Creative Writing | Lesson 2.1 | Foot, Rhythm and Meter | Ma'am Nich | w/ Audio
Summary
TLDRThis educational video script offers an in-depth exploration of poetry's foundational elements: stress, meter, and rhythm. It explains stress as the emphasis on certain syllables within words, crucial for understanding poetry's flow. The script delves into meter, measured by the number of feet in a poetic line, and identifies various types of feet, such as trochaic, spondaic, anapestic, dactylic, and iambic, each with distinct patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables. The iambic pentameter is highlighted as a prevalent rhythmic pattern, often used by Shakespeare. The lecture aims to equip students with the tools to identify and appreciate the rhythmic structures in poetry.
Takeaways
- π Stress in language refers to the emphasis given to certain syllables in words, phrases, or sentences, and is crucial for understanding poetry.
- π A stressed syllable is pronounced with more force or emphasis, and it's often the second syllable in a multi-syllable word like 'philosophy'.
- π’ Words with a single syllable do not have an identified stress, as the emphasis varies with usage in phrases or sentences.
- π Meter in poetry is the measurement of stressed and unstressed syllables and is a fundamental aspect of poetic structure.
- π£ A 'foot' is a unit of meter, and different types of feet are defined by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables.
- π Rhythm in poetry is determined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables and is created by combining meter and foot.
- π’ The number of feet in a poetic line defines the meter type, such as monometer, dimeter, trimeter, tetrameter, pentameter, hexameter, etc.
- π£ There are six types of feet: trochee, anapest, dactyl, spondee, amphibrach, and iamb, each with a distinct pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
- πΆ Trochaic pentameter and anapestic tetrameter are examples of rhythmic patterns created by repeating a specific type of foot throughout a line.
- π The iambic foot is the most common in English poetry, with the iambic pentameter being a prevalent rhythmic pattern, especially in Shakespeare's works.
Q & A
What is the definition of stress in the context of language as mentioned in the script?
-In the context of language, stress refers to the emphasis given to certain syllables in a word or through certain words in a phrase or sentence.
How do you identify the stressed syllable in a word with two or more syllables?
-The stressed syllable in a word with two or more syllables is the one that is pronounced stronger than the others.
What is the term for a word with only one syllable in terms of stress?
-A word with only one syllable has no identified stress because the emphasis varies on how it is used in a phrase or sentence.
Define 'meter' as it is used in poetry.
-Meter in poetry refers to the measurement of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of verse.
What is a 'foot' in poetic terms?
-A foot is one unit of meter, which is a group of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
How is 'rhythm' determined in a line of poetry?
-Rhythm in a line of poetry is determined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, which is created by combining meter and foot.
What is the term for a poetic line with only one foot?
-A poetic line with only one foot is called a monometer.
How many types of feet are mentioned in the script, and what are they?
-There are six types of feet mentioned in the script: trochaic, spondee, anapest, dactyl, amphibrach, and iamb.
What is a trochaic foot and how is it represented in a line of poetry?
-A trochaic foot is composed of two syllables, the first one stressed and the second one unstressed. In a line of poetry, it is represented by a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, and if a line is composed of five trochaic feet, it is called a trochaic pentameter.
What is an iambic foot and why is it significant in English poetry?
-An iambic foot consists of two syllables, the first unstressed and the second stressed. It is significant in English poetry because it is the most common foot, and iambic pentameter is the most common rhythmic pattern used, especially by Shakespeare in his works.
How does the script explain the variation in the number of syllables in a foot within a line of poetry?
-The script explains that variations in the number of syllables within a foot are normal in many poems, and even if a line does not consistently follow a single foot pattern, it can still be classified based on the dominant foot.
Outlines
π Introduction to Stress, Meter, and Rhythm in Poetry
This paragraph introduces the concepts of stress, meter, and rhythm in poetry. Stress is defined as the emphasis given to certain syllables in words or phrases, which is different from the common understanding of stress as a feeling of exhaustion. The lecturer explains how to identify stressed syllables in words with two or more syllables, using 'philosophy' and 'medicine' as examples. The paragraph also sets the stage for discussing how these elements are interconnected in poetry, with meter being the measurement of stressed and unstressed syllables, a foot being a unit of meter, and rhythm being the pattern of these syllables in a line of poetry. Different types of meters like monometer, dimeter, trimeter, tetrameter, pentameter, hexameter, etc., are introduced based on the number of feet in a line. The paragraph concludes with an introduction to the types of feet and the symbols used to identify stressed and unstressed syllables.
