Meter or How to Scan a poem

METER O R

HOW TO SCAN A POEM

This is easy

ANYONE CAN HEAR METER

Do you know the difference between the words “refer” and “reefer” when you hear them?

• If not, you might have trouble in your next job interview

That’s all you need to hear the meter of a poem.

You need a little more information to explain it, so that’s what we’ll cover.

A QUICK DEMONSTRATION

Mark accented syllables (louder parts of the word or phrase) with a forward slash on top of the word /

Mark unaccented syllables (quieter parts of the word or phrase) with a loop like a U

Here’s a piece from Hamlet with scanning marks:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGuFfps63YI

LET’S DO IT TO BRADSTREET

U / U / U U U / U /

Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain

U / U / U / U / U /

Who after birth didst by my side remain,

U / U / U / U / U /

Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true,

U / U / U / U / U /

Who thee abroad, exposed to public view,

NAMES OF POETIC METERS

The “feet” or repeating pattern within the line. • Iambic = 2 syllables, first unaccented, second accented: U /

• to BE or NOT to BE• Trochaic = 2 syllables, opposite of above: / U

• DOUble, DOUble, TOIL and TROUble• Anapestic = 3 syllables, two unaccented, third accented U U /

• I arRISE and unBUILD it aGAIN.• Dactyllic = 3 syallables, first accented, last 2 unaccented / U U

• Openly.• Spondee = 2 accented syllables (for variety)

• Heartbreak

POETIC METERS CONT.

The number of “feet” in a line is the second part of the name of the meter

• Monometer One Foot• Dimeter Two Feet• TrimeterThree Feet• Tetrameter Four Feet• Pentameter Five Feet• Hexameter Six Feet• Heptameter Seven Feet

NOW LET’S FIGURE OUT THE PATTERN AND NAME IT

First group the lines into “feet” and count them up. • U / U / U U U / U / ?• Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain• U / U / U / U / U / 5 iambic feet• Who after birth didst by my side remain,• U / U / U / U / U / same• Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true,• U / U / U / U / U / same• Who thee abroad, exposed to public view,

Mostly iambic pentameter, so that’s the metric pattern for the poem.

METER IS (ALMOST) NEVER TOTALLY UNIFORM

Great poets draw attention to emotional intensity and important ideas by breaking meter.

Breaking or changing the meter for a few beats slows down or speeds up your reading and makes you notice certain words.

• U / U / U U U / U /• Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain• U / U / U / U / U /• Who after birth didst by my side remain,• U / U / U / U / U /• Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true,• U / U / U / U / U /• Who thee abroad, exposed to public view,