Lit. Term. Tuesday Scansion & Metrical Feet (not the kind that stink…) Scansion & Metrical Feet (not the kind that stink…)

Scansion  A close, critical reading of a poem, examining the work for meter  When asked to analyze a poem’s scansion, you are looking at its meter and the relevance of this meter.  A close, critical reading of a poem, examining the work for meter  When asked to analyze a poem’s scansion, you are looking at its meter and the relevance of this meter.

Meter  natural rhythm of a poem  syllabic pattern F arrangements of syllables into repeated patterns F basic unit in the description of the underlying rhythm of a poem F units called ‘metrical feet’  Determined by syllables NOT words; A foot can consist of multiple words and a single word can contain many feet  natural rhythm of a poem  syllabic pattern F arrangements of syllables into repeated patterns F basic unit in the description of the underlying rhythm of a poem F units called ‘metrical feet’  Determined by syllables NOT words; A foot can consist of multiple words and a single word can contain many feet

Metrical Feet  5 basic types 1. Spondee 2. Iamb 3. Trochee 4. Dactyl 5. Anapest F Numbered metrical feet in a line (Greek terminology):  dimeter — two feet dimeter  trimeter — three feet trimeter  tetrameter — four feet tetrameter  pentameter — five feet pentameter  hexameter — six feet hexameter  heptameter — seven feet heptameter  octameter — eight feet octameter  Feet NOT syllables  5 basic types 1. Spondee 2. Iamb 3. Trochee 4. Dactyl 5. Anapest F Numbered metrical feet in a line (Greek terminology):  dimeter — two feet dimeter  trimeter — three feet trimeter  tetrameter — four feet tetrameter  pentameter — five feet pentameter  hexameter — six feet hexameter  heptameter — seven feet heptameter  octameter — eight feet octameter  Feet NOT syllables

Iamb  Iamb: unstressed syllable followed by a stressed F most natural form of rhythm in the English language, generally produces a subtle but stable verse F Shakespeare: blank verse = unrhymed iambic pentameter  /  /  /  /  /  My horse/my horse/my king/dom for/a horse -Richard III, Shakespeare  Compare/her face/with some/that I/will show And I/will make/thee think/thy swan/a crow -Romeo & Juliet, duh…  Iamb: unstressed syllable followed by a stressed F most natural form of rhythm in the English language, generally produces a subtle but stable verse F Shakespeare: blank verse = unrhymed iambic pentameter  /  /  /  /  /  My horse/my horse/my king/dom for/a horse -Richard III, Shakespeare  Compare/her face/with some/that I/will show And I/will make/thee think/thy swan/a crow -Romeo & Juliet, duh…

Trochee, Dactyl, & Anapest  Trochee  Opposite of iamb  One stressed followed by an unstressed  Dactyl  One stressed followed by two unstressed  Moves quickly, as though it gallops  Homeric poetry (The Odyssey)  Anapest  Two unstressed followed by a stressed  Perfect for lighthearted, comic feel  Trochee  Opposite of iamb  One stressed followed by an unstressed  Dactyl  One stressed followed by two unstressed  Moves quickly, as though it gallops  Homeric poetry (The Odyssey)  Anapest  Two unstressed followed by a stressed  Perfect for lighthearted, comic feel

Anapest sample xx/xx/xx/xx/ AndtodaytheGreatYertle,thatMar-veloushe x/xx/xx/xx/ IsKingoftheMud.Thatisallhecansee ////‘twasThenightbeforeChristmasandallthroughthehouse //// notaCreaTurewasstirringnotevenamouse

Trochaic Meter, sample  Common in nursery rhymes, typically ‘trochaic tetrameter’ OR  Common in nursery rhymes, typically ‘trochaic tetrameter’ OR //// Peter,Peterpumpkineater //// hadawifeandcouldnotkeepher ////Onefish,twofish,redFish,bluefish