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Stanza

This article is about the term in poetry. For other uses, see Stanza (disambiguation).

In poetry, a stanza (/ˈstænzə/; from Italian stanza, Italian: [ˈstantsa]; lit. 'room') is a group of lines within a poem, usually set off from others by a blank line or indentation.[1] Stanzas can have regular rhyme and metrical schemes, but they are not required to have either. There are many different forms of stanzas. Some stanzaic forms are simple, such as four-line quatrains. Other forms are more complex, such as the Spenserian stanza. Fixed verse poems, such as sestinas, can be defined by the number and form of their stanzas.

The stanza has also been known by terms such as batch, fit, and stave.[2]

The term stanza has a similar meaning to strophe, though strophe sometimes refers to an irregular set of lines, as opposed to regular, rhymed stanzas.[3]

Even though the term "stanza" is taken from Italian, in the Italian language the word "strofa" is more commonly used.

In music, groups of lines are typically referred to as verses. The stanza in poetry is analogous with the paragraph in prose: related thoughts are grouped into units.[4]

  1. ^ Murfin & Ray, The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, p. 455.
  2. ^ Cuddon, J.A.: A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. ISBN 9781444333275.
  3. ^ Murfin & Ray, The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, p. 457.
  4. ^ Kirszner & Mandell, Literature Reading, Writing, Reacting, Ch. 18, p. 716.

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