The third stanza of the Shakespearean sonnet is

Analyze the question: It asks what the third stanza of a Shakespearean (English) sonnet is called.

Explain the concept: A Shakespearean sonnet has 14 lines, rhymes ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, and is divided into:

• Quatrain 1: lines 1-4 (ABAB)
• Quatrain 2: lines 5-8 (CDCD)
• Quatrain 3: lines 9-12 (EFEF)
• Couplet: lines 13-14 (GG)

By contrast, the Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet is divided into an octave (8 lines) and a sestet (6 lines).

Step-by-step solution:

1. The Shakespearean sonnet has three four-line units followed by a final two-line unit.
2. The third stanza is lines 9-12.
3. A four-line stanza is called a quatrain.
4. The couplet (option A) is the fourth and final unit, not the third.
5. The octave (C) and sextet/sestet (B) belong to the Petrarchan sonnet.

Correct answer: D. quatrain

Tip: Remember "3 + 1": three quatrains, then one couplet. Also, "Shakespeare = Quatrains and a Couplet," while "Petrarch = Octave and Sestet." Note that "sextet" in option B is a spelling variant of the usual term "sestet," so watch for that in exams.