The Faerie Queene · English Literature

What is the specific rhyme scheme used in the nine-line 'Spenserian Stanza' of The Faerie Queene?

  1. abab bcbc cdcd ee (Shakespearean variant)
  2. ababbcbcc (three interlocked quatrains plus couplet)
  3. abba abba cde cde (Petrarchan form)
  4. abab abab cc (alternating octave)
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Correct answer: ababbcbcc (three interlocked quatrains plus couplet)

The Spenserian stanza consists of eight lines of iambic pentameter followed by a final iambic hexameter. The rhyme scheme ababbcbcc creates an interlocking effect that drives the narrative forward.

Difficulty: Medium Question 1 of 20

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