Terms for Discussing Prosody

Analyzing Meter in Poetry

Basic Terms

• Prosody: The metrical pronunciation of a Prosody: The metrical pronunciation of a song or poem. song or poem.

• Rhythm: A combination of vocal speeds, Rhythm: A combination of vocal speeds, rises, and falls; in poetry, heavy and light rises, and falls; in poetry, heavy and light stress. Patterns are called "feet." stress. Patterns are called "feet."

• Scansion (scan). The process of marking Scansion (scan). The process of marking beats in a poem to establish the prevailing beats in a poem to establish the prevailing metrical pattern.metrical pattern.

Naming Numbers of Feet

• One foot: monometer One foot: monometer • Two feet: dimeter Two feet: dimeter • Three feet: trimeter Three feet: trimeter • Four feet: tetrameter Four feet: tetrameter • Five feet: pentameter Five feet: pentameter • Six feet: hexameter Six feet: hexameter • Seven feet: heptameter or the septenary Seven feet: heptameter or the septenary • Eight feet: octameterEight feet: octameter

Kinds of Feet: Spondaic and Pyrrhic

Spondee: stressed stressed Spondee: stressed stressed Pyrrhic: unstressed unstressedPyrrhic: unstressed unstressed

Kinds of Feet: IambicKinds of Feet: Iambic• Iamb/ iambic: unstressed stressed Iamb/ iambic: unstressed stressed • The most natural and common kind in English, this meter The most natural and common kind in English, this meter

elevates speech to poetry (iambic pentameter) elevates speech to poetry (iambic pentameter) • Example: Example:

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness, and to me. And leaves the world to darkness, and to me. • When you say this aloud, what syllables are stressed? When you say this aloud, what syllables are stressed?

Mark them with a “strong” mark (‘) above the syllable.Mark them with a “strong” mark (‘) above the syllable.

Sounding out the RhythmSounding out the Rhythm

• The CURfew TOLLS the KNELL of The CURfew TOLLS the KNELL of PARTing DAY, PARTing DAY,

The LOWing HERD wind SLOWly O’ER The LOWing HERD wind SLOWly O’ER the LEA, the LEA,

The PLOWman HOMEward PLODS his The PLOWman HOMEward PLODS his WEARy WAY, WEARy WAY,

And LEAVES the WORLD to DARKness, And LEAVES the WORLD to DARKness, AND to ME.AND to ME.

Kinds of Feet: TrochaicKinds of Feet: Trochaic

• Trochaic/trochee: stressed unstressedTrochaic/trochee: stressed unstressed• Example: Example:

Tyger, tyger, burning bright Tyger, tyger, burning bright In the forest of the night In the forest of the night What immortal hand or eye What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

• Say this quatrain aloud and mark the accented Say this quatrain aloud and mark the accented syllables. Where are the strong syllables?syllables. Where are the strong syllables?

Sounding out the Rhythm

• TYger, TYger, BURNing BRIGHT TYger, TYger, BURNing BRIGHT IN the FORest OF the NIGHT IN the FORest OF the NIGHT WHAT imMORtal HAND or EYE WHAT imMORtal HAND or EYE COULD FRAME thy FEARful SYMmetRY?COULD FRAME thy FEARful SYMmetRY?

Kinds of Feet: DactylicKinds of Feet: Dactylic• Dactyl/dactylic: stressed unstressed unstressedDactyl/dactylic: stressed unstressed unstressed• Example: Example: This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines

and the hemlocks, and the hemlocks, Bearded with moss, and in garments green, Bearded with moss, and in garments green,

indistinct in the twilight, indistinct in the twilight, Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and

prophetic. prophetic. • Say the first line aloud and mark the stressed Say the first line aloud and mark the stressed

syllables.syllables.

Sounding out the Rhythm

THIS is the FORest primEVal. The MURmuring PINES and the HEMlocks,THIS is the FORest primEVal. The MURmuring PINES and the HEMlocks,

Kinds of Feet: AnapesticKinds of Feet: Anapestic• Anapest/ anapestic: unstressed unstressed Anapest/ anapestic: unstressed unstressed

stressed stressed • 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through

the house, the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, care,

In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. there.

• Say this aloud and mark the stressed syllables.Say this aloud and mark the stressed syllables.

