Sunday, October 28, 2007

iamb

A beat consisting of two syllables; an unstressed followed by a stressed.

Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel was written in iambic pentameter; each line consists of 5 iambs. Iambic pentameter with each line ending in rhyme is a common characteristic of the heroic couplet.

Here is the first line of Absalom and Achitophel. The correct way to read it would be with a pattern of stresses that alternates each syllable, and goes low high low high, IE: _/_/_/_/_/.

In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin

-Kelly Mower

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