Which feature is characteristic of a Petrarchan sonnet?

• A. A rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDE CDE.
• B. Fourteen lines written in iambic pentameter.
• C. An octave consisting of eight lines and a sestet of six lines.
• D. Three quatrains and a final couplet with ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

Answer: (C)

The defining feature of a Petrarchan sonnet is its two-part structure: an octave of eight lines followed by a sestet of six lines, totaling fourteen lines. This octave–sestet division creates a turn, or volta, between the two parts, where the poem shifts from presenting a problem or situation to offering reflection or resolution. While the octave often uses a traditional rhyme pattern and the sestet allows variation, the crucial aspect is the eight-line plus six-line layout that distinguishes this form from others, like the Shakespearean sonnet, which uses three quatrains and a final couplet.