Blank Verse

Term	Definition
Blank Verse	Blank verse consists of a poetic form in which the writer maintains a consistent meter (i.e. pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables) but foregoing any rhyme scheme. This is somewhat different from free verse, which does away with both formal rhythm schemes and formal rhyme schemes, relying primarily on the cadences of the spoken word itself. Blank verse is thus a little more traditional than free verse. Style of poetry What kind of poetry is ‘blank verse’ poetry? Blank verse poetry is the most commonly used form of English poetry since the 1500s. Approximately three-fourths of English poetry is written in blank verse. Blank verse poetry is written in regular cadences but does not rhyme. Typically, it is written with ten syllables per line and an unstressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable. This pattern continues five times per line. This style is also known as un-rhymed iambic pentameter. There is no fixed number of lines in blank verse and it can be composed of several types of meter. Because it is easily used to add richness to expressions and descriptions, it is often used in long narrative poems and verse drama. Blank verse examples There are several kinds of blank verse that are commonly used in English poetry. 1. The first is called iambic pentameter. This kind contains a pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable and is the most common kind. Example: “But, woe is me, you are so sick of late, So far from cheer and from your former state,”. – Hamlet by William Shakespeare 2. The second kind is called trochee blank verse, which follows a pattern of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. Example: “On the day of the explosion Shadows pointed towards the pithead: In the sun the slagheap slept.” -The Explosion by Philip Larkin 3.The third kind is dactyl verse, which follows a pattern of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. Example: “And thus the lone day in fight they spend, Till, at the last, as everything hath end,” - Canterbury Tales by Chaucer 3. The final one is called anapest blank verse, which has an unstressed syllable followed by two stressed syllables before repeating again. Example: “’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” -‘Twas the Night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore Writers that used blank verses The style of blank verse originated from early Latin and Greek poetry. It is most commonly used to create grandeur and opulence in dramatic prose. While it is very similar to normal speech, it varies slightly, depending on the style, with pauses and emphasis on different words. The result is musical and rhythmic, capturing the attention of readers and listeners. Thus, it is a popular choice in English writing. The first documented use of blank verse prose was in the mid-1500s by the Earl of Surrey, Henry Howard, who used it in his translation of the Latin epic Aeneid. Closely following in 1561, Thomas Sackville and Thomas Norton wrote the first English play in blank verse, Gorboduc. The most famous user of blank verse was William Shakespeare, who used it in the majority of his works. Another famous and well-known use of blank verse can be found in the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton. Blank verse continued to be popular into the 1700s when it was used by famous poets such as William Cowper, who used it to write The Task, and James Thomson, who used blank verse when he wrote The Seasons. Later, it continued to be popular among romantic English poets like John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Alfred Lord Tennyson also favored blank verse, using is in his long narrative poem entitled The Princess and his most famous poem, Ulysses. American poets favored blank verse as well; the most notable being Wallace Stevens and Hart Crane, both of whom were particularly devoted to blank verse while others in their genre were transitioning to free verse. Though other verses are growing popular as well, blank verse has enough variations that it can be expected to remain as a popular choice in English writing in the future. Being a common prose form for centuries, it can be counted on to remain a prevalent and favored choice among writers. Hits - 252 Synonyms: blank-verse

Term

Definition

Blank Verse

Blank verse consists of a poetic form in which the writer maintains a consistent meter (i.e. pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables) but foregoing any rhyme scheme. This is somewhat different from free verse, which does away with both formal rhythm schemes and formal rhyme schemes, relying primarily on the cadences of the spoken word itself. Blank verse is thus a little more traditional than free verse.

Style of poetry

What kind of poetry is ‘blank verse’ poetry?

Blank verse poetry is the most commonly used form of English poetry since the 1500s. Approximately three-fourths of English poetry is written in blank verse.

Blank verse poetry is written in regular cadences but does not rhyme. Typically, it is written with ten syllables per line and an unstressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable. This pattern continues five times per line. This style is also known as un-rhymed iambic pentameter.

There is no fixed number of lines in blank verse and it can be composed of several types of meter. Because it is easily used to add richness to expressions and descriptions, it is often used in long narrative poems and verse drama.

Blank verse examples

There are several kinds of blank verse that are commonly used in English poetry.

1. The first is called iambic pentameter. This kind contains a pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable and is the most common kind.

Example: “But, woe is me, you are so sick of late,

So far from cheer and from your former state,”.

– Hamlet by William Shakespeare

2. The second kind is called trochee blank verse, which follows a pattern of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.

Example: “On the day of the explosion

Shadows pointed towards the pithead:

In the sun the slagheap slept.”

-The Explosion by Philip Larkin

3.The third kind is dactyl verse, which follows a pattern of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.

Example: “And thus the lone day in fight they spend,

Till, at the last, as everything hath end,”

- Canterbury Tales by Chaucer

3. The final one is called anapest blank verse, which has an unstressed syllable followed by two stressed syllables before repeating again.

Example: “’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

-‘Twas the Night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

Writers that used blank verses

The style of blank verse originated from early Latin and Greek poetry. It is most commonly used to create grandeur and opulence in dramatic prose. While it is very similar to normal speech, it varies slightly, depending on the style, with pauses and emphasis on different words. The result is musical and rhythmic, capturing the attention of readers and listeners. Thus, it is a popular choice in English writing.

The first documented use of blank verse prose was in the mid-1500s by the Earl of Surrey, Henry Howard, who used it in his translation of the Latin epic Aeneid. Closely following in 1561, Thomas Sackville and Thomas Norton wrote the first English play in blank verse, Gorboduc.

The most famous user of blank verse was William Shakespeare, who used it in the majority of his works. Another famous and well-known use of blank verse can be found in the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton. Blank verse continued to be popular into the 1700s when it was used by famous poets such as William Cowper, who used it to write The Task, and James Thomson, who used blank verse when he wrote The Seasons. Later, it continued to be popular among romantic English poets like John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Alfred Lord Tennyson also favored blank verse, using is in his long narrative poem entitled The Princess and his most famous poem, Ulysses. American poets favored blank verse as well; the most notable being Wallace Stevens and Hart Crane, both of whom were particularly devoted to blank verse while others in their genre were transitioning to free verse.

Though other verses are growing popular as well, blank verse has enough variations that it can be expected to remain as a popular choice in English writing in the future. Being a common prose form for centuries, it can be counted on to remain a prevalent and favored choice among writers.

Hits - 252

Synonyms: blank-verse