Scansion

The Rules of Poetic Structure

Scansion
Scansion is a systematic method of reading poetry by looking at its structure to figure out its rhythm (and dynamics) and how to sound it. It is a process by which one analyzes the stressed and unstressed syllables in feet and lines of poetry.

THE STEPS IN SCANSION

Reading the poem aloud Counting the number of syllables Denoting the syllables as stressed or unstressed Identifying the repetitive rhythm Identifying or naming the foot

Preliminaries
Syllables: The minimum unit of a word containing a vowel sound that can be uttered in a single breath pulse. Foot: a measurement of a beat in a line, but its usually accompanied by a stress (or beat) and one or more non-stressed syllables. Meter: Meter is the number of feet (or beats) per line.

Symbols of Scansion

~ = an unaccented syllable ` = an accented syllable / = a break between poetic feet || = a caesura, or metrical pause

Kinds of feet
A unit of stressed and unstressed syllables is called a foot. Each of those words represents a different kind of foot.

Iamb
A unit of unstressed-STRESSED syllables (da-DUM) is called an iamb (or iambic foot). up-SET: unstressed-STRESSED (da-DUM) re-TAIN: unstressed-STRESSED (da-DUM)

Trochee
A unit of STRESSED-unstressed syllables (sounding like DA-dum) is called a trochee (or a trochaic foot). TRI-al: STRESSED-unstressed (DA-dum) TAX-es: STRESSED-unstressed (DA-dum)

Dactyl
A unit of STRESSED-unstressedunstressed syllables is called a dactyl (or dactylic foot) BAD-min-ton (DA-dum-dum) GOV-ern-ment (DA-dum-dum)

Anapest
A unit of unstressed-unstressed-STRESSED syllables is called an anapest (anapestic foot). An anapestic meterthat is, a poem that uses a lot of anapestic feetis often called a galloping meter because it sounds like a horse running: da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM Pir-ou-ETTE (da-da-DUM)

Odd Kinds of Feet

Sometimes youll find two stressed or two unstressed feet in a row, usually for emphasis. A whole poem wont be this way, however. Spondee: stressed stressed Pyrrhic: unstressed unstressed

Feet
Iambic foot consists of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one (~ `).

Trochaic foot consists of an accented syllable followed

by an unaccented one (` ~). Dactylic foot consists of an accented syllable followed

by two unaccented syllables (` ~ ~).

Anapestic foot consists of two unaccented syllables followed by an accented syllable (~ ~ `). Spondaic foot consists of two accented syllables (` `).

Pyrrhic foot consists of two unaccented syllables (~ ~).

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Metrical Feet: Lessons for a Boy

Trochee trips from long to short.
From long to long in solemn sort Slow spondee stalks; strong foot! yet ill able Ever to come up with Dactyl trisyllable. Iambics march from short to long;With a leap and a bound the swift Anapests throng.

Poetic Meter
These terms show number of stresses or feet to a line: One stress per line = mono + meter = monometer Two = di + meter = dimeter Three = tri + meter = trimeter Four = tetra + meter = tetrameter Five = penta + meter = pentameter Six = hex + a + meter = hexameter Seven = hep + a + meter = heptameter Eight = oct + a + meter = octameter

A look at structure
Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village though He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow

Metric Patterns - Meter

/ / / ~ ~ / ~ / Whose woodsthese are I think I know / ~~ ~ / ~ / His house is in the vil lage though / ~ / ~ / He will not see me stop ping here

~ /

/ ~ / ~ / ~ / To watch his woods fill up with snow

Metrical Feet
1 2 3 4 Whose woodsthese are I think I know His house is in the vil lage though He will not see me stop ping here To watch his woods fill up with snow

Other Metrical Terms

Amphibrach
A foot with unstressed, stressed, unstressed syllables ( U / U ) e.g. Chicago

Ancrusis
An extra unaccented syllable at the beginning of a line before its regular meter begins Mine / by the right / of the white / election

Amphimacer
A foot with stressed, unstressed, stressed syllables ( / U / ) e.g. attitude

Other Metrical Terms

Catalexis
An extra, usually unaccented syllable at the ending of a line after its regular meter ends Ill tell / you how / the sun / rose A pause in the meter or rhythm of a line Flood-tide below me! || I see you face to face! A run-on line, continuing into the next without a grammatical break Green rustlings, more-than-regal charities Drift coolly from that tower of whispered light

Caesura

Enjambement