Submitted by ryzbaka t3_yghitq in explainlikeimfive
Comments
Lupicia t1_iu8l4eb wrote
"Iamb" is the stress pattern. It sound like a-DUM. Or kind of like"i-AM".
"Penta" is five.
"Meter" means we're talking about poetry or song.
So you have five sets of a-DUM stress in each line of poetry.
a-DUM a-DUM a-DUM a-DUM a-DUM
>As yet but knock, breathe, shine and seek to mend.
stakekake t1_iu93k14 wrote
"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks" is another good example from Shakespeare.
(but SOFT)(what LIGHT)(through YON)(der WIN)(dow BREAKS)
spectacletourette t1_iu9kznc wrote
The example I remember from school (also from Romeo and Juliet)…
(he JESTS) (at SCARS) (that NE-) (-ver FELT) (a WOUND)
tomalator t1_iuat4l8 wrote
a HORSE a HORSE my KINGdom FOR a HORSE
roMEO roMEO whereFORE art THOU roMEO
cmetz90 t1_iu8va0h wrote
This video (at about 7m 30s if the time stamp doesn’t work) has a great sequence of playing iambic pentameter against the Pink Panther theme song to help illustrate how the rhythm works.
Lime_Dragonfly t1_iu90kgj wrote
This is a great explanation and a great example!
Razzmatazz2306 t1_iu8k8qt wrote
It just, uses, ten sy,llables, a time.
With stressed, ones last, and un, stressed ones, before.
In groups, of five, in each, pentam, meter.