A Brief Summary of the A Brief Summary of the Previously Studied Variety of Previously Studied Variety of

Verse FormsVerse FormsBy Jiang MinBy Jiang Min

Reviewing the previous variety of verse Reviewing the previous variety of verse

forms (before the Period Augustan)forms (before the Period Augustan) A. The Middle Ages (449-1485) A. The Middle Ages (449-1485)

The Anglo-Saxon periodThe Anglo-Saxon period

(Beowulf- The most important work of Old Englsih lit(Beowulf- The most important work of Old Englsih literature, the most striking feature is the use of erature, the most striking feature is the use of allitealliterationration( word beginning with the same consonant s( word beginning with the same consonant sound)ound)

The Anglo- Norman Period The Anglo- Norman Period

( From about 13 c) ( From about 13 c)

the metrical Romancesthe metrical Romances( in verse or prose)( in verse or prose)

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round King Arthur and His Knights of the Round TableTable

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the best of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the best of Arthurian romances Arthurian romances

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales ( Geoffrey Chaucer) most of it is written in ( Geoffrey Chaucer) most of it is written in

the the heroic coupletheroic couplet

Popular BalladsPopular Ballads ( the ageless narrative folk son ( the ageless narrative folk song flourished during the 15th c)g flourished during the 15th c)

the most important are the Robin Hood balladthe most important are the Robin Hood ballads. s.

Ballads are mostly written in quatrains with thBallads are mostly written in quatrains with the first and third lines in e first and third lines in iambic tetrameteriambic tetrameter, and , and the second and fourth lines in the second and fourth lines in iambic trimeteriambic trimeter, , and a rhyme scheme of abcb or ababand a rhyme scheme of abcb or abab

B. The English RenaissanceB. The English RenaissancePeriod (1485-1660)Period (1485-1660)

Petrarchan sonnet:Petrarchan sonnet: Divided into an Octave ( Divided into an Octave ( 八行八行 ) ) & a sestet (& a sestet ( 六行六行 ))

Shakespearean Sonnet: ababcdcdefefgg, Shakespearean Sonnet: ababcdcdefefgg, a rhyme sa rhyme scheme made up of three 33quatrains and a concluding cheme made up of three 33quatrains and a concluding couplet.couplet.

also called The English Sonnet also called The English Sonnet / Elizabethan Sonnet/ Elizabethan Sonnet the Spenserian Sonnet :A compromise between the mthe Spenserian Sonnet :A compromise between the m

ore rigid Italian and the less rigid English patternsore rigid Italian and the less rigid English patterns

1.Established by an Italian poet Guitone d’Are1.Established by an Italian poet Guitone d’Arezzo in 13th c, preferred by Dante (1265-1321) zzo in 13th c, preferred by Dante (1265-1321) and perfected by Francesco Peterach (1304-13and perfected by Francesco Peterach (1304-1374)---therefore known as 74)---therefore known as Petrarchan sonnet.Petrarchan sonnet.

I Petrarchan sonnetI Petrarchan sonnet

Divided into an Octave (Divided into an Octave ( 八行八行 ) & a sestet () & a sestet ( 六六行行 ))

Rhythm scheme for the octave is always the prRhythm scheme for the octave is always the prescribed abescribed abbaabbaabba (phonologically, the effect ba (phonologically, the effect is remarkable, the middle 4 lines overlap the otis remarkable, the middle 4 lines overlap the others and echo their pattern impress the reader hers and echo their pattern impress the reader with a similar rhyme pattern.)with a similar rhyme pattern.)

That for the sestet may vary. Usu: cdcdcd/ cdeThat for the sestet may vary. Usu: cdcdcd/ cdecdecde

The Octave presents the theme in the first quatThe Octave presents the theme in the first quatrain and develops it in the second; the sestet exrain and develops it in the second; the sestet exemplifies or reflects upon it in the first tercet() emplifies or reflects upon it in the first tercet() and brings it to a logical emphatic close in the and brings it to a logical emphatic close in the second.second.

The structure may be shown by spacing or witThe structure may be shown by spacing or with the help of indentation but frequently the 14 h the help of indentation but frequently the 14 lines are just put togetherlines are just put together

II II The English Sonnet/The English Sonnet/ Shakespearean Sonnet/ Shakespearean Sonnet/ Elizabethan SonnetElizabethan Sonnet

Since there are far more vowels in English than iSince there are far more vowels in English than in Italian and hence fewer words to each sound, n Italian and hence fewer words to each sound, it is harder to find rhyming words than in Italiait is harder to find rhyming words than in Italian. n.

When the form of sonnet was bought from ItalWhen the form of sonnet was bought from Italy By Wyatt to England it became abab cdcd efy By Wyatt to England it became abab cdcd efef gg , a rhyme scheme made up of three quatref gg , a rhyme scheme made up of three quatrains and a concluding couplet.ains and a concluding couplet.

As a rule the argument is taken up in the first quatrain As a rule the argument is taken up in the first quatrain developed in the second, comes to a turn of thought developed in the second, comes to a turn of thought in the third, and reaches a conclusion or effective in the third, and reaches a conclusion or effective climax in the final couplet.climax in the final couplet.

The form is perfected and immortalized by The form is perfected and immortalized by Shakespeare and therefore is also known as Shakespeare and therefore is also known as Shakespearean Sonnet. It was flourishing in the Shakespearean Sonnet. It was flourishing in the Elizabethan period so is also referred to as Elizabethan period so is also referred to as Elizabethan Sonnet.Elizabethan Sonnet.

