1. SCANSION
Scansion is the process of analyzing poetry's rhythm by looking at meter and feet.

2. FOOT A foot is a group of syllables.
No more than 2-3 syllables in one foot
Syllables are marked either as stressed (/) or unstressed (-). Ex:
/ -
poet
1 foot
/ /
William + Shakespeare
1 foot foot

3. TYPES OF FEET Foot Syllables Stress Example 2 short / long - /
Iamb
2 short / long
- /
pretend
Trochee
2 long/short
/ -
season
*Spondee
2 long/long
/ /
*Pyrrhic
2 short/short
- -
Anapest
3 short/short/long
- - /
unabridged
Dactyl
3 long/short/short
/ - -
dangerous

4. METER Meter is the predominant rhythm of a poem
Identified by 2 things:
Type of foot
Iamb, Trochee, Spondee, Pyrrhic, Anapest, Dactyl
The number of feet within the lines of a poem

5. TYPES OF METER *Answer: Trochee Trimeter
Monometer: lines consisting of 1 foot
Dimeter: lines consisting of 2 feet
Trimeter: lines consisting of 3 feet
Tetrameter: lines consisting of 4 feet
Pentameter: lines consisting of 5 feet
Hexameter: lines consisting of 6 feet
/ -
poet
1 foot
/ /
William + Shakespeare
1 foot foot
*Answer: Trochee Trimeter

6. IAMBIC PENTAMETER Most common meter in English poetry
Five iambs in a row
Feminine ending-addition of a final unstressed syllable
- / - / - / - / - /
- / - / - / - / - / -
Most poets who have a great facility for iambic pentameter frequently vary the rhythm of their poetry as Donne and Shakespeare do in the examples, both to create a more interesting overall rhythm and to highlight important thematic elements.

7. WHAT LINE IS IT ANYWAY? *Answer: Iambic tetrameter - / - / - / - /
- / / / /
I do not like green eggs and ham.
- / / / /
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Iambic = - /
Pentameter = 5 feet / line
It describes a particular rhythm that the words establish in each line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet". The word "iambic" describes the type of foot that is used.
First identify stressed and unstressed syllables that make up the foot
Then, determine how many feet are in the line
*Answer: Iambic tetrameter

8. WHAT LINE IS IT ANYWAY? *Answer: Trochaic tetrameter / - / - / - / -
/ / / / -
Double, double, toil and trouble
/ / / /
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Iambic = - /
Pentameter = 5 feet / line
It describes a particular rhythm that the words establish in each line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet". The word "iambic" describes the type of foot that is used.
First identify stressed and unstressed syllables that make up the foot
Then, determine how many feet are in the line
*Answer: Trochaic tetrameter

9. WHAT LINE IS IT ANYWAY? *Answer: Iambic Pentameter - / - / - / - / - /
- / / / / /
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
*Answer: Iambic Pentameter
Iambic = - /
Pentameter = 5 feet / line
It describes a particular rhythm that the words establish in each line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet". The word "iambic" describes the type of foot that is used.
First identify stressed and unstressed syllables that make up the foot
Then, determine how many feet are in the line

10. WHAT LINE IS IT ANYWAY? *Answer: Anapestic Tetrameter
/ / / /
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
*Answer: Anapestic Tetrameter