How to Understand Rhythm in Poetry - Year 7 PDF Download

Introduction

• Rhythm in poetry refers to the beat and pace of a poem, which is crafted by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables within a line or verse.
• In contemporary poetry, rhythm is not solely dependent on syllable stress but can also be influenced by line breaks, repetition, and moments of silence that contribute to the overall cadence.
• Rhythmic patterns are typically formed by stressed syllables, which are pronounced with greater emphasis, and unstressed syllables, which are spoken with less emphasis.
• Rhythm plays a crucial role in enhancing the significance of words and concepts conveyed in a poem, adding depth and resonance to the overall poetic expression.

Syllables

• When we speak in everyday conversations, we articulate different parts of words, known as syllables, separately. Each syllable is a distinct unit of speech, whether it's a complete word or a segment of a word.
  • Table has two beats, or two syllables: ta-ble
  • Chair has only one syllable: chair
• Some syllables can sound long or short when spoken. For instance, consider the word 'table.' The emphasis is on the first part of the word - Ta-ble. The second part of the word is pronounced more quickly.
• We can refer to different syllable emphasis as stressed or unstressed. For instance, in the word 'banana', the central syllable is pronounced longer or stressed when said naturally: ba-na-na. Try pronouncing it aloud to identify where the natural emphasis lies.
• Poets utilize these natural stresses in language to establish rhythm in poetry. Rhythm in poetry can be likened to the beat in music, contributing to the overall flow and musicality of the piece.
• In poetry, the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables within words is termed the meter. Meter denotes the number and type of rhythmic beats present in a line of poetry.
• Unlike certain forms like haikus where syllable count is crucial, metrical poetry focuses on counting the number of 'stresses' in each line instead of syllables.

Rhythm in Music and Language

• In poetry, rhythm is the arrangement of stresses in a line of verse, while in music, it's often set by a drummer or bassist for the band or signaled by a conductor for an orchestra.
• All spoken language naturally carries a rhythm based on stressed and unstressed syllables, which poets manipulate to create specific effects.
• Poets traditionally employ meter, a consistent stress pattern, to establish rhythmic structures in their work.
• Modern poets also utilize line breaks strategically to influence the rhythm of a piece.
• Example: In William Carlos Williams' poem "To a Poor Old Woman," the repetition and line breaks alter the rhythm, slowing down the reader's engagement with the text and emphasizing the woman's enjoyment of the plums.
• Poets may introduce silence through blank spaces within lines for added effect.
• Example: John Cage's "Lecture on Nothing" uses space to create pauses within the text, enhancing the rhythm and meaning of the words.
• Repetition, refrains, and choruses, akin to music, are also employed in poetry to establish and enhance rhythm.

Stressed and Unstressed

Different rhythmic patterns are created by choosing where the emphasis (stress) falls in the line. These patterns all have names:

• An iamb: unstressed / stressed - da-DUM
• A trochee: stressed / unstressed - DUM-da
• A spondee: stressed / stressed - DUM-DUM
• An anapaest: unstressed / unstressed / stressed - da-da-DUM
• A dactyl: stressed / unstressed / unstressed - DUM-da-da

Poets use different rhythmic patterns by placing stress in various ways within a line. This creates specific patterns like:
For example, the poet, Lord Byron in The Destruction of Sennacherib used an anapaestic rhythm to create the sound of horses riding into battle. The rolling rhythm makes the Assyrian army sound unstoppable, the bolded stressed syllables shows this:
The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee. 

Which rhythm is which?

Read the lines from these two poems aloud. Can you hear the rhythm as you say it? Which one is iambic and which is anapaestic? 
a) A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clark Moore
’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house 
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
b) Remember by Christina Rossetti
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;

Metre

• Poetic rhythms are defined by their metrical feet, which consist of stressed and unstressed syllables. The arrangement of these syllables creates patterns that contribute to the overall musicality and effect of a poem.
• A metrical foot usually has one stressed syllable and one or two unstressed syllables. Different poets use the pattern of the metre to create different effects.
• The type of meter is determined by the number of feet in a line:
  • Dimeter: contains two metrical feet
  • Trimeter: contains three metrical feet
  • Tetrameter: contains four metrical feet
  • Pentameter: contains five metrical feet
  • Hexameter: contains six metrical feet

Iambic pentameter

• Iambic pentameter is a widely used metrical pattern, particularly notable in William Shakespeare's works. An iamb consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one, represented as da-DUM.
• The term "penta" indicates five, so iambic pentameter features five iambs per line, resulting in a da-DUM-da-DUM-da-DUM-da-DUM-da-DUM pattern.
• For instance, in Sonnet 104, Shakespeare opens with:
  • To me fair friend you never can be old,
  • This line comprises five sections, each with a da-DUM stress pattern, totaling five stresses.
• While iambic pentameter typically involves 10 syllables per line, the stressed and unstressed syllables may vary this count slightly. However, a general guideline is to count around 10 or 11 syllables in each line to identify iambic pentameter. This metrical pattern is often chosen for its resemblance to natural speech, lending poems a conversational and fluid quality.

Trochaic Tetrameter

• Trochees are metrical feet where the stresses fall at the beginning of the foot, creating a DUM-da pattern.
• In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, the witches occasionally speak in trochaic tetrameter.
• Example: "Double, double toil, and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble."
• This trochaic rhythm emphasizes an unnatural tone, contrasting with the more conversational iambic rhythm used by other characters in the play.
• Shakespeare may use trochaic tetrameter to highlight the other-worldly nature of the witches.
• Other supernatural beings in Shakespeare's works, like the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream, also speak in a form of trochaic tetrameter.

Effect of rhythm

• Different rhythms can create various impacts on a reader. Poets utilize rhythm to establish a particular mood or tone that mirrors the essence of the poem itself.
• For instance, in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade," the rhythmic pattern resembles the sound of galloping hooves, intensifying the dramatic retelling of the famous charge on horseback into the enemy's artillery:
  • "Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred."

Remember:

• Poets often convey a lot of meaning in just a few words, and understanding rhythm is key to grasping the entire poem's essence.
• Similar to how music in a film sets the tone, the beat or rhythm builds an anticipation for the content that follows.