American Division Literature . [ 4 ]

American Division Literature . [ 4 ] 

 Iambic foot [ x / ] unstressed , stressed .

  x  /      x      /   x     /      x      /

Iambic   is   a  line  of   verse .

   x       /      x    /          x       /

This first  is weak , then strong .

 x    /    x          /         x      /   x    /

If this light rhyme you do rehearsal .

            x      /     x     /    x       /

   You’re  sure to  do no wrong .

 Anapestic foot [ x x / ] unstressed , unstressed , stressed .

   x       x         /     x   x      /        x   x        /     x   x   /

With two weak and a strong we will learn anapest .

   x  x     /      x       x         /       x     x   /

As we take this small verse right along  .

   x     x       /        x       x         /       x x    /   x  x      /

Feel the beat , mark the  stress , anapest is the best .

    x    x     /  x      x        /   x  x    /

With a rhythm that can be a song .

 Trochaic foot [ / x ] stressed , unstressed .

       /        x         /       x           /      x     /   x

Strong then weak should bring no terror .

      /       x    /    x  /  x

Verse that is trochaic .

   /    x          /        x       /    x    /    x

Up then down – you will not error –

   /   x    /     x   / x

Never be prosaic .

 Dactylic foot [ / x x ] , stressed , unstressed , unstressed .

   /     x        x        /   x    x      /   x        x       /      x  x

He could write verses like Alfred , Lord Tennyson  ,

  /     x  x   /      x        x         /          x    x    /      x  x

Dactylic foot that could march clear to Dennison .

     /     x     x      /      x    x        /      x   x        / x x

Rhythms he  kept and to rhyme he was dutiful –

      /       x     x       /       x    x       /        x    x    /      x x

That’s why his work was so strong and so beautiful .

 Spondaic foot [ // ] stressed , stressed .

    x        /     x     /   x      /  x    /

When two successive syllables

     x    /    x       x        /     x    x   /   x     /

With equal strong stresses occur in verse ,

       /            /           /     x    /

Strong , strong spondee foot .

       /      x      /    x      /

Comes to mind at first .

 Pyrrhic foot [ xx ] unstressed , unstressed .

Some experts in scanning argue that true pyrrhic foot does not exist because every foot must have an accented syllable .

            After determining the type of foot , you need to identify how many feet are in each line .

Traditionally : one foot = monometer / two feet = diameter / three feet = trimeter / four feet = tetrameter / five feet = pentameter / 6 feet = hexameter /

seven feet = septameter / eight feet = octameter .

Ex . Look at the first line of “ The Wife of Usher’s Well .”

There lived / a wife / at Ush / er’s Well .

There are four feet in this line : tetrameter .

Consequently , the meter or metrical pattern of the line is iambic tetrameter

[  unstressed , stressed ] foot ( iambic ) / four feet [ tetrameter ] = iambic tetrameter. 

Because “ iambic” and “ anapestic” meters end on a high stress [ rising stress ] , they are often referred to as the “ rising meters” or rhythms , whereas dactylic and trochaic are falling meters or rhythms as the end on a low stress . The meter used , the metrical pattern can directly affect the mood , the tone and / or the meaning .