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Below listed are the names given to the poetic feet by classical metrics. The feet are classified first by the number of syllables in the foot (disyllables have two, trisyllables three, and tetrasyllables four) and secondarily by the pattern of vowel lengths (in classical languages) or syllable stresses (in English poetry) which they comprise.
In English poetry, feet are determined by emphasis rather than length, with stressed and unstressed syllables serving the same function as long and short syllables in classical metre. The basic unit in Greek and Latin prosody is a mora , which is defined as a single short syllable.
An anapaest (/ ˈ æ n ə p iː s t,-p ɛ s t /; also spelled anapæst or anapest, also called antidactylus) is a metrical foot used in formal poetry.In classical quantitative meters it consists of two short syllables followed by a long one; in accentual stress meters it consists of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable.
In English poetry, syllables are usually categorized as being either stressed or unstressed, rather than long or short, and the unambiguous molossus rarely appears, as it is too easily interpreted as two feet (and thus a metrical fault) or as having at least one destressed syllable. Perhaps the best example of a molossus is the repeated refrain ...
In some metres (such as the iambic trimeter) the lines are divided into double feet, called metra (singular: metron). Monosyllable; Disyllable: metrical foot consisting of 2 syllables. Iamb (aka iambus): short-long; Trochee (aka choreus or choree): long-short; Spondee: long-long; Pyrrhic (aka dibrach): short-short
Dactyl–A three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by two unstressed syllables. Spondee–A beat in a poetic line that consists of two accented syllables. It is a poetic form that is less common than other metrical feet. It is rare to find poems written in spondee alone as poets use often use it in ...
The Iambic trimeter, in classical Greek and Latin poetry, is a meter of poetry consisting of three iambic metra (each of two feet) per line. In English poetry, it refers to a meter with three iambic feet. In ancient Greek poetry and Latin poetry, an iambic trimeter is a quantitative meter, in which a line consists of three iambic metra.
An antibacchius is a rare metrical foot used in formal poetry. In accentual-syllabic verse an antibacchius consists of two accented syllables followed by one unaccented syllable. Its opposite is a bacchius. Example: Blind luck is loved more than hard thinking.