This section contains 227 words (approx. 1 page at 400 words per page) |
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is written in iambic tetrameter. "Iambic" means that each metrical foot contains two syllables, an unstressed :me followed by a stressed one. "Tetrameter" means that each line contains four metrical feet. So 1 poem written in iambic tetrameter would contain 1 total of eight syllables in each line. This idea will become clearer if we scan a line, or diagram the meter:
Of easy wind and downy flake.
When the line is scanned, it will look like this: Of eas / y wind / and down / y flake.
Such metrical patterns generally make poetry sound more musical. Occasionally, a line will vary from the established pattern, which often emphasizes the importance of that line.
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" also relies on rhyme to achieve some of its music. For the first three stanzas, the rhyme scheme is consistent. Its pattern is aaba...
This section contains 227 words (approx. 1 page at 400 words per page) |