πΆ Understanding Trochaic and Spondee Feet
The second paragraph delves into the specific types of feet in poetry, starting with the trochaic foot, which consists of two syllables with the first being stressed and the second unstressed. Examples such as 'never never' are used to illustrate trochaic feet, and the concept of trochaic pentameter is explained with a longer poetic line. The paragraph then moves on to discuss the spondee foot, which also has two syllables but both are stressed. Spondees are highlighted as not typically appearing as a dominant foot but rather in isolation, with examples from various poetic lines. The emphasis function of the spondee foot is also mentioned, showing how it can give emphasis to certain ideas within a poem.
π Exploring Anapestic, Dactylic, and Iambic Feet
The third paragraph continues the exploration of poetic feet with the anapestic foot, which is composed of three syllables with the first two unstressed and the last stressed. The paragraph provides examples of anapestic tetrameter and discusses the consistency of rhythm it creates. It then moves on to the dactylic foot, which also has three syllables but with the stress pattern of stress, stress, and unstressed. Examples of dactylic hexameter and tetrameter are given, highlighting the prominence of the stressed syllables. The paragraph concludes with a discussion of the iambic foot, the most common foot in English poetry, consisting of two syllables with the first unstressed and the second stressed. Variations of iambic pentameter are explored, including the use of reversed feet and the presence of extra unstressed syllables at the end of a line. The paragraph emphasizes the dominance of iambic feet in many poems, particularly in the works of Shakespeare.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Stress
π‘Meter
π‘Foot
π‘Rhythm
π‘Trochaic
π‘Spondee
π‘Anapest
π‘Dactyl
π‘Pyrrhic
π‘Iamb
Highlights
Stress in language is the emphasis given to certain syllables in a word or phrase.
A stressed syllable is pronounced stronger than the others in a word.
The word 'philosophy' has stress on the second syllable.
The word 'medicine' has stress on the first syllable.
The word 'metamorphosis' has stress on the third syllable.
A single-syllable word has no identified stress.
Meter is the measurement of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.
A foot is one unit of meter in poetry.
Rhythm is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poetic line.
The number of feet in a line determines the meter, such as monometer, dimeter, trimeter, etc.
There are six types of feet: trochee, anapest, dactyl, spondee, pyrrhic, and iamb.
A trochee is a foot with one stressed and one unstressed syllable.
An iambic pentameter is a line with five iambic feet, commonly used in Shakespeare's poems.
A spondee is a foot with two stressed syllables and is often used for emphasis.
An anapest is a foot with two unstressed and one stressed syllable.
A dactyl is a foot with one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.
A pyrrhic foot is composed of two unstressed syllables and is rare in poetry.
Variations in foot types within a line are normal and do not change the overall rhythm.
The dominant foot type in a line determines the rhythmic pattern.
Shakespeare often uses variations such as a reversed foot in iambic pentameter.
Transcripts
[Music]
so
hi students welcome back as part of our
lesson in poetry
i will now be explaining to you foot
meter and rhythm
before i proceed with the lecture let me
start with this
how do you define stress
stress often refers to our feeling of
exhaustion
when we engage in things which are
beyond what we can handle
but in language stress is the emphasis
that may be given to certain syllables
in a word
or through certain words in a phrase or
sentence
how do you identify the stressed
syllable in a word
if a word has two or more syllables you
don't pronounce
all of them the same way there is always
one stressed syllable for example the
word philosophy
has four syllables
which do you think is distressed one
for us to be able to identify which
syllable is stressed
all we have to do is to pronounce
correctly
and tell which one is pronounced
stronger
philosophy philosophy
the stressed syllable is the second one
easy right how about this word
medicine it has three syllables
the stress syllable is the first one
how about this word metamorphosis
it has five syllables
this which is the stressed syllable
metamorphosis metamorphosis
it is the third one
right now what if a word
has only one syllable remember that a
word with only one syllable has no
identified stress
because the emphasis varies on how it is
used in a phrase or sentence
so how does stress relate to these
concepts
foot mirror and rhythm are discussed
side by side
because one cannot exist without the
others
let us start by defining each terms
meter is the measurement of stressed and
unstressed syllables
in poetic length while
foot is one unit of meter
and when we combine these two to
determine the pattern
of stressed and unstressed syllables in
a line
we are referring to rhythm
meter is determined by the number of
foot in a poetic line
if there is only one foot it's called a
manometer
two feet is dimeter three is
trimmer four feet is the trameter
five is pentameter six is hexameter
and so on the types of foot on the other
hand
are determined by the arrangement or
order of stressed and expressed
syllables in one foot
there are six types of foot the trokey
the anapest ducktail spondy
ferric and iron today you will learn how
to identify the types of foot
