Types of verses, stanzas and rhymes

Within the study of the lyric, literary genre that is characterized by the expression of the feelings and emotions of the poet, we can differentiate different elements or units by which a poetic text is formed: the type of verse, stanza and rhyme. Therefore, in this lesson from a PROFESSOR we are going to dedicate ourselves to establishing the definition of each of these elements as well as the different types that are broken down from them. Keep reading and you will discover the different types of verses, stanzas and rhymes that exist within poetry.

Index

1. Definition of verse, stanza and rhyme
2. Types of rhyme
3. Types of verse according to measure, rhyme or accent
4. Types of stanza according to the number of verses

First of all, a verse It is each of the lines that make up a poem. In major features, a stanza It is a set of verses adjusted to a certain measure and rhythm. And finally, the rhyme it is the repetition of a series of phonemes or sounds at the end of two or more verses taken from the last stressed syllable.

Taking into account this general classification, it is necessary to establish first that the rhyme can be consonant or assonance.

• Rhyme: it is characterized by the rhyme of both consonant and vowel sounds of the last syllable of the verse
• Assonance rhyme: only the vowel sounds of the last syllable of the verse rhyme

The verses in turn can be classified according to their measure, according to the presence of rhyme or not and according to their accentual disposition. We will study these three forms of classification below:

Types of verse according to your measure

Within the classification, the different types of verses are distinguished according to the total number of syllables in a verse:

• Minor art verses: are those with 8 syllables or less
• Verses of major art: are those with more than 9 or more syllables

With that said, we are now going to discuss the different types of verses that exist depending on the number of syllables with which they are created:

• Bisyllabic: 2 syllables
• Eneasyllable: 9 syllables
• Trisyllable: 3 syllables
• Decasyllable: 10 syllables
• Tetrasyllable: 4 syllables
• Endecasyllable: 11 syllables
• Pentasyllable: five syllables
• Dodecasyllable: 12 syllables
• Hexasyllable: 6 syllables
• Tridecasyllable: 13 syllables
• Heptasyllable: 7 syllables
• Alejandrino: 14 syllables
• Octosyllable: 8 syllables
• Pentadecasyllable: 15 syllables

When carrying out a metric analysis of a poetic piece, it is important to differentiate the verses of major and minor art, respectively, with upper and lower case letters. Likewise, the verses of major art being of a greater length can be divided into two, by means of a caesura or blank space, thus dividing the verse into two difference parts called hemistichs.

Types of verses according to the presence of rhyme or not

If the verses are rhymed its rhyme is established in consonant Y vowel as we have seen previously. However, if the verses do not have a rhyme, they are divided into:

• Single verse: are the verses that do not have rhyme within a set of verses that do have rhyme
• White verse: yes they have measure but they do not rhyme
• Free verse: they do not conform to any type of measure or rhyme

Types of verses according to their accentual arrangement

This last classification refers to the position of the accent of the stressed syllable within the verse. This accentuation is important because it serves to give rhythm and sound to the poem in question. In this way, 3 main types are established:

• Verso oxytone: it is an acute verse, that is, it carries the tonic charge in the last syllable
• Verso paroxitone: It is a plain verse, that is, it carries the load on the penultimate syllable
• Proparoxytone Verse: It is an esdrújulo verse, that is, it carries the charge in the penultimate syllable

First of all, it should be noted that it is essential to classify stanza types according to the number of verses of which it is composed. In this way, the difference is made between stanzas of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 14 syllables and indefinite. Here we show you the types:

• Semi-detached: composed of 2 verses of major or minor art and assonance or consonant rhyme. Its metric scheme is aa AA
• Third: 3 verses of major art and consonant rhyme (A-A)
• Quartet: This is the name given to any four-line stanza and is divided into subtypes (round, serventesio, quatrain and cuaderna via)
• Round: 4 verses of minor art and consonant rhyme (abba)
• Serventesio: 4 verses of major art and consonant rhyme (ABAB)
• Quatrain: 4 verses of minor art and consonant rhyme (abab)
• Sash: 4 Alexandrian verses (14 syllables) and consonant rhyme (YYYY)
• Quintet: 5 verses of major art and consonant rhyme. It does not allow more than 2 verses in a row with the same rhyme, no verse without rhyme and the last two cannot rhyme with each other (ABAAB)
• Limerick: 5 verses of minor art and consonant rhyme. It has a more variable scheme than that of the quintet
• Lira: 5 verses. Two hendecasyllable verses and three heptasyllable verses of consonant rhyme (aBabB)
• Broken foot: 6 verses of minor art and consonant rhyme (abcabc)
• Royal Octave: 8 verses of major art and consonant rhyme (ABABABCC)
• Pamphlet: 8 verses of minor art and consonant rhyme. Its metric scheme is variable
• Tenth: 10 verses of minor art and consonant rhyme (abbaaccddc)
• Sonnet: 14 verses of major art, two quartets and two triplets of consonant rhyme (ABBA ABBA CDC DCD)
• Romance: indefinite number of verses, generally eight syllable verses of assonance rhyme, even verses and free odd verses
• Silva: indefinite number of verses. Hendecasyllable and heptasyllable verses. Rhyme to the taste of the poet

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