Poetry:
* William Shakespeare: Perhaps the most famous example, Shakespeare's plays and sonnets often feature rhyming couplets, particularly in the final lines of his sonnets.
* Alexander Pope: Known for his satirical poems like "The Rape of the Lock," Pope's works are characterized by their use of heroic couplets (rhyming pairs of iambic pentameter lines).
* John Dryden: Another master of heroic couplet, Dryden's works like "Absalom and Achitophel" and "Mac Flecknoe" exhibit his skill in using this form.
* Geoffrey Chaucer: While not exclusively using couplets, Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" feature a significant amount of rhyming couplets in its storytelling.
Other Forms:
* John Milton: While primarily known for his blank verse in "Paradise Lost," Milton also used rhyming couplets in his other works, including "Lycidas" and "Samson Agonistes."
* Lord Byron: Romantic poet Byron often employed rhyming couplets in his long narrative poems, such as "Don Juan" and "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage."
Modern Writers:
* Robert Frost: Known for his nature poems, Frost sometimes utilized rhyming couplets, particularly in his early works.
* W.H. Auden: While primarily known for his modernist poetry, Auden occasionally used rhyming couplets, for example, in his poem "Musée des Beaux Arts."
It's important to remember that rhyming couplets are not confined to a specific genre or time period. Many poets and writers have incorporated them into their work for different purposes, such as creating a sense of rhyme and rhythm, highlighting specific themes, or achieving a particular tone.