The Sicilian octave (Italian: ottava siciliana) is a verse form consisting of eight lines of eleven syllables each, called a hendecasyllable. The form is common in late medievalItalianpoetry. In English poetry, iambic pentameter is often used instead of syllabics. The form has a prescribed rhyme scheme (ABABABAB). Although only the final two rhymes are different from the much more common ottava rima, the two eight-line forms evolved completely separately. According to the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, scholars disagree on the origin of the Sicilian octave, but all agree that it is related to the development of the first eight lines of the sonnet (called the octave). It is not clear whether the octave emerged first and influenced the sonnet or vice versa.
The form is a variant of the strambotto, which is one of the earliest verse forms in the Italian language. The strambotto was used in Sicily and Tuscany, and consisted of either six or eight hendecasyllables. The rhyme scheme varied, but the Tuscan form generally did not use the Sicilian octave scheme; the most common was ABABCCDD.
The Sicilian octave is rare in Italian after the Renaissance and has seldom been used in English except as an illustration of the form. Before the 15th century, however, it was used often by poets in southern Italy, and was an important influence for Petrarch in his sonnets. Boccaccio, who popularized and may have invented the unrelated ottava rima, used the Sicilian octave a total of once, in his early romance Filocolo. The epitaph of Giulia Topazia is a Sicilian octave:
Qui, d'Atropos il colpo ricevuto, giace di Roma Giulia Topazia, dell'alto sangue di Cesare arguto discesa, bella e piena d'ogni grazia, che, in parto, abbandonati in non dovuto modo ci ha: onde non fia giá mai sazia l'anima nostra il suo non conosciuto Dio biasimar che fè sí gran fallazia.
Here, having received Atropos's blow, lies Giulia Topazia of Rome descended from the high bloodline of witty Caesar, beautiful, and full of every grace, who, in childbirth, abandoned us in a manner that ought not be: thus, our minds will never have enough of cursing her God, unknowable, who might make such a great error.
Referencesedit
The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Ed. Alex Preminger and T.V.F. Brogan. Princeton UP, 1993.
Ernest H. Wilkins. "Boccaccio's First Octave." Italica, Vol. 33, No. 1. (Mar., 1956), p. 19.
January 01, 1970
sicilian, octave, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, july, 2018, learn, when, r. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations July 2018 Learn how and when to remove this message The Sicilian octave Italian ottava siciliana is a verse form consisting of eight lines of eleven syllables each called a hendecasyllable The form is common in late medieval Italian poetry In English poetry iambic pentameter is often used instead of syllabics The form has a prescribed rhyme scheme ABABABAB Although only the final two rhymes are different from the much more common ottava rima the two eight line forms evolved completely separately According to the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics scholars disagree on the origin of the Sicilian octave but all agree that it is related to the development of the first eight lines of the sonnet called the octave It is not clear whether the octave emerged first and influenced the sonnet or vice versa The form is a variant of the strambotto which is one of the earliest verse forms in the Italian language The strambotto was used in Sicily and Tuscany and consisted of either six or eight hendecasyllables The rhyme scheme varied but the Tuscan form generally did not use the Sicilian octave scheme the most common was ABABCCDD The Sicilian octave is rare in Italian after the Renaissance and has seldom been used in English except as an illustration of the form Before the 15th century however it was used often by poets in southern Italy and was an important influence for Petrarch in his sonnets Boccaccio who popularized and may have invented the unrelated ottava rima used the Sicilian octave a total of once in his early romance Filocolo The epitaph of Giulia Topazia is a Sicilian octave Qui d Atropos il colpo ricevuto giace di Roma Giulia Topazia dell alto sangue di Cesare arguto discesa bella e piena d ogni grazia che in parto abbandonati in non dovuto modo ci ha onde non fia gia mai sazia l anima nostra il suo non conosciuto Dio biasimar che fe si gran fallazia Here having received Atropos s blow lies Giulia Topazia of Rome descended from the high bloodline of witty Caesar beautiful and full of every grace who in childbirth abandoned us in a manner that ought not be thus our minds will never have enough of cursing her God unknowable who might make such a great error References editThe New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics Ed Alex Preminger and T V F Brogan Princeton UP 1993 Ernest H Wilkins Boccaccio s First Octave Italica Vol 33 No 1 Mar 1956 p 19 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sicilian octave amp oldid 1129276911, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
