Isabella Carter
A couplet is a pair of successive lines that rhyme and have the same meter. They are used to express ideas quickly and clearly. Couplets can be part of a longer poem or stand alone. They are used in many literary traditions, including Arabic, Chinese, and English poetry. There are several types of couplets, including heroic couplets, split couplets, open couplets, closed couplets, and Chinese couplets. The term couplet was first used by Sir Philip Sidney in his 1590 work Arcadia to describe a pair of lines related by the same idea or thinking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of lines | Two |
| Rhyme | Usually, but not always |
| Meter | Usually the same |
| Rhythm | Usually the same |
| Syllables | Usually the same |
| Stanza | Can be a stanza of its own, or part of a longer stanza |
| Thought | Expresses a complete thought or idea |
| Language | Lyrical |
| Type | Heroic, split, open, closed, Chinese, Qasida |
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What You'll Learn
Couplets can be open or closed
A couplet is a pair of successive lines that rhyme and have the same meter. Couplets can be open or closed. An open couplet, also known as a run-on couplet, is a type of couplet where the meaning of the first line continues to the second line. In other words, the two lines form one continuous sentence.
> Why rove my thoughts beyond this last retreat?
> Why feels my heart its long-forgotten heat?
On the other hand, a closed couplet, also known as a formal couplet, is a couplet that consists of two separate sentences. Each line is end-stopped, meaning there is a grammatical pause at the end of each line.
> Why rove my thoughts beyond this last retreat?
> Why feels my heart its long-forgotten heat?
Couplets are a popular device in poetry, with notable examples in English literature, such as Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" and Shakespeare's sonnets. Couplets can also be found in Chinese and Tamil literature, where they are hung around doorways on special occasions or used as a form of moral text, respectively.
While couplets traditionally rhyme, not all couplets do. Couplets that do not rhyme may use white space to mark their structure.
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They can be formal or run-on
Couplets are a staple of poetry, and their structure can be either formal or run-on. A formal couplet is a traditional form of poetry where the two lines are independent and self-contained, typically with a rhyme at the end of each line. These are also known as closed couplets, and they offer a sense of completion and finality to the reader. Formal couplets are often used in traditional poetry forms such as the sonnet, where the rhyme scheme and structure are well-defined.
On the other hand, run-on, or open, couplets are quite different. In this form, the second line continues the thought or idea from the first line without a pause or rhyme to separate them. The two lines are linked by a grammatical or syntactic construction, creating a smooth and continuous flow of thought. This style is often used to create a sense of movement and energy in the poem, as the reader is carried forward from one line to the next without a break.
The run-on couplet style is particularly effective in narrative poetry, where the story or scene unfolds across multiple lines. By using this technique, poets can depict action and drama, with the lines running on, mirroring the action they describe. This style also lends a more conversational tone to the poem, as the lack of end-stops creates a natural, spoken feel.
While formal couplets offer a sense of completion, run-on couplets build anticipation and suspense. Continuing the thought across multiple lines, the poet leaves readers awaiting the resolution. This technique heightens the emotional impact in dramatic or romantic poetry.
Both formal and run-on couplets have distinct effects, and poets use them interchangeably to create diverse moods. The choice between the two depends on the poet's intention and desired reader impact. Understanding these nuances empowers poets to craft verses that resonate with their readers.
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Couplets can be rhyming or unrhymed
A couplet is a pair of successive lines that follow one another and are connected by rhythm and rhyme. They are used to make a poem more memorable and to emphasise an idea. Couplets can be rhyming or unrhymed.
Rhyming couplets are one of the simplest rhyme schemes in poetry. The rhyme comes quickly, tending to draw attention to itself. Good rhyming couplets tend to "explode" as both the rhyme and the idea come to a quick close in two lines. For example, Shakespeare's famous sonnet, 'Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day'?, concludes with this couplet:
> So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
> So long lives this and this gives life to thee.
