Volta - GCSE English Literature Definition

Key Takeaways

• A volta is the turning point in a poem where the argument, tone, or mood shifts direction

• The word comes from the Italian for "turn" and is most closely associated with sonnets

• In a Petrarchan sonnet, the volta typically falls after line 8; in a Shakespearean sonnet, it usually arrives at the final couplet

• You can spot a volta by looking for signal words like "but", "yet" or "however", or a sudden change in imagery

• Voltas aren't exclusive to sonnets. They can appear in free verse, odes, and other poem forms

Volta Definition in Poetry

A volta is the moment in a poem where something changes. The word is Italian for "turn", and that's exactly what it does: it turns the poem in a new direction. This shift might involve a change in argument, tone, perspective, or subject matter.

Think of it like a plot twist. The first part of the poem sets up one idea or mood, and then the volta flips it. A love poem might shift from excitement to doubt. A poem about nature could move from beauty to destruction. The volta is what makes the reader stop and reconsider the theme or message.

How a Volta Works

The volta creates a contrast between what comes before and what follows. It splits the poem into two distinct parts. This may be signalled by a stanza break or simply a change in tone.

Before the volta, the poet establishes a mood, argument, or scenario. After it, they complicate, challenge, or reverse that position. Without a volta, a sonnet would simply state one idea for 14 lines. A volta creates a debate.

“Sometimes, students focus on the first half of the poem and jump to a conclusion about the poem’s meaning. A volta, though, means the speaker’s attitude is changing. This means that the second part of the poem or its ending (depending on where the volta lies) contains the real message.”

Sam Evans, English Tutor

Volta in Different Poem Forms

The volta shows up in many types of poetry. Its placement and purpose change depending on the form.

The Volta in a Petrarchan Sonnet

The Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet has two parts: an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the final six). The volta sits between them, right after line 8.

The octave typically presents a problem, question, or observation. The sestet then responds with a resolution, answer, or shift in perspective.

The Volta in a Shakespearean Sonnet

So what is a volta in a sonnet that follows the Shakespearean form? It works quite differently. The poem is structured as three quatrains and a final couplet. The volta most commonly appears at line 13, at the start of that closing couplet.

In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130, the first 12 lines list unflattering comparisons about the speaker's beloved. Then the couplet reverses everything: "And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare / As any she belied with false compare."

Shakespeare varied his volta placement, though. Sometimes, the turn arrives earlier at line 9, like in Sonnet 29. In this poem, Shakespeare spends the first 8 lines bemoaning his “outcast state” and the final 6 lines describing how his “sweet love” brings him solace. 

Generally, however, the Shakespearean volta delivers a punch: a twist or reversal.

For a comprehensive breakdown of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 and others, Save My Exams offers detailed insights from experienced examiners, specifically focusing on the impact of structure.

Volta in Other Forms

Voltas aren't confined to sonnets. Free verse poets use them too. These don’t follow fixed rules about where the turn should fall. In an ode, the volta might mark a shift from praise to reflection. In a dramatic monologue, it could signal a change in the speaker's self-awareness.

The key difference? In sonnets, you can predict roughly where the volta will land. In other forms, it's a surprise.

How to Identify a Volta

Spotting a volta takes practice, but there are reliable clues.

Signal words are the most obvious marker. Look for conjunctions and adverbs that indicate a change: "but", "yet", "however", "still", "though". These words act like signposts, telling the reader the poem is about to shift.

Changes in imagery can also reveal a volta. If a poem moves from light to darkness, warmth to cold, or natural to industrial language, a turn is likely at work.

Punctuation cues matter too. A full stop mid-line, a colon, or a dash can mark the moment of the turn. So can a stanza break, especially if the tone feels different on the other side of it.

Shifts in sentence structure are subtler but worth noticing. If a poem switches from long, flowing sentences to short, blunt ones, the volta may be driving that change.

“To find a volta, I always suggest my students look for a change in descriptive language or contrasting words. When a poet shifts from negative imagery to positive imagery (or vice versa) the juxtaposition presents varying perspectives on the poem’s subject.”

Sam Evans, English Tutor

Volta Examples in Poetry

Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?") spends 8 lines describing summer as inconsistent and temporary and therefore a poor comparison to their loved one. The volta comes in line 9: "But thy eternal summer shall not fade" The volta shifts the complaint about a transient summer to a tone of admiration for the eternal beauty and immortality of the speaker’s loved one. 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 43 builds intensity through the octave with a list of ways the speaker loves. The volta appears at line 8 when the rhyme scheme changes and the poem shifts from abstract measurements of love to raw, personal feeling: grief, childhood faith, and a love beyond death.

Christina Rossetti’s poem Remember begins with an octave in which the speaker asks a lover to remember them after their death. After the volta, the poem begins a sestet that instructs the lover to forget should the burden become too great. 

If you're studying poetry and want to strengthen your analysis skills, the Approaching the Unseen Poetry Question revision notes walk you through how to identify techniques like the volta in poems you haven't seen before.

Volta vs Other Poetic Devices

The volta is sometimes confused with other structural devices, but it works differently from all of them.

A caesura is a pause within a line of poetry, usually created by punctuation. It affects rhythm and pacing but doesn't necessarily change the poem's direction. A volta, by contrast, always involves a shift in content: it changes what the poem’s speaker is saying.

Enjambment is when a sentence runs over from one line to the next without a pause. It creates flow and momentum. Again, it's a rhythmic device, not always a shift in meaning.

The simplest distinction: caesura and enjambment create rhythm, while a volta changes the speaker’s attitude.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a volta and a caesura?

A volta is a turning point that shifts the meaning, argument, or mood of a poem. A caesura is simply a pause within a line, created by punctuation like a full stop or comma. A caesura affects rhythm; a volta changes direction.

Can a poem have more than one volta?

Yes, though it's uncommon in traditional forms. Longer poems or free verse works can contain multiple turns. In a strict sonnet, there's typically one main volta, but some poets create minor shifts within quatrains before the primary turn.

Does every sonnet have a volta?

Traditionally, yes. The volta is considered a defining feature of the sonnet form. Some modern sonnets play with or even eliminate the volta, but its absence is usually a deliberate artistic choice rather than an oversight.

What effect does a volta have on the reader?

The volta creates surprise, forces re-evaluation, and adds emotional depth. It stops the reader from settling into one interpretation and pushes them to reconsider. A strong volta can make the ending of a poem feel completely different from its beginning.

How do you write about a volta in an essay?

Identify where the turn occurs and what changes: tone, argument, imagery, or perspective. Quote the specific lines where the shift happens. Then analyse the effect. Use precise language. "The volta at line 9 shifts the tone from..." is better than simply saying the poem changes at line 9.