An easy explaination of iambic pentametre?

Question

I just don't understand what it is or how to use it, it just won't stick in my head. I have to write a sestina and it has to be in iambic pentametre. Can someone tell me what it is, and how to make sure I'm using it properly? Thanks
xx

Answer 1

If you write a line that has 10 syllables and the stress is on alternate syllables, then you have written in iambic pentameters. A well known example is:

a HORSE/ a HORSE/ my KING/ dom FOR/ a HORSE



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Answer 2

A unit of the internal beat in a poem is called a "foot." A foot that is made up of a long beat followed by a short one is called an "Iamb." When there are five of these in a poetic line it is called "pentameter," from the Greek "penta" for five. Most English poems have this structure, because it most nearly resembles normal speech, and it is called iambic pentameter. Analyzing a poem like this is called scanning and a foot is represented by a "~" for a long beat and a "/" for a short beat. A line of iambic pentameter with five feet is written ~ / ~ / ~ / ~ / ~ / above the words or beat they represent in the poem.



The following line from John Keats' Ode to Autumn is a straightforward example:



To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells.

Answer 3

Two parts, iamb, which is a poetic term for a word or phrase that sounds "weak-strong". Think of the term "Ta dum", where "Ta" is a weaker beat than "dum". Or the word "again", where the emphasis is on the second syllable.



A single iamb makes up a poetic foot. Pentameter just means five footed. So iambic pentameter means a line consisting of five iambic feet.



Example from "Merchant of Venice."



Ĭn sóoth,/Ĭ knów/nŏt whý/Ĭ ám/sŏ sád.





Ĭt wéa/riĕs mé;/yŏu sáy/ĭt wéa/riĕs yóu....







Wikipedia has some good articles which go farther.

Answer 4

Ok, so have you ever read anything from Shakespeare? Well almost everything that her writes is in iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter is just an unrhymed line of poetry that alternates between stressed and unstressed soundings. Its hard 2 explain. Study Shakespeare by reading it by sybil. Google it. I hope I helped...

Answer 5

social gathering of the day to flee from the fray spend it in a mundane way, same as the different day care no longer for christ or god yet love a great cup of nog it happens only as quickly as a 300 and sixty 5 days, so I have not have been given something to worry I relish the trip cheer, with wine or glog or beer christmas lights and a tree fill the abode up with glee soccer and trip shows, jack frost at your nostril a chum of mine from mexico, brings tamales do no longer you be attentive to he's a deist so which you notice, he celebrates very such as me the youngsters relish it too, relaxing to get something new rum balls, cookies, and pie, extra please, i'm no longer shy the acquaintances and fam all come by way of, this, my answer why a jiffy to think of upon it, one extra line makes a sonnet (o.k. it would desire to have 5 imabic ft according to line, oh properly)