Which of the following describes the relationship between the quatrains and the couplet in a Shakespearean sonnet?
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Correct answer: The quatrains present a problem; the couplet resolves or reframes it
The Shakespearean form typically uses the three quatrains to build a complex argument or explore distinct metaphors for a single theme. The final couplet then provides an epigrammatic conclusion or an abrupt reversal of what preceded it.
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More Shakespearean Sonnets questions
- In Sonnet 29 ('When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes'), what causes the speaker’s state to change from despair to joy?
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- Which literary term describes the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate concepts like 'Time' or 'Death' in the sonnets?