Literature Glossary

Don’t be an oxymoron. Know your literary terms.

Over 200 literary terms, Shmooped to perfection.

Octave

Definition:

When you hear the word "octave," the first thing that comes to mind probably isn't poetry. It's probably a singer's vocal range, as in "Holy cow! Mariah Carey has a five-octave vocal range!" or "I think that guy from Nickelback has a half-an-octave vocal range, dude."

But an octave also refers to the first eight lines of a Petrarchan sonnet. Add a sestet to that, which is the term for the last six lines, and you've got a structurally sound Italian sonnet on your hands.

Want an example? Feast your eyes on "The Windhover" by Gerard Manley Hopkins.