Unlocking the Secret Pulse of Poetry: How Rhythm and Meter Transform Words into Magic
Metrical Units
We now know how to show meter with scansion, but we also need to know how to talk about it. Here is some special terminology that helps us communicate when discussing meter:
A metrical foot is a unit of metrical measurement that includes stressed and unstressed syllables. Here are a few types of metrical feet:
- Anapest: Two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (da-da-DA). Example: un-der-STAND.
- Dactyl: One stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (DA-da-da). Example: PROM-i-nent.
- Iamb: One unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (da-DA). Example: be-LONG
- Trochee: One stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (DA-da). Example: O-ver
We also use special terminology to refer to the number of feet in a line of poetry:
Post Comment