A stanza of eight lines of iambic pentameter rhymed
a b a b a b c c. Used by Italian writers such as Ariosto, it was brought into English writing by Wyatt in the sixteenth century and used to great effect by Byron in
Don Juan.I want a hero, an uncommon want, When every year and month sends forth a new one, Till after cloying the gazettes with cant, The age discovers he is not the true one. Of such as these I should not care to vaunt; I'll therefore take our ancient friend Don Juan. We all have seen him in the pantomime Sent to the devil somewhat ere his time.
I want a hero, an uncommon want, When every year and month sends forth a new one, Till after cloying the gazettes with cant, The age discovers he is not the true one. Of such as these I should not care to vaunt;…
113 words
Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Ottava Rima". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 November 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=800, accessed 28 March 2024.]