The Rhythm of Poetry: :The Rhythm of Poetry: Syllable - Poetic feet - Meter
Syllables :Syllables English words have clear syllables.
We can usually divide words into syllables easily.
We can also determine which syllables to emphasize, or “stress” in each word.
For example:
Angel = AN-gel (not an-GEL)
Complete = com-PLETE (not COM-plete)
More Syllables :More Syllables poem = PO-em…….(1 stressed + 1 unstressed)
poetry = PO-e-try…….(1 stressed + 2 unstressed)
relief = re-LIEF……. (1 unstressed + 1 stressed)
recommend = re-com-MEND……. (2 unstressed + 1 stressed)
discomfort = dis-COM-fort… (1 unstressed + 1 stressed + 1 unstressed)
entertainment = en-ter-TAIN-ment (2 unstressed + 1 stressed + 1 unstressed)
Scansion :Scansion (1) the act of scanning, or analyzing poetry in terms of its rhythmic components
(2) the graphic representation, indicated by marked accents, feet, etc., of the rhythm of a line or lines of verse
You may have seen scansion marks like the following: The curved lines are “unstressed” syllables while the straight slashes are “stressed”
Poetic Meter :Poetic Meter Meters are the rhythms within poems.
Meters are the arrangement of stressed/unstressed syllables to occur at apparently equal intervals.
Metered verse has prescribed rules as to the number and placement of syllables used per line.
Poetic Foot :Poetic Foot A poetic foot is a repeated sequence of rhythm comprised of two or more stressed and/or unstressed syllables.
Poetic meter is comprised of poetic feet
Five main patterns to poetic feet: :Five main patterns to poetic feet: 1. Iambic
2. Trochaic
3. Anapestic
4. Dactylic
5. Spondaic
Iambic pattern :Iambic pattern 1 unstressed syllable followed by 1 stressed syllable
EXAMPLES:
repose (re-POSE)
belief (be-LIEF)
complete (com-PLETE)
Trochaic Pattern :Trochaic Pattern 1 stressed syllable followed by 1 unstressed syllable
EXAMPLES:
garland (GAR-land)
speaking (SPEAK-ing)
value (VAL-ue)
Anapestic pattern :Anapestic pattern 2 unstressed syllables followed by 1 stressed syllable
EXAMPLES:
on the road
interrupt (in-ter-RUPT)
unabridged, contradict, engineer, masquerade, Galilee
Dactylic pattern :Dactylic pattern 1 stressed syllable followed by 2 unstressed syllables
EXAMPLE:
happiness (HAP-pi-ness)
galloping (GAL-lop-ing)
fortunate, Saturday, daffodil, murmuring, rhapsody
Spondaic Pattern :Spondaic Pattern All syllables have equal stress
EXAMPLE:
Heartbreak
“Out, out…”
"pen-knife," "ad hoc," "heartburn"
The Iambic foot :The Iambic foot The iamb = (1 unstressed syllable + 1 stressed syllable) is the most common poetic foot in English verse.
iambic foot examples:
behold
destroy
the sun (articles such as “the” would be considered unstressed syllables)
and watch (conjunctions such as and would be considered unstressed syllables)
Lines containing iambic feet :Lines containing iambic feet Behold / and watch / the sun / destroy / and grow (5 iambs)
When I / do COUNT / the CLOCK / that TELLS / the TIME [Shakespeare’s Sonnet 12] (5 iambs)
Shall I / compare /thee to / a sum / mer's day? [Shakespeare’s Sonnet 12] (5 iambs)
Come live/ with me/ and be/ my love (4 iambs)
(poem by Christopher Marlowe)
Trochaic poem: a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one :Trochaic poem: a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's “The Song of Hiawatha”
By the / shores of / Gitche / Gumee,
By the / shining / Big-Sea /-Water,
Stood the / wigwam / of No / komis,
Daughter / of the / Moon, No / komis.
Dark behind it rose the forest,
Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,
Rose the firs with cones upon them;
Bright before' it beat the water,
Beat the clear and sunny water,
Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.
Anapestic poetry: 2 unstressed syllables + 1 stressed oneLimericks contain anapestic meter (in blue) :Anapestic poetry: 2 unstressed syllables + 1 stressed oneLimericks contain anapestic meter (in blue) A Limerick by Edward Lear:
There was / an Old Man / with a beard,Who said, "It is just / as I feared!Two Owls / and a Hen,Four Larks / and a Wren,Have all / built their nests / in my beard!"
Dactylic poem: 1 stressed + 2 unstressed :Dactylic poem: 1 stressed + 2 unstressed Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Half a league, / half a league,
Half a league / onward,
All in the / valley of / Death
Rode the / six hundred.
"Forward, the / Light Brigade!
Charge for the / guns!" he said:
Into the / valley of / Death
Rode the / six hundred.
Spondaic Poem: 2 equal syllables :Spondaic Poem: 2 equal syllables Because of this nature of the spondee, a serious poem cannot be solely spondaic.
It would be almost impossible to construct a poem entirely of stressed syllables.
Therefore, the spondee usually occurs within a poem having another dominant rhythm scheme.
Combinations of Poetic Feet :Combinations of Poetic Feet One foot per line: monometer
Two feet per line : dimeter
Three feet per line : trimeter
Four feet per line : tetrameter
Five feet per line : pentameter
Six feet per line : hexameter
Type + Number = Meter :Type + Number = Meter Types of Poetic Feet
Iambic (1 unstressed + 1 stressed)
Trochaic (1 stressed + 1 unstressed)
Anapestic (2 unstressed + 1 stressed)
Dactylic (1 stressed + 2 unstressed)
Spondaic (all syllables equal) Number of feet per line
Monometer
Dimeter
Trimeter
Tetrameter
Pentameter
Hexameter
Meters & Feet :Meters & Feet Q: If a poem had 1 foot per line, and the foot was iambic (1 unstressed + 1 stressed), what type of poem would it be?
A: Iambic monometer
Meters & Feet :Meters & Feet Q: If a poem had 2 feet per line, and the foot was iambic (1 unstressed + 1 stressed), what type of poem would it be?
A: Iambic dimeter
Meters & Feet :Meters & Feet Q: If a poem had 3 feet per line, and the foot was iambic (1 unstressed + 1 stressed), what type of poem would it be?
A: Iambic trimeter
Meters & Feet :Meters & Feet Q: If a poem had 4 feet per line, and the foot was iambic (1 unstressed + 1 stressed), what type of poem would it be?
A: Iambic tetrameter
Meters & Feet :Meters & Feet Q: If a poem had 5 feet per line, and the foot was iambic (1 unstressed + 1 stressed), what type of poem would it be?
A: Iambic pentameter
Meters & Feet :Meters & Feet Q: If a poem had 3 feet per line, and the foot was trochaic (1 stressed +1 unstressed), what type of poem would it be?
A: Trochaic tetrameter
Go ahead… experiment with different metric styles in your own poetry! :Go ahead… experiment with different metric styles in your own poetry! End of presentation.