Rhyming couplets have been used for hundreds of years by famous poets such as John Keats, Emily Dickinson, and Christopher Marlowe. Over time, several different forms of rhyming couplets have emerged, including uneven couplets, which do not have the same meter in both lines.
Unrhymed couplets, also known as blank verse, are formed by two consecutive lines of formal verse that do not share the same end-rhyme but do share the same meter. Unrhymed couplets are a natural unit in poems with an ABAB (or ABCBDB, etc.) rhyme scheme. For example, Robert Creeley's poem "The Whip" is written entirely in unrhymed couplets:
> I spent a night turning in bed, my love was a feather, a flat...
Couplets may be formal (closed) or run-on (open). In a formal couplet, there is a grammatical pause at the end of each line. In a run-on couplet, the meaning of the first line continues to the second.
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They can be used as two-line stanzas or within longer stanzas
Couplets are a fundamental part of poetry, with a rich history in many literary traditions, including Arabic, Chinese, and English poetry. They are a pair of successive lines that rhyme and share the same meter, expressing a complete thought or idea. While couplets can stand alone as two-line poems, they can also be used as two-line stanzas within longer poems.
When couplets are used as two-line stanzas, they are usually end-stopped, creating a grammatical pause at the end of each line. This is known as a closed couplet or formal couplet. Closed couplets express a complete thought in two lines and often stand alone, either as a two-line poem or as a stanza within a longer poem. For example, the first two stanzas of Robert Creeley's poem, "The Innocence", are couplets followed by a tercet:
> Looking to the sea, it is a line of unbroken mountains.
> It is the sky.
> It is the ground.
> There we live, on it.
Couplets can also be used within longer stanzas with more lines. This is slightly less clear-cut, as any two consecutive lines of verse can technically be referred to as a couplet. However, certain properties make it more appropriate to refer to a grouping of two lines within a longer stanza as a couplet. The most accepted way to break a longer stanza into couplets is through meter and rhyme scheme.
For example, in William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", the use of a couplet signals the importance of these lines:
> Parting is such sweet sorrow
> That I shall say good night till it be morrow.
Here, the couplet stands out from the surrounding lines, drawing attention to the significance of the moment.
Couplets are a versatile device, used by poets to create a range of effects, from lighthearted and playful tones to serious and profound ideas. They can be used as a structural framework, a means of emphasizing key moments, or a way to make poems more memorable and accessible.
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Couplets can be used to emphasise an idea or to signify the end of a poem
A couplet is a pair of successive lines that rhyme and have the same metre. They are used to emphasise an idea or to signify the end of a poem. Couplets are often used to create a lyrical, playful tone in poetry and to make the poem more memorable. They can be used as a literary device to establish patterns in verse.
Couplets can be used to emphasise an idea by creating and resolving a thought in two lines. The quick pacing and brief language of couplets can be used as a technique to make poems memorable. Couplets can also be used to signify the end of a poem, leaving a succinct note that leaves a lasting impression. For example, Shakespearean sonnets often employ rhyming couplets at the end to emphasise the theme.
Couplets can be used as a standalone poem or within a larger poem. When used within a larger poem, couplets can be used to vary stanza lengths and to create a turning point in the narrative, where an idea is explained or the poet's perspective changes.
There are different types of couplets, including heroic couplets, split couplets, open couplets, closed couplets, and Chinese couplets. A closed couplet, also known as a formal couplet, is a couplet where each line expresses a complete idea and is typically end-stopped. An open couplet, also known as a run-on couplet, is where the meaning of the first line continues to the second line.
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Frequently asked questions
A couplet is a pair of successive lines that rhyme and have the same meter. They are used to express ideas quickly and clearly.
Couplets are easiest to identify when they stand alone. Sometimes a couplet stands alone because it forms an entire two-line poem. The term "couplet" may also be used to specify a pair of consecutive lines within a longer stanza.
There are many types of couplets, including heroic couplets, split couplets, open couplets, closed couplets, Chinese couplets, and Qasida.