Sounding out the RhythmSounding out the Rhythm

• 'Twas the NIGHT before CHRISTmas and 'Twas the NIGHT before CHRISTmas and ALL through the HOUSE, ALL through the HOUSE,

Not a CREAture was STIRring, not EVen a Not a CREAture was STIRring, not EVen a MOUSE. MOUSE.

The stockings were hung by the chimney The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, with care,

In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.be there.

Practice

•Try to figure out the meter for each selection, and then go Try to figure out the meter for each selection, and then go on to the next slide, where the answer will be given.on to the next slide, where the answer will be given.

First Practice

Go, and catch a falling star,Go, and catch a falling star,Get with child a mandrake root Get with child a mandrake root Tell me where all past years are, Tell me where all past years are, Or who cleft the Devil's foot . . . --John Donne, “Song”Or who cleft the Devil's foot . . . --John Donne, “Song”

AnswerAnswer

• Trochaic tetrameter. Trochaic tetrameter. • Notice the words that are emphasized: Notice the words that are emphasized:

Line 1: Go, catch, fall, star Line 1: Go, catch, fall, star Line 2: Get, child, man, rootLine 2: Get, child, man, root

Second PracticeSecond Practice

• Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw-- Hidden Paw--

For he's the master criminal who can defy For he's the master criminal who can defy the law. the law.

He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair: Flying Squad's despair:

For when they reach the scene of the For when they reach the scene of the crime-Macavity's not there!crime-Macavity's not there!

Answer

• Iambic heptameter (or the septenary).Iambic heptameter (or the septenary).• Note the stresses: Note the stresses: MaCAViTY’s the MYStery CAT: he’s MaCAViTY’s the MYStery CAT: he’s

CALLED the HIDden PAW. CALLED the HIDden PAW. • ““Mystery” is pronounced like “mystry” here. Mystery” is pronounced like “mystry” here.

Third Practice

• 'Tis the voice of the Lobster: I heard him 'Tis the voice of the Lobster: I heard him declare declare

"You have baked me too brown, I must "You have baked me too brown, I must sugar my hair." sugar my hair."

As a duck with its eyelids, so he with his As a duck with its eyelids, so he with his nose nose

Trims his belt and buttons, and turns out Trims his belt and buttons, and turns out his toes.his toes.

Answer

• Anapestic tetrameter. Anapestic tetrameter. • ‘‘Tis the VOICE of the LOBster: I HEARD Tis the VOICE of the LOBster: I HEARD

him deCLARE. him deCLARE. • If you listen to the rhythm, it sounds just If you listen to the rhythm, it sounds just

like “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” like “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” which is written in the same meter.which is written in the same meter.

Fourth Practice

• By the shores of Gitche-Gumee, By the shores of Gitche-Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water By the shining Big-Sea-Water Stood the wigwam of Nokomis, Stood the wigwam of Nokomis, Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis. Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis. Dark behind it rose the forest, Dark behind it rose the forest, Rose the black and gloomy pine-treesRose the black and gloomy pine-trees Rose the firs with cones upon them.Rose the firs with cones upon them.

Answer

• Trochaic tetrameter. Trochaic tetrameter. • BY the SHORES of GITCHe-GUmeeBY the SHORES of GITCHe-GUmee BY the SHINing BIG-sea-Water BY the SHINing BIG-sea-Water • This is trochaic tetrameter with the last This is trochaic tetrameter with the last

syllable added. syllable added.

Fifth Practice

• How say that by law we may torture and How say that by law we may torture and chase chase

A woman whose crime is the hue of her A woman whose crime is the hue of her face?face?

With her step on the ice and her arm on With her step on the ice and her arm on her child, her child,

The danger was fearful, the pathway was The danger was fearful, the pathway was wild. . . .wild. . . .

Answer• Anapestic tetrameter, although this meter varies Anapestic tetrameter, although this meter varies

somewhat. somewhat. • How SAY that by LAW we may TORture and How SAY that by LAW we may TORture and

CHASE / A WOman whose CRIME is the HUE CHASE / A WOman whose CRIME is the HUE of her FACE? of her FACE?

• This serious poem makes use of galloping meter This serious poem makes use of galloping meter because it deals with a mother escaping from because it deals with a mother escaping from slavery. She is pursued as she crosses the river slavery. She is pursued as she crosses the river into freedom. The meter gives the rhythm of the into freedom. The meter gives the rhythm of the poem a sense of urgency.poem a sense of urgency.