b), 'flight' (b), and 'forevermore' (a). This abba pattern features inner rhyming lines enclosed by outer rhyming lines, which defines an enclosed quatrain.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the end-words of each line in the stanza.
Line 1 ends with 'shore', Line 2 ends with 'night', Line 3 ends with 'flight', Line 4 ends with 'forevermore'.
Rhyme scheme calculation requires identifying the final sound of each line.
2
Assign letters to matching end-rhyme sounds.
'shore' (a), 'night' (b), 'flight' (b), 'forevermore' (a). Pattern = abba.
Matching sounds share the same designated letter.
3
Identify the structural term for a four-line stanza with an abba pattern.
An abba quatrain is structurally termed an enclosed or envelope quatrain.
The outer rhyming lines (a) enclose the inner rhyming lines (b).

Key Concept

Stanzaic Structure and Rhyme Scheme Analysis
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Poetic Structure and Form

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