Stanza :
Stanza Means “room” in Italian
Usually separated by spaces in a poem
Each stanza states and develops a single main idea.
Names for Stanzas :
Names for Stanzas A stanza is named for the number of lines it contains.
The prefix for this number usually comes from Latin or Greek – sometimes from other sources
Names :
Names Couplet – a two line stanza
Tercet – a three line stanza
Quatrain – a four line stanza
Cinquain – a five line stanza
Sestet – a six line stanza
Heptastich – a seven line stanza
8 lines :
8 lines An eight line stanza is usually called an octave –
Sometimes it is called an octet.
Different types of poetry contain different types of stanzas :
Different types of poetry contain different types of stanzas For instance, a sonnet is a fourteen line poem.
A Shakespearean sonnet contains three quatrains and a couplet.
Other types of sonnets are composed of an octave and a sestet.