An anomaly in the setting of the second quatrain, however, cannot be ascribed to artistic nonchalance.
It reminded one of that snide definition of a sonnet as having three quatrains and a couplet but no poetry.
Chapter 4 discusses the authenticity of the quatrains.
The poetic stanzas change from quatrains to tercets to couplets, quickening the pace of the dialogue.
Release from this somatic obsession comes only in the last quatrain, when the ascending chromatic tritone figure disappears altogether from the ostinato.
Then quatrain 2 is restated, in the tonic, but recomposed to make an exuberant ending.
Overall, the uniformity of the thematic material expresses a single affect centred on the first quatrain.
Cabalettas by tradition rarely exceed eight lines, usually divided into two quatrains.
