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abababcc stanza

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An eight-line stanza with the rhyme scheme abababcc, traditionally used in ottava rima for narrative or satirical poetry, especially in Italian and English verse.

Detailed Definition
An eight-line stanza that follows the rhyme scheme ABABABCC, combining alternating rhyme with a closing couplet. This structure creates a sense of movement through the alternating pattern before providing closure with the rhyming couplet. The form allows for extended development of an idea or narrative through six lines before the summarizing or concluding force of the final couplet. Found in various long narrative poems and lyric sequences, this stanza type offers both variety and resolution.
Example
Example in poetry:
abababcc stanza example: A stanza with six alternating rhymes followed by a rhyming couplet, e.g., "The wind blows soft across the field (a), The shadows lengthen with the day (b), The golden light begins to yield (a), As dusk brings night and fades away (b), The stars emerge in quiet grace (a), The moon ascends to take its place (b), Night whispers secrets to the breeze (c), While silence sings among the trees." (c)
Additional Notes
The abababcc stanza is an eight-line form with alternating rhymes followed by a rhyming couplet; it appears in ottava rima and some narrative poems, offering both rhythmic variety and a strong closing emphasis.
Also Known As
Ottava rima variation Chain-couplet stanza Extended terza alternate rhyme Byronic stanza
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