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 74
Page 6
... nonstress, and / for a stress (a less misleading notation than those which retain one or both of the classical symbols for long and short syllables): (a) Types of foot x / iambic foot or iamb / x trochaic foot or trochee x x pyrrhic ...
... nonstress, and / for a stress (a less misleading notation than those which retain one or both of the classical symbols for long and short syllables): (a) Types of foot x / iambic foot or iamb / x trochaic foot or trochee x x pyrrhic ...
Page 7
... nonstresses of a possible reading: x / x / X X x / x / x / x / x / (5) Behold her, sing le in the field, x / X X x / x / x / x / x / X / Yon so lita ry High land lass! / x x / x / x / X X x / x / x / Reaping and sing ing by herself ...
... nonstresses of a possible reading: x / x / X X x / x / x / x / x / (5) Behold her, sing le in the field, x / X X x / x / x / x / x / X / Yon so lita ry High land lass! / x x / x / x / X X x / x / x / Reaping and sing ing by herself ...
Page 9
... nonstress and the following stress is completely different from that between a stress and a following nonstress. This is not a distinction of which the reader is aware, unless perhaps he has through rigorous training developed the ...
... nonstress and the following stress is completely different from that between a stress and a following nonstress. This is not a distinction of which the reader is aware, unless perhaps he has through rigorous training developed the ...
Page 10
... nonstress and stress, and the fourfold grouping that underlies each line, but we do not perceive any division in the middle of ... nonstresses to two roughly equal stresses in the four italicised syllables. That the foot should take on a ...
... nonstress and stress, and the fourfold grouping that underlies each line, but we do not perceive any division in the middle of ... nonstresses to two roughly equal stresses in the four italicised syllables. That the foot should take on a ...
Page 13
... nonstress in conflict with the actual stress of 'heav'n', nor of any notional stress challenging the unstressed 'with'. The tension is experienced not between two simultaneously perceived levels, but in the linear progression of the ...
... nonstress in conflict with the actual stress of 'heav'n', nor of any notional stress challenging the unstressed 'with'. The tension is experienced not between two simultaneously perceived levels, but in the linear progression of the ...
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