III the Spenserian SonnetIII the Spenserian Sonnet

A compromise between the more rigid Italian A compromise between the more rigid Italian and the less rigid English patterns. It is seldom and the less rigid English patterns. It is seldom used by other poets.used by other poets.

ababbcbccdcdeeababbcbccdcdee It links the three quatrains of the ShakespeareaIt links the three quatrains of the Shakespearea

n form more closely and concluded with an indn form more closely and concluded with an independently rhymed couplet.ependently rhymed couplet.

Metaphysical poet John Donn, wearied of thMetaphysical poet John Donn, wearied of the sweet melodies of the Petrachan and pastoe sweet melodies of the Petrachan and pastoral Elizabethans, his poems have a use of colral Elizabethans, his poems have a use of colloquial speech, considerable flexibility of rhloquial speech, considerable flexibility of rhythm and meter, sometimes he wrote in sonythm and meter, sometimes he wrote in sonnets too.nets too.

( quote from Wang Peilan)( quote from Wang Peilan)

Blank VerseBlank Verse

Blank verse: one form of poetry---unrhymed iaBlank verse: one form of poetry---unrhymed iambic pentameter, which is by far the commonembic pentameter, which is by far the commonest and most important form of rhymeless poetrst and most important form of rhymeless poetry.—according to Wang Bao tongy.—according to Wang Bao tong

A legacy of history as rhyme isA legacy of history as rhyme is

Except for free verse, it’s the form closest to the forExcept for free verse, it’s the form closest to the form of English speech. Its stresses alternate as speech stm of English speech. Its stresses alternate as speech stresses tend to / its measure of 5 strong stresses markeresses tend to / its measure of 5 strong stresses marked by the juncture of the line-end—readily apprehended by the juncture of the line-end—readily apprehended without counting/ has become ‘ the commonest and d without counting/ has become ‘ the commonest and most serviceable all –purpose framework’, & its unenmost serviceable all –purpose framework’, & its unencumbered (unhindered)cumbered (unhindered) 没有阻碍的 没有阻碍的 gaitgait 步法 步法 (A pa(A particular way or manner of moving on foot, rhythm ) mrticular way or manner of moving on foot, rhythm ) makes it the proper measure for works of elaboration anakes it the proper measure for works of elaboration and continuity.d continuity.

It has undergone constant It has undergone constant perfection:perfection:

when first introduced in to English from Italy when first introduced in to English from Italy

(Sb translated Virgil’s epic poem Aeneid from L(Sb translated Virgil’s epic poem Aeneid from Latin original into Italian and then Surrey translatin original into Italian and then Surrey translated parts of it into English) ated parts of it into English)

10 syllables only;10 syllables only; 5 almost strictly iambic feet;5 almost strictly iambic feet; pause near the middle of the line;pause near the middle of the line; stop( metrical, if not grammatical) at every linstop( metrical, if not grammatical) at every lin

e-ende-end

( usu sounds clumsily regular. The lines, all end ( usu sounds clumsily regular. The lines, all end stopped, plod along in regimented uniformity. stopped, plod along in regimented uniformity. The result is a lifeless monotony.The result is a lifeless monotony.

Marlowe and Shakespeare and the later Marlowe and Shakespeare and the later Elizabethan and Jacobean dramatists changed Elizabethan and Jacobean dramatists changed all that by bringing a new ease and flexibility all that by bringing a new ease and flexibility to Blank verse by:to Blank verse by:

Breaking the line in the middle ;Breaking the line in the middle ; Indicating dramatic pauses;Indicating dramatic pauses; Allowing the sense to flow into a freer Allowing the sense to flow into a freer

sentence structure; while keeping its general sentence structure; while keeping its general regularity in the iambic pentameter nature. regularity in the iambic pentameter nature.

As a result , Blank verse was still nearer the As a result , Blank verse was still nearer the speaking voice. The movement of rhythm speaking voice. The movement of rhythm through a series of lines, and the through a series of lines, and the accommodation of every range of subject, idea accommodation of every range of subject, idea and feeling to the pentameter line gave blank and feeling to the pentameter line gave blank verse a flexibility unequalled in any language. verse a flexibility unequalled in any language.

This lends it a fluency of ordinary speech, This lends it a fluency of ordinary speech, which is particularly suitable for dramatic which is particularly suitable for dramatic poetry.poetry.

John Milton and His Blank VerseJohn Milton and His Blank Verse

John MiltonJohn Milton (1608-1674) certainly deserves (1608-1674) certainly deserves his position as one of the greatest English his position as one of the greatest English poets and his masterpiece “Paradise Lost” is poets and his masterpiece “Paradise Lost” is considered to be the greatest English epic, in considered to be the greatest English epic, in which he developed a grand style which is which he developed a grand style which is suitable for the grand theme and is termed as suitable for the grand theme and is termed as Miltonic with long and powerful blank verse Miltonic with long and powerful blank verse and the theme of universe, the mighty and and the theme of universe, the mighty and noble.noble.

When blank verse came to the masterly hand When blank verse came to the masterly hand of John Milton (1608-1674), he deliberately of John Milton (1608-1674), he deliberately distorted the normal syntax and sound –patters distorted the normal syntax and sound –patters of English speech while retaining the privilege of English speech while retaining the privilege of drastic metrical variation. His finest effects of drastic metrical variation. His finest effects are gained by playing the thought and feeling are gained by playing the thought and feeling structure of his large rhythms against the structure of his large rhythms against the expected regular beat. and he created the expected regular beat. and he created the Miltonic style.Miltonic style.

Main ReferencesMain References

Wang Bao-tong, How Poetry Rings, Henan UnWang Bao-tong, How Poetry Rings, Henan University Press, 1998 iversity Press, 1998