2. The Foot
It is a basic metrical unit which consists normally of
one accented (stressed) syllable plus one or two
unaccented (unstressed) syllable.
A slanting line /indicates the division between feet.
3. Types of Feet
Iambic
A foot with one unstressed syllable followed by
one stressed syllable.
For Example
the Sun x = unstressed
(x −) − = stressed
the University
(x −)
4. Types continued…
Trochaic
A foot with one stressed syllable followed by one
unstressed syllable.
For Example
went to
(− x)
prone towards
(− x)
5. Types continued…
Anapestic
A foot with two unstressed syllables followed by
one stressed syllable.
For Example
to the shore
(x x −)
till the end
(x x −)
6. Types continued…
Dactylic
A foot with one stressed syllable followed by two
unstressed syllables.
For Example
en-ter-prise
(− x x)
Unity is strength
(− x x)
7. The Line
The second unit of measurement.
It is measured by naming the number of feet in it.
It shows that both these units of measurements are
interdependent.
Different names are given to show different number(s)
of feet in a single line.
8. Different Names of the Line
Monometer
A line of one foot.
For Example
/One crow/
Dimeter
A line of two feet.
For Example
/The pitch/ /pines fade/
9. Names continued…
Trimeter
A line of three feet.
For Example
/The trees/ /a-round/ /were tall/
Tetrameter
A line of four feet.
For Example
/I have wrapped/ /my dreams/ /in silk/ /en cloth/
10. Names continued…
Pentameter
A line of five feet.
For Example
/All things/ /with-in/ /this fad/ /ing world/ /hath end/
Hexameter
A line of six feet.
Heptameter
A line of seven feet.
Octameter
A line of eight feet.
11. The Stanza
It is the third unit of measurement.
It consists of a group of lines whose metrical pattern is
repeated throughout the poem.
The number of stanzas in a single poem depends upon
the length of that poem.
A long poem may consist of several stanzas, even
books, for example John Milton’s Paradise Lost.
While a short poem may be consisting of only two
stanzas, for example William Blake’s “The Sick Rose”.
12. Blank Verse
It is a poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter.
Often a serious subject is best dealt with in unrhymed
lines.
It differs from prose in the way of having stressed and
unstressed pattern in the lines.
For Example
John Milton’s Paradise Lost
13. Free Verse
As the name suggests it is a type of poetry which is not
written in a regular rhythmical pattern, or meter.
It is, by definition, no verse at all.
The length of the lines are not equal i.e. one line may
be very small and the next one might be very long.
14. Scansion
It is the process of measuring verse.
For Example
/I wan/ /dered lone/ /ly as / /a cloud/
(x −) (x −) (x −) (x −)
To scan any specimen of verse, we do three things:
1. We identify the prevailing foot;
2. We name the number of feet in a line; and
3. We describe the stanza pattern
15. Example
I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden Daffodils;
Beside the Lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
1. Name of the foot: Iambic (x −)
2. Number of feet in a line: 4 (tetrameter)
3. Stanza of six lines
4. Rhyme-scheme: abab cc
