<P> The 2,530 lines and 101 stanzas that make up Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are written in what linguists call the `` Alliterative Revival '' style typical of the 14th century . Instead of focusing on a metrical syllabic count and rhyme , the alliterative form of this period usually relied on the agreement of a pair of stressed syllables at the beginning of the line and another pair at the end . Each line always includes a pause , called a caesura , at some point after the first two stresses , dividing it into two half - lines . Although he largely follows the form of his day , the Gawain poet was somewhat freer with convention than his or her predecessors . The poet broke the alliterative lines into variable - length groups and ended these nominal stanzas with a rhyming section of five lines known as the bob and wheel , in which the `` bob '' is a very short line , sometimes of only two syllables , followed by the `` wheel , '' longer lines with internal rhyme . </P>
<P> The 2,530 lines and 101 stanzas that make up Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are written in what linguists call the `` Alliterative Revival '' style typical of the 14th century . Instead of focusing on a metrical syllabic count and rhyme , the alliterative form of this period usually relied on the agreement of a pair of stressed syllables at the beginning of the line and another pair at the end . Each line always includes a pause , called a caesura , at some point after the first two stresses , dividing it into two half - lines . Although he largely follows the form of his day , the Gawain poet was somewhat freer with convention than his or her predecessors . The poet broke the alliterative lines into variable - length groups and ended these nominal stanzas with a rhyming section of five lines known as the bob and wheel , in which the `` bob '' is a very short line , sometimes of only two syllables , followed by the `` wheel , '' longer lines with internal rhyme . </P>
what is the verse form used in sir gawain called
what is the verse form used in sir gawain called
`` Alliterative Revival '' style
`` Alliterative Revival '' style