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Sicilian octave

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 in iambic pentameter with a strict ABABABAB rhyme scheme, originating in Sicilian courtly poetry.

Detailed Definition
The Sicilian octave is a stanzaic form consisting of eight lines of iambic pentameter with a rhyme scheme of ABABABAB, originating in 13th-century Sicily; it was historically used for lyrical and narrative poetry and served as a precursor to the Petrarchan sonnet’s octave structure.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sicilian octave: An eight-line stanza in iambic pentameter, ABABABAB, as in early Italian poetry: "The sun ascends in golden majesty, / And paints the clouds with hues of rose and flame..."
Additional Notes
Sicilian octave uses ABABABAB rhyme scheme in eight lines, variant of ottava rima. Related to Sicilian School medieval origins. Simpler than traditional Italian ottava. Compare ABABABCC ending. Early Italian form.
Also Known As
octave stanza alternating octave
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