Literature Review

Terminology Review

Learning Objectives

• Iambic metre

• Trochaic metre

• Sounds -Plosives/fricatives/nasals/sibilants

• Synesthesia

• Polysyndeton

Iambic Meter

• The second syllable in every pair of syllables is stressed.

• Shakespeare uses iambic rhythm for the majority of his lines.

• Sonnets typically are written in iambic pentameter (lines have an iambic rhythm and contain 10 syllables per line). Many of the lines in Sonnet 29 and Sonnet 43 are perfectly iambic

• Iambic rhythm can feel gentle/peaceful/ innocent/ stable and even dull/monotonous

Multiple Choice

In Iambic metre, the ______ of every pair of syllables is stressed

• first

• second

Multiple Select

Try saying these words out loud, which two words do you think are pronounced in an iambic way?

• coffee

• beyond

• pizza

• defrost

Multiple Choice

Which line is fully iambic?

• female science fiction authors

• at close of day no longer walks the sky

• teenage mutant ninja turtles

Multiple Select

What effect can iambic rhythms have?

• gentle/relaxed

• urgent/impatient/rushed

• confused/chaotic

• innocent

Sonnet 29

Remind yourself of this poem. Can you spot the iambic pattern in many of the lines? Can you spot moments where the iambic pattern is replaced with something different?

Trochaic metre

• The first syllable in every pair of syllables is stressed

• Trochaic rhythm has an exciting/energetic/rushed/dramatic/intense effect

• Children's poetry often makes use of trochaic metre

• Lines of fully trochaic metre are less common than iambic lines

• Iambic lines can be broken up/interrupted by spots of trochaic metre for interesting effects

Multiple Select

Which two of these four words are trochaic?

• gazelle

• giraffe

• dragon

• monkey

Multiple Choice

Sonnets are mostly made up of lines of _________ metre

• iambic

• trochaic

Multiple Choice

Trochaic metre has what effect?

• slow

• energetic/intense

• calm, peaceful

• solemn, dignified

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a trochaic line?

• Up the mountain, down the valley

• The mountain rain is soothing

Multiple Choice

Read the previous slide "lines with the same metre as teenage mutant ninja turtles" What metre are all those examples using?

• iambic

• trochaic

Look how lines 1 and 3 of sonnet 29 begin with two syllables of trochaic metre ("pity....") This lends extra power and urgency to the command ("pity me not...")

Analyzing sounds

Multiple Choice

What kind of sound is the 'p' in powder

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

What kind of sound is the 's' in sea

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

What kind of sound is the 'f' in fallen

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

What kind of sound is the 'l' in lava

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

What kind of watery sound do we see three times in this quote from Muliebrity "freshly washed clothes "

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

Which of these kinds of sounds has an airy effect that we often associate with freedom/lightness?

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

Which of these kinds of sounds has a powerful or even violent effect?

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

Which of these kinds of sounds has a sinister or soothing effect?

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Multiple Choice

TRICKY QUESTION WARNING- What kind of sound is the 'c' in ceiling. Think carefully - it's about sounds, not spelling

• sibilant

• plosive

• fricative

• liquid

Examples of synesthesia

Multiple Choice

Which of these lines from "Those Winter Sundays" is synesthesia?

• "put his clothes on in the blueblack cold"

• "polished my good shoes"

• "the chronic angers of that house"

• "love's austere and lonely offices"

Look how polysyndeton is used in midterm break to emphasise the child's innocent obliviousness and the adults' awkward silence

Multiple Choice

Which of these is polysyndeton?

• "the smell of cow dung and road-dust and wet canna lillies"

• I have thought so much about the girl

• unwilling to forget her or to explain to anyone the greatness and power glistening through her cheekbones