1. Blank Verse
Identifying Blank Verse and Iambic Pentameter in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

2. Shakespeare as a Writer
Shakespeare was a very clever writer. Every phrase, every word, every syllable was carefully crafted and put together.
He would think about each word he used, how it sounded, what it meant, and how it helped the rhythm of his plays.
Often times, he would use blank verse or iambic pentameter in his plays.

3. Blank Verse
Unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter

4. Blank Verse Unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter
Okay, so what does that mean?

5. Blank Verse
Meter:  a rhythm that can be recognized in writing that has a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. 
Foot/feet: a metric foot is the combination of a stressed and an unstressed (or less stressed) syllable.
Iamb: a type of metric foot that has two syllables: an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable ("da DUM”)
A stressed syllable is represented by a /
An unstressed syllable is represented by a U
Iambic pentameter: A ten-syllable line that has five iambs ("penta" = five).  Its stress pattern (five pairs of unstressed/stressed syllables) is conventionally represented U /U / U /U / U /
Example: "The course of true love never did run smooth” As you read this line aloud, listen for the stress pattern: da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
(i.e. the COURSE of TRUE love NEver DID run SMOOTH).

6. Blank Verse da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM 1 2 3 4 5
U / U / U / U / U /
da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM

7. da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /

8. Act II scene ii: Romeo lines 2-7
U / U / U / U / U /
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious.
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /
U / U / U / U / U /

9. Act II scene ii: Romeo lines 8-11
In your notes, copy down lines 8-11 of Romeo’s speech. Separate each of the five feet per line and assign each
Unstressed = U
Stressed = /
da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
U / U / U / U / U /

10. Identifying Blank Verse
Skim the lines of Act II. Identify lines written in blank verse and lines written in prose (normal, non-poetic writing).
Write down 2 different lines that are written in blank verse. Who said them? What page are they found on? What lines?
Write down 2 different lines that are written in prose. (Prose is normal, everyday speech that is not poetry) Who said them? What page are they found on? What lines?

11. Identifying Blank Verse
Is there a trend between which characters speak in blank verse and which characters do not speak in blank verse?

12. Character Rank
William Shakespeare uses blank verse as a tool to distinguish characters by rank.
Often times, the wealthier and more educated characters of his plays (In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Prince Escalus, Capulet, Montague, Romeo, Juliet, etc.) will speak in blank verse, whereas the servants do not.