What Is the ABAB CDCD Efef GG Rhyme Scheme in Shakespearean Sonnets?

Learn about the ABAB CDCD Efef GG rhyme scheme used in English Shakespearean sonnets, including its structure and significance.

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The rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD Efef GG refers to the structure used in English sonnets, specifically the Shakespearean or Elizabethan sonnet. This structure is divided into three quatrains (four-line sections) followed by a final rhyming couplet (two-line section). The first quatrain rhymes ABAB, the second CDCD, the third Efef, and the poem concludes with a rhyming couplet GG.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What is the ABAB CDCD Efef GG rhyme scheme? It is the rhyme pattern commonly used in Shakespearean sonnets, consisting of three quatrains with alternating rhymes followed by a final rhymed couplet.
  2. How does the Shakespearean sonnet structure work? The Shakespearean sonnet is structured into three quatrains with rhyme schemes ABAB, CDCD, Efef, and ends with a rhyming couplet GG.
  3. What distinguishes an Elizabethan sonnet from other sonnet forms? An Elizabethan sonnet, or Shakespearean sonnet, is characterized by its specific rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD Efef GG and its division into three quatrains and a final couplet.