Notes: Types of Stanzas, Enjambment, and End-stopped Lines

Stanzas are based on how many "stichs" or lines each stanza has. How many lines does a couplet have?

• 1

• 4

• 3

• 2

What is a 4 line stanza called?

• Couplet

• Tercet

• Sestet

• Quatrain

What is one advantage to having an even number of lines in a stanza, such as 2, 4, 6, etc?

• The poem feels less structured and more free.

• Odd number stanzas are stronger for theme development.

• The poem feels more structured and less chaotic. It feels more streamlined.

• Even number stanzas are easier to create rhyme schemes for.

What is the effect of the monostich (one line stanza)?

• It's a quicker line stanza to read.

• It emphasizes the content, since it's all on one line. The pause after the line rests "deeper."

• It makes the reader read faster and they can focus on the longer stanzas.

• It allows the poet to disregard rhyme scheme, since there are no other lines to rhyme with.

What is enjambment?

• When the idea and sentence ends at the end of the poetry line.

• When a bunch of lines of poetry are jammed together to make a stanza.

• When a poet adds music to their poem and jams to the beat.

• When the idea and sentence continues beyond the poetry line and can go across multiple lines.

What is the effect of placing a noun at the end of a poetry line?

• The noun will receive extra focus and emphasis and will suggest that the next line is about the noun.

• The noun's importance will be softened and not noticed as much, so the reader can focus on the beginning of the line more.

• The noun will become the most important part of the poem as well as a focal point.

• The noun will most likely be forgotten by the reader.

Enjambment with a compound word split across two poetry lines, such as be/cause, can have what kind of effect? Choose the BEST answer.

• Breaking the word in two creates an interesting effect for the reader where the word carries onto the next line.

• The word can be more than one word by being two words.

• Splitting the word creates two separate meanings in the individual lines as well as a combined meaning when both lines are read together.

• Keeping the word together promotes unity in the poetry lines.

What is the impact of placing emotional words and images at the end of a line? The diction of the poem's last words effect its ____.

• Setting

• Imagery

• Tone

• Punctuation