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How does a Petrarchan sonnet organize its octave and sestet?
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Poetry
Poems hanging from an outdoor poetry line during the annual International Festival of Poetry in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada.
The Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet is a 14-line poem structured into two distinct parts that organize its thematic development.1
Structural Organization
- The Octave: The first eight lines, known as the octave, typically state a problem, pose a question, or express an emotional tension. This section follows a strict rhyme scheme of abbaabba.12
- The Sestet: The final six lines, or sestet, provide a resolution to the problem, answer the question, or relieve the tension established in the octave. The rhyme scheme of the sestet is more flexible and may vary, commonly appearing as cdecde, cdccdc, or cdedce.12
The Volta
The transition between the octave and the sestet is marked by a shift in thought or argument known as the volta, or "turn". This shift is often signaled by transition words such as "But," "Yet," or "And yet," serving as the pivot point where the poem moves from its initial premise toward its conclusion.3