Sestet: Etymology
The term “sestet” originates from the Italian word “sesto,” meaning six. In the realm of poetry, particularly within the sonnet form, a sestet represents the final six lines of a fourteen-line poem. Tracing its roots to Petrarchan sonnets, where it typically follows an octave (eight-line stanza), the sestet has evolved as a structural device providing resolution, commentary, or a thematic turn. Its adoption extends beyond the Petrarchan tradition to various poetic forms, showcasing its adaptability in capturing nuances of closure, contrast, or revelation within the broader context of poetic expression. The etymology of “sestet” thus encapsulates its numerical origin and the pivotal role it plays in shaping the cadence and meaning of poetic compositions.
Sestet: Literal and Conceptual Meanings
| Aspect | Literal Meaning | Conceptual Meaning |
| Etymology | Derived from the Italian word “sesto,” meaning six. | Represents the last six lines of a fourteen-line poetic form. |
| Structure in Poetry | A stanza or section consisting of exactly six lines. | Serves as a structural device providing resolution or a turn. |
| Petrarchan Tradition | Traditionally follows an octave in Petrarchan sonnets. | Offers a shift in theme, commentary, or resolution in poetry. |
| Numerical Significance | Indicates the specific count of lines in the stanza. | Symbolizes closure, contrast, or a revealing moment in verse. |
| Poetic Adaptability | Extends beyond Petrarchan sonnets to various forms. | Demonstrates versatility in capturing nuances across poetry. |
| Composition Role | Contributes to the overall cadence of poetic works. | Shapes the rhythm and meaning, often marking a significant point. |
Sestet: Definition as a Poetic Device
A sestet, as a poetic device, is a stanza comprising precisely six lines, frequently utilized in the concluding section of sonnets. Its structural significance is rooted in the Petrarchan sonnet tradition, where it follows an octave, providing a platform for thematic resolution, commentary, or a notable turn within the poem. The sestet’s role extends beyond mere numerical composition, serving as a crucial element in shaping the rhythmic cadence and imparting nuanced closure or revelation in diverse poetic forms.
Sestet: Types
- Petrarchan (or Italian) Sestet:
- This type is associated with Petrarchan sonnets and features an ABABCC rhyme scheme. The sestet typically follows an octave (eight-line stanza) and often provides resolution or a thematic turn in the poem.
- Shakespearean (or English) Sestet:
- Commonly found in the Shakespearean sonnet, the English sestet follows the ABABCC rhyme scheme as well. However, it is distinct from the Petrarchan sestet in its role, as it concludes the sonnet, often resolving the thematic elements introduced in the preceding quatrains (four-line stanzas).
While these two types represent the more traditional forms of sestets, poets and writers may also experiment with variations and modifications to suit the specific requirements of their compositions.
Sestet in Literature: Shakespearean Examples
- Sonnet 18:
- “Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade, When in eternal lines to Time thou grow’st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”
- Sonnet 29:
- “Haply I think on thee, and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate; For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”
- Sonnet 73:
- “In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire, That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the deathbed whereon it must expire, Consumed with that which it was nourished by.”
- Sonnet 116:
- “Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle’s compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom.”
Sestet in Literature: Examples
| Poet | Sonnet Title or Source | Sestet |
| John Milton | Sonnet 19 | Cyriac, whose grandsire on the royal bench Of British Themis, with no mean applause, Pronounced and in his volumes taught our laws, Which others at their bar so often wrench; To-day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench In mirth that after no repenting draws; Let Euclid rest and Archimedes pause, And what the Swede intends, and what the French. |
| Petrarch | Sonnet 134 | Madonna, with grief thou art so overworn, Thy wretched semblance makes me musing still; In pity, Lady, let me learn the skill To paint it out that none to thee shall turn. Lo! I am he who, thy forlorn, Am wed with grief, and ever will Be gazing on thee in my fancy, till I feel thy very self within me burn. |
| Elizabeth Barrett Browning | Sonnet 29 from “Sonnets from the Portuguese” | I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud About thee, as wild vines, about a tree, Put out broad leaves, and soon there’s nought to see Except the straggling green which hides the wood. Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood I will not have my thoughts instead of thee Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should. |
| John Keats | Sonnet to Ailsa Rock | Hearken, thou craggy ocean pyramid! Give answer from thy voice, the sea-fowl’s screams! When were thy shoulders mantled in huge streams? When from the sun was thy broad forehead hid? How long is’t since the mighty Power bid Thee heave to airy sleep from fathom dreams? Sleep in the lap of thunder or sunbeams, Or when grey clouds are thy cold coverlid. |
| Edna St. Vincent Millay | Sonnet IV from “Sonnets from an Ungrafted Tree” | Time does not bring relief; you all have lied Who told me time would ease me of my pain! I miss him in the weeping of the rain; I want him at the shrinking of the tide; The old snows melt from every mountain-side, And last year’s leaves are smoke in every lane; But last year’s bitter loving must remain Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide. |
| William Wordsworth | Sonnet on the Sonnet | Scorn not the Sonnet; Critic, you have frowned, Mindless of its just honours; with this key Shakespeare unlocked his heart; the melody Of this small lute gave ease to Petrarch’s wound; A thousand times this pipe did Tasso sound; With it Camöens soothed an exile’s grief; The Sonnet glittered a gay myrtle leaf Amid the cypress with which Dante crowned. |
Sestet in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories
- Traditional/Formalism:
- Recognizes the sestet as a structured poetic form with a set number of lines.
