Stress & Rhythm 1
_________________is the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that defines the rhythm of some poetry.
Meter
A _________________ is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed.
A spondee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed. The word "downtown" is a spondee, with the stressed syllable of "down" followed by another stressed syllable, “town”: Down-town.
The trochee's "falling rhythm" makes it feel plaintive, restive, or mournful, like a wail. These qualities together make trochaic meter particularly well-suited to texts with grim subjects. What famous poem is written in trochaic octameter thus contributing to the poem's rhythmic and hypnotic quality?
The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe
Once [STRESSED] u[UNSTRESSED]pon [STRESSED] a[UNSTRESSED] mid[STRESSED]night [UNSTRESSED]drea[STRESSED]ry, [UNSTRESSED]
while [STRESSED] I [UNSTRESSED] pon[STRESSED]dered, [UNSTRESSED] weak [STRESSED]and [UNSTRESSED] wea[STRESSED]ry [UNSTRESSED]
A ____________________ is a unit of language into which a poem or play is divided. Although the word for a single poetic ____________ was traditionally verse, that term now tends to be used to signify poetic form more generally.
A line is a unit of language into which a poem or play is divided. The use of a line operates on principles which are distinct from and not necessarily coincident with grammatical structures, such as the sentence or single clauses in sentences. Although the word for a single poetic line was traditionally verse, that term now tends to be used to signify poetic form more generally. A line break is the termination of the line of a poem and the beginning of a new line.
The study and use of meter in poetry is known as ______________________.
The study and use of meter in poetry is known as "prosody."
A ______________ is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by two unstressed syllables.
A dactyl is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by two unstressed syllables. The word “poetry” itself is a great example of a dactyl, with the stressed syllable falling on the “Po,” followed by the unstressed syllables “e” and “try”: Po-e-try.
___________________ is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break.
Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break. This technique is often used to create a sense of continuity, urgency, or suspense in the poem. Here's an example from Edgar Allan Poe's gothic poem "The Raven":
"Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore."
A __________________is a group of lines form a smaller unit within a poem.
A stanza is a group of lines form a smaller unit within a poem. A single stanza is usually set apart from other lines or stanza within a poem by a double line break or a change in indentation.
An ______________ is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which one unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable.
An iamb is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which one unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. The word "define" is an iamb, with the unstressed syllable of "de" followed by the stressed syllable, “fine”: De-fine.
In poetry, a ________________________ refers to the rhythmic units that make up lines of meter. A spondee is one type of ___________.
In poetry, a "foot" refers to the rhythmic units that make up lines of meter. A spondee is one type of foot.
An ____________________ line is a line of poetry in which a sentence or phrase comes to a conclusion at the end of the line.
An end-stopped line is a line of poetry in which a sentence or phrase comes to a conclusion at the end of the line.
The easiest way to tell if a line is end-stopped is to look for punctuation at the end. That might include a comma, colon, semi-colon, dash, period, question mark, exclamation point, or ellipsis. If the punctuation signifies the end of a grammatical unit, whether that unit is a clause of a sentence or a complete sentence, then the line tends to be end-stopped.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost
In the final two lines of this stanza, each line is end-stopped with a comma and then a period. This creates a strong sense of conclusion and emphasizes the speaker's contemplation of the responsibilities and journey that lie ahead.
Explain the differences between Assonance and Alliteration.
Assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words in a line of poetry or prose. "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain." (Note the repetition of the long "a" sound in "rain," "Spain," and "mainly.")
Alliteration involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words or syllables. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." (The repetition of the "p" sound at the beginning of several words constitutes alliteration.)
Assonance focuses on the repetition of vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) whereas Alliteration involves the repetition of consonant sounds (initial consonant sounds in particular).
In assonance, the repeated vowel sounds can be found anywhere in the words, not necessarily at the beginning.
Alliteration specifically involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds (first letter or stressed syllable).
A ________________ is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable.
A trochee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable. The word "poet" is a trochee, with the stressed syllable of "po" followed by the unstressed syllable, “et”: Po-et.
A line of iambic pentameter has ___________________ syllables, because it is has five iambs.
A line of iambic pentameter has 10 syllables, because it has five iambs, each of which have two syllables.
A ________________ is a pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such as a period, comma, ellipsis, or dash.
A caesura is a pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such as a period, comma, ellipsis, or dash. A caesura doesn't have to be placed in the exact middle of a line of poetry. It can be placed anywhere after the first word and before the last word of a line. In the following line from the prologue of Romeo and Juliet, the comma after "Verona" marks a caesura: "In fair Verona, where we lay our scene."
Consonance involves the repetition of consonant sounds, either at the beginning, middle, or end of nearby words. "The wind whispered through the willows." (Note the repetition of the "w" and "s" sounds.)
- Assonance focuses on the repetition of vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) and the repeated vowel sounds can be found anywhere in the words, not necessarily at the beginning or end.
- Consonance involves the repetition of consonant sounds (any letter except a, e, i, o, u) and can be found anywhere in the words, not necessarily at the beginning or end.
An _________________ is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable.
An anapest is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable. The word "understand" is an anapest, with the unstressed syllables of "un" and "der" followed by the stressed syllable, “stand”: Un-der-stand.
What is the difference between Blank Verse and Free Verse?
In poetry, meter and feet are related concepts that pertain to the rhythmic structure of a poem. They are used to describe the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of verse.
A foot is the basic building block of meter in poetry. It consists of a specific number and arrangement of stressed (accented) and unstressed (unaccented) syllables. Common types of feet include iambic (unstressed followed by stressed, as in the word "enjoy"), trochaic (stressed followed by unstressed, as in the word "tiger"), anapestic (two unstressed followed by one stressed, as in the word "understand"), and dactylic (one stressed followed by two unstressed, as in the word "poetry").
Meter is the overall rhythmic pattern of a line or lines of poetry, determined by the arrangement of feet. It is described using the names of the feet and the number of feet in a line.For example, iambic pentameter consists of lines with five iambs (unstressed followed by stressed syllables). This is a common meter in English poetry and is often used in sonnets and blank verse.
What is the difference between Prose and Verse?
Prose is a form of written or spoken language that follows the natural flow of speech, uses a language's ordinary grammatical structures, or follows the conventions of formal academic writing. It differs from most traditional poetry, where the form consists of verse based on rhythmic meter or rhyme.
Verse is a term that refers to various parts of poetry, such as a single line of poetry, a stanza, or the entire poem. Traditionally, if a piece of writing is in meter it can be described as “verse.” But, considering how much poetry is written in free verse today, it’s now applied to mean anything that takes on other aspects of a poem. These include a rhyme scheme, the use of poetic/figurative language, uses stanzas, etc.