1. Identify the End Words:
* Look at the last word of each line in the poem.
2. Mark Similar Sounds:
* Assign letters of the alphabet to words that rhyme.
* The first rhyming word gets "A."
* The next word that rhymes with the first gets "A" as well.
* If a new sound appears, assign it "B."
* Continue assigning letters, repeating the same letter for each word that rhymes with its initial counterpart.
Example:
Let's analyze the first stanza of "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe:
> Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
> Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
> When the nights were long and cold, and the days were short and old,
> And the fire burned low and slow, and the wind howled at the door,
>
>
>
>
Let's break it down:
* Line 1: "dreary"
* Line 2: "weary" (rhymes with "dreary," so it gets an "A")
* Line 3: "lore" (new rhyme, so it gets a "B")
* Line 4: "old" (new rhyme, gets "C")
* Line 5: "slow" (new rhyme, gets "D")
* Line 6: "door" (new rhyme, gets "E")
3. Write the Rhyming Scheme:
* The rhyming scheme for this stanza is ABCDCDE.
Types of Rhyme Schemes:
* Couplet: AA (two lines rhyme)
* Triplet: AAA (three lines rhyme)
* Quatrain: AABB, ABAB, ABBA (four lines rhyme)
* Sonnet: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG (14 lines)
Tips for Identifying Rhyming Schemes:
* Listen for Sounds: Pay attention to the sounds at the end of words, not just the spelling. "Love" and "dove" rhyme, but "love" and "prove" don't.
* Consider Slant Rhymes: These are rhymes where the sounds are similar but not perfect (e.g., "moon" and "stone").
* Be Aware of Internal Rhyme: This occurs within a line (e.g., "The cat sat on the mat").
By following these steps, you can easily identify the rhyming scheme of any poem.