Poetic Rhythm
Poetic Rhythm
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USDThis is the first introduction to rhythm and meter that begins where students are: as speakers of English familiar with the rhythms of ordinary spoken language, and of popular verse such as nursery rhymes, song and rap. Poetic Rhythm builds on this knowledge and experience, taking the reader from the most basic questions about the rhythms of spoken English to the elaborate achievements of past and present poets. Terminology is straightforward, the simple system of scansion that is introduced is suitable for both handwriting and computer use, and there are frequent practical exercises. Chapters deal with the elements of verse, English speech rhythms, the major types of metrical poetry, free verse, and the role of sense and syntax. Poetic Rhythm will help readers of poetry experience and enjoy its rhythms in all their power, subtlety and diversity, and will serve as an invaluable tool for those who wish to write or discuss poetry in English at a basic as well as a more advanced level.
- Fills huge gap in market for straightforward, basic and useful introduction to poetic rhythm and metre
- Likely to become essential student reading; and has additional market in poets, writers and general readers
- Written by Derek Attridge, leading expert in the field, whose Longman book The Rhythms of Poetry (1982) has sold widely as a textbook
Reviews & endorsements
'At long, long last here is the text that may well revolutionise our perception and analysis of poetry and shift attention from image-play and patterning to the rightful primacy of speech rhythms and metricality … Derek Attridge propounds invaluable theoretical concepts as well as applied techniques … Bliss!' Richard Taylor, Modern Language Review
' … an exceptional introduction to the rhythmic aspects of poetry which manages to be a the same time insightful and perfectly readable.' Buchbesprechungen
Product details
January 1996Paperback
9780521423694
296 pages
227 × 151 × 21 mm
0.47kg
47 exercises
Available
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- On using this book
- 1. The rhythms of poetry: a first approach
- 2. The rhythms of spoken English
- 3. Dancing language
- 4. Stress verse and strong-stress verse: counting the beats
- 5. Syllable-stress verse: versatility and variation
- 6. Major types of syllable-stress verse
- 7. Free verse: metrical and rhythmic analysis
- 8. Phrasal movement
- Appendix 1. Scansion
- Appendix 2. Glossary
- Appendix 3. Sources of examples
- Appendix 4. Suggested responses to the exercises.