and determine the rhythm or rhythmic
pattern in a helvetic line
to do this we will be using these
symbols
to classify which syllables are stressed
you will be seeing this symbol and
for the unstressed syllables this will
be used
let's start with the troche a trochaic
foot
is composed of two syllables the first
one is
stressed and the second one is
unstressed
let us start with an easy example
as you can see each foot is separated by
lines for easier identification
how many feet do you see
there are five so this line
is a pentameter each foot is composed of
the same word
which has two syllables in which the
first is stressed
and the second one is unstressed
never never
is an example of a trochaic foot
and since all five feet have the same
word
the same stress and stress pattern is
repeated
so if this poetic line is composed of
five trochaic feet
therefore its rhythm or rhythmic pattern
is called a trochaic pentameter
clear now let us have another example
this line is quite longer than the first
one
so i want you to count how many feet are
there
there are eight feet
so this line is an octameter
same as the first one each foot in this
poetic line
is composed of a trokey
so this shall be read as in the spring a
young man's fancy lightly turns to
thoughts of love
in this example notice that the third
foot is not a trokey
because both syllables are stressed
and also the last foot only has
one syllable but in spite of these
this is generally true because strokes
are more dominant than the other foot
the next type of foot is a spondy
a spandex foot also has two syllables
and both of them are stressed but unlike
the trochee
spawn these never appear as a dominant
foot in a line
they appear in isolation try to identify
the spondees in these lines
all whom war death age
egg use tyrannies despair
law chance hath slain
and you whose eyes shall behold god
the spawnies in line one are foot number
two and three in line two the spondy is
foot number two
same with the spondy in the last line
notice that the words separated in
commas are pronounced with emphasis
this is one of the functions of a
spontaneic foot
it gives emphasis to ideas the
variations of unstressed and stressed
syllables that you see
in the examples are normal in many poems
now how about in this example crushed
why do men then now not wreck his rod
which do you think are the spawn bees
it's the first foot and the third
foot again
spawn these do not appear as dominant
feet
time let us talk about the anabes an
animpastic foot is composed of three
syllables
in which the first two are in stress and
the last is
stressed listen to this line
it was many and many a year ago
this line has four feet
wherein the first three are all anapests
so this line is called an anapestic
tetrameter
again the variation in the last foot is
normal among all poems
how about the second one
the assyrian came down like a wolf on
the fold
and his cohorts were gleaming in purple
and gold
did you notice the consistency of the
rhythm it creates
it's as if you are chanting while
reading the poem right
foot number four is a duct tail
a ductilic foot has three syllables
with stress and stress and stress
pattern
listen to this example this is the
forest primoval
the murmuring pines and the hemlocks
it has six feet therefore it's called a
ductilic hexameter
listen to the next example whatever much
of a witch of a wind
it's very short but still you hear the
ducktale right
the first syllables in every foot are
stressed
this line has four feet therefore its
rhythmic pattern is called
ductilic tetrameter
another type of foot is the ferric foot
it is composed of two syllables and both
of them are unstressed
just like this pondy a ferric foot does
not
appear as a dominant foot in poetry
it only appears in isolation
listen to this example
at the round earth's imagined corners
blow
in this poetic line only the first foot
is apheric and the rest are a
combination of
spawn d's and iams
this time let me discuss with you the
iambic foot
an iamb has two syllables the first one
is unstressed and the second one is
stressed among all the types of foot
this one is the most common and the
iambic pentameter
is the most common rhythmic pattern used
by
shakespeare in most of his poems
how does an im sound in a poetic line
listen to the first example scoffing his
stayed and grinning at his pump
this one is composed of five feet in
which four
are iams shakespeare includes a trophy
in the first foot
atrocity in an ayambic line is called a
reversed foot
in a yambikentimeter verse a reverse
foot occurs
frequently in the first foot just like
this one
but sometimes it can also appear in the
third foot
or fourth and almost never
in the second and fifth
another variation of the iambic
pentameter is this one
to be or not to be that is the question
the extra unstressed syllable at the end
of the line
though not common is still a possible
variation in iambic line
another example is this one
at the round earth's imagine coroner's
blow
the beginning of this line has a ferric
followed by a spondy this combination
is called a double or ionic foot
which often appears at the beginning of
a line
and the last variation is in this line
of all that
insolent grease or haughty roam
in this line you can see that there is
an anapist
in the third foot despite of these
variations
these lines are still called iambic
pentameters
because the dominant feet are ions
and that's it i hope this lecture helped
you in understanding foot
rhythm and mirror stay tuned for our
next lesson
thank you for listening have a great day
[Music]
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