What is blank verse?
* Unrhymed: Lines do not rhyme with each other.
* Iambic pentameter: Each line has ten syllables, arranged in five pairs, with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM).
Example:
> Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
> Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
> Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
> And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
> Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
> And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
> And every fair from fair sometime declines,
> By chance or nature's changing course untrimmed;
> But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
> Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
> Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
> When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:
> So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
> So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Why is it important?
* Flexibility: Blank verse allows for a natural flow of language, similar to everyday speech.
* Versatility: It can be used for a wide range of topics, from dramatic dialogue to philosophical reflection.
* Elevated style: Although it is natural, blank verse has a formal quality that adds weight and significance to the language.
Famous examples:
* Shakespeare's plays: Many of Shakespeare's plays, including Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear, are written in blank verse.
* Milton's *Paradise Lost*: This epic poem is written entirely in blank verse.
* Tennyson's *Ulysses*: This poem is a famous example of blank verse used in a more lyrical style.
In short: Blank verse is a powerful and versatile form of poetry that has been used by some of the greatest writers in the English language. Its unrhymed iambic pentameter creates a natural yet elevated style that is both accessible and memorable.