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Rhythm in English Verse and Poetry: Hanoi University English Department
Rhythm in English Verse and Poetry: Hanoi University English Department
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Hanoi, 2019
1. Definition and key metrical units.
1.1. Definition:
1.2.1. Syllable
1.2.2. Stress
1.2.3. Foot
Syllables gathered together in twos and threes form metrical units called
‘feet’. (Strachan & Terry, 2011). In fact, a foot is not restricted in the
boundary of a word. It can be formed by two or even three words. Feet are
gathered together in various numbers, but most commonly in groups of
four or five, to form ‘lines’. The foot (usually) starts with a stressed
syllable and continues up to, but not including, the next stressed syllable
form ‘lines’.
2. Types of Rhythm
2.1. Iamb
There are seven types of rhythm in English poetry, namely iamb, trochee,
dactyl, anapaest, spondee, pyrrhic and amphibrach in which the first four
types provide the base for entire poems. The first one, iambic meter, is
most commonly used in poems and verses. In Poetry (2011), Strachan and
Terry defined that an iambic meter is formed by one unstressed syllable
followed by one stressed syllable. Iambic tetrameter is considered as the
most particular kind written by many poets. This iambic stanza in a poem
written by Marlowe is a great example:
William Shakespeare is very famous for using iambic meter in his plays
and poems, especially iambic pentameter which consists of five iambic
feet per line. This famous Shakespeare’s The Rape of Lucrece is one of the
most typical poems written in iambic pentameter:
2.2. Trochee
Trochaic meter, another type of rhythm, is the opposite of iamb with one
accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable (Strachan & Terry,
2011). It is regularly used in moving, inspiring poetry and anthems
2.3. Dactyl
2.4. Anapest
“An anapest is a metrical foot which consists of three syllables, with two
unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one” (Strachan & Terry, 2011)
as in the words souvenIR or underSTAND. An example of an English
sentence having anapest pattern is “He must FInish his HOMEwork
aLONE”. In fact, anapestic words are more commonly found in other
languages, such as French, rather than in English. In “The Wordsworth
Book of Limericks” (1998) selected by Linda Marsh having some poems
using anapest meter:
The rhythm in The Soldier sounds like soldiers marching to war. When we
read this poem loudly, we can imagine an image including soldiers, the
severity of the war and even the feelings of the poet. Thanks to using
rhythm, the poem is almost like an epistolary.
In this poem, the poet creates a feeling of peace and calmness (Laura,
2006). Only by using words with rhythm ingeniously does Sandburg bring
the messages and ideas of the poem closer to readers.
4. Conclusion
References