- Emphasizes rhyme schemes and metrical patterns within the sestet.
- Explores how the sestet contributes to the overall structure and unity of a poem.
- Romanticism:
- Values emotional expression and individualism in poetry.
- Sestets may be employed to convey intense emotions or explore the poet’s personal experiences.
- Emphasizes the role of the sestet in capturing the sublime and the ineffable.
- Modernism:
- Focuses on experimentation and breaking traditional forms.
- Some modernist poets may use the sestet but alter its structure or disregard traditional rhyme schemes.
- Examines how the sestet is adapted to reflect the fragmented and disordered nature of modern experience.
- Structuralism:
- Views the sestet as part of a larger system of signs and symbols.
- Analyzes the relationships between the sestet and other elements in the poem, considering its place in the overall structure.
- Postmodernism:
- Questions and deconstructs established literary forms, including the sestet.
- May experiment with combining multiple poetic forms, including sestets, to create new meanings.
- Explores intertextuality and the sestet’s role in referencing or subverting literary traditions.
- Cultural Studies:
- Considers the sestet within the context of cultural and historical influences.
- Explores how the form might be used to convey or challenge societal norms and values.
- Analyzes the sestet in relation to issues of identity, power, and representation.
- Feminist Criticism:
- Investigates how the sestet may reflect or challenge gender roles and perspectives.
- Considers how female poets use the sestet to express their voices and experiences.
- Explores the gender dynamics present within the structure and content of sestets.
These bullet points provide a brief overview of the relevance of sestets in different literary theories. Keep in mind that individual poems and poets may vary in their approach and interpretation of the sestet within these theoretical frameworks.
Sestet in Literature: Relevant Terms
| Literary Term | Definition |
| Sestet | A six-line stanza or poem, often following a specific rhyme scheme. |
| Rhyme Scheme | The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line in a poem, often denoted with letters (e.g., ABABCC for a sestet). |
| Enjambment | The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. |
| Sonnet | A 14-line poem, often written in iambic pentameter, with various rhyme schemes, including those with a sestet. |
| Petrarchan Sonnet | A sonnet with an octave (8 lines) followed by a sestet (6 lines), often with a thematic or tonal shift. |
| Volta | The turning point in a poem, often signaling a shift in tone, theme, or argument; common in sonnets and sestets. |
| Italian Sonnet | Another term for a Petrarchan sonnet, highlighting its Italian origins. |
| Terza Rima | A poetic form consisting of tercets (three-line stanzas) with an interlocking rhyme scheme, often used in longer poems or epics. |
| Lyric Poetry | Expressive, emotional poetry often characterized by a subjective perspective and melodic qualities. |
| Formalism | A literary theory that focuses on the formal elements of a text, such as structure, style, and language, often emphasizing traditional forms like the sestet. |
Sestet in Literature: Suggested Readings
- Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 11th ed., Harcourt Brace, 1999.
- Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. Princeton UP, 1957.
- Culler, Jonathan. Structuralist Poetics: Structuralism, Linguistics, and the Study of Literature. Cornell UP, 1975.
- Brooks, Cleanth, and Warren, Robert Penn. Understanding Poetry. 4th ed., Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1976.
- Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. Blackwell, 2008.
- Perrine, Laurence. Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987.
- Vendler, Helen. Poems, Poets, Poetry: An Introduction and Anthology. Bedford Books, 1997.
- Preminger, Alex, et al., editors. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. 4th ed., Princeton UP, 2012.
- Gibson, Gail. Beckett and Bion: The (Im)Patient Voice in Psychotherapy and Literature. Rowman & Littlefield, 2006.
- The Norton Anthology of Poetry. 6th ed., edited by Margaret Ferguson et al., Norton, 2018.