Final answer:
A Heroic Couplet is a type of rhyme scheme consisting of two consecutive lines of verse with end rhymes in iambic pentameter, popularized by poets like Alexander Pope during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
A Heroic Couplet, also known as a closed couplet, is a type of rhyme scheme. It consists of two consecutive lines of verse that contain end rhymes and are written in iambic pentameter. This form became particularly popular during the 17th and 18th centuries, and poets like Alexander Pope often utilized heroic couplets in their work. For example, in Pope's "Essay on Criticism," the poem is composed entirely of rhyming couplets that add a formal, rhythmic quality, creating a sense of balance and proportion characteristic of that era's poetry.
The couplet generally appears in English poetry and can be found in various forms such as Shakespeare's sonnets, which typically conclude with a couplet. In addition to providing a formal structure to poetry, couplets can also stand independently or be part of larger stanzas in poems.