Final answer:
The rhyme scheme of Spenser's poem from 'Fairie Queene' is ababcdede, with lines 6 and 7 forming a couplet and lines 8 and 9 also ending in a couplet.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the rhyme scheme of Edmund Spenser's poem from Fairie Queene, we first read through the poem and label each line with a letter, starting with 'a' for the first set of rhymes. As new end sounds appear, we assign a new letter of the alphabet. The poem's rhyme scheme looks like this:
- Line 1: But stings and sharpest steele did far exceed (a)
- Line 2: The sharpnesse of his cruell rending claws; (b)
- Line 3: Dead was it sure, as sure as death in deed, (a)
- Line 4: What ever thing does touch his ravenous pawes, (b)
- Line 5: Or what within his reach he ever drawes. (c)
- Line 6: But his most hideous head my toung to tell (d)
- Line 7: Does tremble: for his deepe devouring jawes (d)
- Line 8: Wide gaped, like the griesly mouth of hell (e)
- Line 9: Through which into his darke abisse all ravin fell. (e)
The rhyme scheme can therefore be described as ababcdede. Lines 6 and 7 form a couplet within the poem, while lines 8 and 9 share the same end sound, resulting in a couplet at the poem's conclusion.