Shakespeare's plays were written mostly in iambic pentametre, which is the most common type of metre in English poetry. It is a basic measure of English poetry. Five iambic feet in each line: One short syllable followed by one long one; 5 in a row.
Definition of Iamb Literary Term
Iamb Literary Term is a metrical foot of two syllables, one short (or unstressed) and one long (or stressed). The lamb is the reverse of the Trochee.
Definition of Trochee Literary Term
Trochee Literary Term is a metrical foot of two syllables, one long (or stressed) and one short (or unstressed). The word trochee is derived from the Latin trochaeus meaning 'to run'.
Definition of Stressed/Unstressed Syllable & Caesura Literary Term
A stressed syllable is one where the emphasis of a particular word falls, eg streptococcus, has two stressed syllables; streamy, has one stressed syllable at the end of the word; and stream has no stressed syllables.
In metre, a caesura (plural: caesurae) is a complete pause in a line of poetry. In poetry, a masculine caesura follows a stressed syllable while a feminine caesura follows an unstressed syllable
Definition of Foot Literary Term
The 'Foot' in Literary Terms refers to two or more syllables that together make up the smallest unit of rhythm in a poem. For example, an Iamb is a foot that has two syllables, one unstressed followed by one stressed. An Anapest has three syllables, two unstressed followed by one stressed.
Definition of Metre Literary Term
The metre in poetry involves exact arrangements of syllables into repeated patterns called feet within a line. Metres are regularized rhythms, an arrangement of language in which the accents occur at apparently equal intervals in time. Each repeated unit of metre is called a foot.
The number of metrical feet in a line are described as follows:
?Dimetre — two feet
?Trimetre — three feet
?Tetrametre — four feet
?Pentametre — five feet
?Hexametre — six feet
?Heptametre — seven feet
?Octametre — eight feet
Definition of Stanza Literary Term
A Stanza consists of two or more lines of poetry that together form one of the divisions of a poem. The stanzas of a poem are usually of the same length and follow the same pattern of metre and rhyme and are used like paragraphs in a story. Some different types of stanzas are as follows:
Couplets - Couplets are stanzas of only two lines which usually rhyme
Tercets - Tercets are stanzas of three lines. The three lines may or may not have the same end rhyme. If all three lines rhyme, this type of tercet is called a triplet.
Quatrains - Quatrains are stanzas of four lines which can be written in any rhyme scheme.
Definition of Rhymes
Rhymes are types of poems which have the repetition of the same or similar sounds at the end of two or more words, most often at the end of lines.
End Rhymes
Rhyming of the final words of lines in a poem. This is the most common rhyming form. The following, for example, is from my poem, The Fairest Cape:
The Silver Trees create a foil
for delicate flora which toil.
Scarce Rhyme & No Rhyme
Rhyming on words with limited rhyming alternatives, eg fauna/sauna… Empty, eg, has no true rhyme.
Internal Rhymes
Rhyming of two words within the same line of poetry. The following, for example, is from my Clerihew poem, Desmond Mpilo Tutu:
Desmond Mpilo Tutu
Poster child for Ubunt
Left his many medals at the pulpit
Ever the wit; taking his own Chair with to sit
And from my poem, Listen to My Tears:
Listen to my tears, mirror of my fears
Slant Rhymes (sometimes called imperfect, partial, near, oblique, off etc.)
Rhyme in which two words share just a vowel sound (assonance – e.g. “heart” and “star”) or in which they share just a consonant sound (consonance – e.g. “milk” and “walk”). Slant rhyme is a technique perhaps more in tune with the uncertainties of the modern age than strong rhyme. The following near rhyme, for example, is from my poem, The Dreaded Questions:
Don’t ask him to mind the food cooking and the baby sleeping
One of the two will end up being neglected – no fault of his
Don’t ask why the number of beers is beyond record keeping
When he has no trouble reckoning the tally of the pub quiz
Assonant Rhyme
Rhyming with similar vowels, different consonants. From my poem, Science, not Poetry:
Pupils dilate and blue tinged lids,
Blood infused and pouting lips.
Consonant rhyme
Rhyming with similar consonants, different vowels: limp/lump, bit/bet.
Rich Rhymes
Rhyme using two different words that happen to sound the same (i.e. homonyms) – for example “raise” and “raze”. The following example (double rich rhyme) is from my poem, On the Ocean Waves:
Seagulls bob at rest on the ocean waves.
A tired fisherman the predawn chill braves,
disgorging his catch on quay.
Gutting knives of vendors clicking like claves,
staining blood red and sliming the cask staves.
A twist of the wrist the key.
Eye Rhymes
Rhyme on words that look the same but which are actually pronounced differently.
An example from my poem, My A – Z Affairs:
All my energy went into pleasing the other,
belatedly I’ve realized he didn’t bother.
Identical Rhymes
Simply using the same word twice but often with a different meaning, eg noun/verb. The following, for example, is from my poem, 2010 – The Best Christmas Ever:
my scarf around my neck and face,
penetrating bones, the cold I have to face…
Smoke lazy issuing from a chimney pot.
A solitary annoying raven I wish to pot,..
Mono Rhyme
In mono rhyme the stanzas have identical rhyming words at the end of each line of the stanzas: aaaa…
Enclosed/Envelope Rhymes
The rhyme scheme is abba. The following example is from my poem, Science, not Poetry:
Love in your eyes I’ll explain:
Pupils dilate and blue tinged lids,
Blood infused and pouting lips.
Propagation of species plain!
Extract from my book, DANCE OF THE WORDS – A Guide to Various Poetry Forms,
© 2012 Suzette Crous, ISBN 978-0-620-54801-4
Link to a summery of foot and metre, plus a detailed explanation of the variations to be found in poetry: http://www.uncg.edu/~htkirbys/meters.htm