The Rhythms of English PoetryExamines the way in which poetry in English makes use of rhythm. The author argues that there are three major influences which determine the verse-forms used in any language: the natural rhythm of the spoken language itself; the properties of rhythmic form; and the metrical conventions which have grown up within the literary tradition. He investigates these in order to explain the forms of English verse, and to show how rhythm and metre work as an essential part of the reader's experience of poetry. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 55
Page v
... literary values and linguistic technicalities, convincingly showing the relevance of each to the other, excitingly indicating analogies with music at one moment and basic relationships with ordinary speech at another. Indeed, for all ...
... literary values and linguistic technicalities, convincingly showing the relevance of each to the other, excitingly indicating analogies with music at one moment and basic relationships with ordinary speech at another. Indeed, for all ...
Page vii
... literary or exclusively linguistic background may find that occasionally they are asked to think in ways more characteristic of the other discipline, but advances in the study of poetic language depend on just such broadmindedness. A ...
... literary or exclusively linguistic background may find that occasionally they are asked to think in ways more characteristic of the other discipline, but advances in the study of poetic language depend on just such broadmindedness. A ...
Page 3
... literary consciousness, and which are most likely to affect - whether we realise it or not - our present reading, teaching, and criticism of verse. This examination will have the double aim of providing an outline of the metrical ...
... literary consciousness, and which are most likely to affect - whether we realise it or not - our present reading, teaching, and criticism of verse. This examination will have the double aim of providing an outline of the metrical ...
Page 4
... literary endeavours of Englishmen in their own language should come under fresh scrutiny, and equally inevitable (until the last quarter of the century) that in the ensuing judgement the home-grown product should be found wanting. One ...
... literary endeavours of Englishmen in their own language should come under fresh scrutiny, and equally inevitable (until the last quarter of the century) that in the ensuing judgement the home-grown product should be found wanting. One ...
Page 12
... literary verse its intimate links with the popular tradition, to ignore one of its great sources of vitality. We need a way of talking about poetic rhythm which will be useful for all varieties of English verse, which will reflect their ...
... literary verse its intimate links with the popular tradition, to ignore one of its great sources of vitality. We need a way of talking about poetic rhythm which will be useful for all varieties of English verse, which will reflect their ...
Contents
Rhythm | 57 |
Metre | 145 |
Practice | 283 |
RULES AND SCANSION | 357 |
Bibliography | 363 |
Sources of examples | 376 |
Index | 388 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accentual-syllabic verse alternation anapaestic B B B B Ceolred chapter classical approach common metre complex create David Abercrombie deviation discussion distinction double offbeat duple metre duple verse emphasis English metre English verse example falling rhythm five-beat line following line four-beat line four-beat rhythm four-beat verse function iambic pentameter implied offbeat initial inversion initial offbeat language linguistic literary metrical form metrical pattern metrical rules metrical set metrical structure metrical style metrical subordination metrical theory metrist movement nonstresses occur offbeat condition optional pause perceived perception phonetic phonological phrase poem poetic poetry poets promotion pronunciation prosody reader reading rhyme rhythmic form rhythmic structure rhythmic unit scansion semantic sense sequence single offbeat speech rhythms stanza stress contour stress pattern stress-final pairing stress-initial pairing stress-timing stressed and unstressed strong syllable count syntactic break syntax tension tradition triple metre triple rhythm triple verse trochaic trochee underlying rhythm unrealised beat unstressed syllables words