Study Notes on Meter and Poetry Analysis

Introduction to Syllable Division and Scansion

Syllables are divided with a slash for clarity.
- Example: "So shall I" has two syllables.
- Example: "compare, right" also consists of two syllables.
- Break down of syllables includes: 1. So (1), 2. shall (1), 3. I (1), 4. total of 4 syllables.
iamb (I am): An unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, denoted as 'u' for unstressed and 's' for stressed.
trochee: The opposite of iamb, it starts with a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one.
spondee: Composed of two stressed syllables.
pyrrhic: A rare metrical foot featuring two unstressed syllables.

Analyze the line of poetry: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
- Classification: This line is iambic.
- The process of determining meter can be executed through scansion.

Using personal names to identify stressed and unstressed syllables can help visualize rhythm.
- Example: Name "Deborah" can reveal potential iambs depending on pronunciation.
  - "Deb-ra" can create an iambic result if pronounced accordingly.

Involves collaborating with volunteers to vocalize names.
Various names such as "Rio" or "David" can exhibit different syllable stresses.
- Example: "David" primarily emphasizes the first syllable.

An iambic pentameter consists of five iambs per line, totaling ten syllables.
Subsequent lines may deviate from strict iambic forms, introducing trochaic reversals or other complexities.

“Batter my heart, three-person'd God” features a trochaic reversal as the line starts with a trochee instead of an iamb.
- The shift creates a varied rhythm that impacts emphasis on key themes.

When an iambic form does not strictly adhere to traditional meter, it introduces complexity.
- Reversal occurs when the expected iamb is disrupted by another foot such as a trochee.

The poem explores deep themes of desire and salvation, manifesting inner turmoil.
- Requests from God reveal a struggle for purity amidst sin.
  - Temptation: The speaker feels overwhelmed by temptation, desiring liberation.
Forms of yielding to sin are likened to domination or possession by a force.

Paradoxical Requests: The speaker asks God to violently reclaim him, suggesting that breaking him is a path toward healing.
- The violence juxtaposed with gentler calls to “knock” or “breathe” emphasizes the contrasting approaches to divine intervention.

The poem's rhythm illustrates both desire and repulsion, showcasing violent imagery as essential to the speaker's plea.
- Metaphors used capture an intimate struggle, likening the relationship with God to tumultuous battles.

Viceroy is described as the governor or representative of a sovereign authority.
- This term highlights the speaker's internal conflict with rationality being subordinated to desire for sin.

English (Shakespearean): Composed of 14 lines, featuring three quatrains and a couplet.
- Rhyme scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGG.
Italian (Petrarchan): 14 lines as well, typically characterized by two sections: an octave and a sestet.
- Rhyme scheme: ABBAABBA for the octave, followed by varied rhymes for the sestet.

Origin of the sonnet form attributed to Petrarch in the late medieval period centered on themes of unrequited love.
- Shakespeare further adapted this structure, intertwining emotional depth amidst societal norms of gender and desire.
The analysis reveals complex influences of sexual identity and societal expectations surrounding relationships.
The shift from homoerotic expressions to dark lady sonnets highlights evolving themes in poetic narratives.

Figurative language, including similes and metaphors, enhances the emotional impact of the poetry.
- Simile: Comparative phrase using "like" or "as."
- Metaphor: Stronger direct comparisons without qualifiers that elicits deeper emotional resonance.
- Personification, Hyperbole, Alliteration contribute to furthering engagement with the textual themes.
- Apostrophe serves as a direct address to something abstract in deep emotional contexts.

Understanding the dynamics of rhythm, structure, and metaphor in Donne's work illustrates broader themes present in the human experience.
The homework includes exploring Ozymandias, which involves drawing a visual representation of imagery, followed by an analysis of speaker multiplicity.