The Major Meters: Iambic, Trochaic, Anapestic, Dactylic

Table of Contents O nce syllables, stresses, and feet are clearly heard, the next step is to recognize the major metrical patterns that English poets have used most frequently. These patterns are defined by the dominant foot that organizes the line. The six feet examined here (iamb, trochee, anapest, dactyl, pyrrhic, and spondee) form the practical core of English metrical description. Each foot produces a distinct rhythmic character. Some feel speech-like and forward-moving. Others feel emphatic, falling, or expansive. Understanding those characters allows the poet to choose a meter deliberately rather than by accident, and to recognize meaningful variation when it occurs. Info! Meter is named by combining the type of foot with the number of feet in the line. An iambic line of five feet is iambic pentameter. A trochaic line of four feet is trochaic tetrameter. The foot supplies the rhythmic quality; the number of feet supplies the length and weight of the line. Iambic Meter The iamb is …