2. Introduction to Iambic Pentameter
Objective: Students will become more comfortable reading in the correct rhythm of Iambic Pentameter

3. DON’T PANIC…we’ll start off slowly

4. Warm Up…

5. Numerical Prefixes PENTAgon = HEXAgon = UNIcycle = BIcycle =
TRIangle =
QUADrilateral =
PENTAgon =
HEXAgon =

6. Iambic Pentameter IAMB = metrical FOOT with one unstressed
syllable and a 2nd STRESSED syllable.
PENTA = FIVE!

7. 1 2 3
Ta-TUM
Five Feet! 4 5

8. Shall I
com PARE
thee TO
a SUM-
mer’s DAY?

9. How sweet
the moon
light sleeps
upon
this bank!

10. WHY did Shakespeare use Iambic Pentameter?
To show emotion or importance
Shakespeare was meant to be heard! It made it easier for the audience to follow the lines.
It helped the actors to memorize their lines.
It made sure that the actors emphasized the words Shakespeare wanted to emphasize.

11. It is naturally, intrinsically connected to our heat beats. Ta Dum
It is naturally, intrinsically connected to our heat beats. Ta Dum. . . Ta Dum . . .

13. Iambic Pentameter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p226OX39OLs Rap 1:41
Brookhouser
4:32
TED X
5:21

14. Shakespeare would use Iambic Pentameter for nobles, trochee for the witches, and regular prose for the common man, switching back and forth at times.
Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.  Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.  Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!   Round about the caldron go;

15. Exceptions to the Rules

16. Elision 11+ syllables?! WHAT? Traditional poets are allowed to “cheat”
When one word ends in a vowel, and the following word starts with a vowel, both vowels blur together to become one syllable instead of two.
Ex: John Milton’s Paradise Lost
“Th’infernal doors, and on their hinges grate.”
“Th’in fer nal doors, and on their hin ges grate.”
U / U / U / U / U /

17. Synaeresis Type of Elision
When two vowels occur side by side, the poet has the option to read them as either one or two syllables.
Ex:
Titles and names ‘twere tedious to rehearse.
Ti tles and names ‘twere te dious to re hearse.
/ U U / U / U / U /

18. Syncope
Occurs when a vowel flanked by two consonants is not pronounced
Ex: The Deserted Village by Oliver Goldsmith
“For talking age and whisp’ring lovers made!”
“For talk ing age and whisp ’ring lov ers made!”
U / U / U / U / U /

19. Acephalous 9 syllables?! First syllable is missing “Headless”-Greek
First iamb only has one syllable-a stressed one

20. Fassbender’s “Tomorrow”
+Fassbender+tomorrow+&adlt=strict&view=detail&mid=8 D1CAB B1EE8D1CAB B1EE&FORM =VRDGAR

21. To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.