Here's a breakdown of what meter is and how it's measured:
What is Meter?
Meter refers to the patterned arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. It creates a rhythmic pulse that can influence the mood and feeling of the poem.
How is Meter Measured?
Meter is measured by identifying the foot, which is the basic unit of rhythm. A foot consists of a specific combination of stressed and unstressed syllables. Common poetic feet include:
* Iamb: Unstressed, Stressed (e.g., "aWAY")
* Trochee: Stressed, Unstressed (e.g., "DARk")
* Spondee: Stressed, Stressed (e.g., "NIGHT-FALL")
* Anapest: Unstressed, Unstressed, Stressed (e.g., "understand")
* Dactyl: Stressed, Unstressed, Unstressed (e.g., "HAPPily")
Meter and Line Length:
The number of feet in a line determines its length, and different line lengths have specific names:
* Monometer: One foot
* Dimeter: Two feet
* Trimeter: Three feet
* Tetrameter: Four feet
* Pentameter: Five feet
* Hexameter: Six feet
* Heptameter: Seven feet
* Octameter: Eight feet
Example:
Let's look at a line from Shakespeare's *Sonnet 18*:
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
This line is written in iambic pentameter, meaning it has five iambic feet. Notice the alternating pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables:
Shall (unstressed) I (stressed) compare (unstressed) thee (stressed) to (unstressed) a (stressed) summer's (unstressed) day? (stressed)
Importance of Meter:
Meter is important in poetry because it:
* Creates a sense of musicality and flow.
* Emphasizes certain words or ideas.
* Can evoke specific emotions or moods.
* Provides a framework for the poet to work within.
Beyond Meter:
While meter is a fundamental aspect of rhythm, it's not the only factor. Other elements like:
* Rhyme scheme: The pattern of rhyming words.
* Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase across line breaks.
* Caesura: A pause within a line of poetry.
* Alliteration and Assonance: The repetition of sounds.
These elements work together to create the overall rhythmic experience of a poem.