Help in the use of Meter

[Empyrean444]

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Hi,

I am hoping to take up ext2 english when i start my HSC proper, and for my major work i am proposing to write a "small" epic poem (about the same length as Rime of the Ancient Mariner). Does anyone have any thoughts/advice on what form of meter would be appropriate? I am not going to use rhyme.

Within this, does anyone have any advice on how to use the suggested meter? Use of enjambment, placement of the caesura, etc.

I have 2 which i have considered:
iambic pentameter or a dactylic form of meter. I am interested in the latter, so is there any specific advice on use of dactyls?

Advice/help etc appreciated.

[666_blessings]

Wow, that sounds very ambitious! Iambic pentameter is probably best left to sonnets, so stick with the dactylic meter. As for enjambment, don't force it just because you had a cool enjambment you just had to use (I'm very guilty of this ><).

Good luck with the major work!

[Empyrean444]

I only thought of iambic because (i think) it is the meter Milton used in Paradise Lost.
Dactylic is good. Any suggestions on what sort of it is useful (ie trimeter, tetrameter, hexameter?)

Thank you

[CSundstrom]

Woot go poetry in 2009!

I just handed up my mini-major work for extension one (to see if we can go onto EX2). I did poetry! And I love it.

Well to create a dactylic rhythmic pattern you have to have each line in dimeter.
Have you read "Charge of the Lightbrigade" by Tennyson? That has a dactylic rhythm.

You have to decide how form (in this case the rhythm) will reflect your purpose.

You might want to be carefull as a dactylic rhythmic pattern connotes a descent or fall. (two stressed to two unstressed...)

Think about it. The best poems have their purposes expressed in their forms.Think "Tears, Idle Tears" which is a poem by Tennyson. The rhythm in the name connotes a heartbeat.
You get?
Free verse and enjambment go together very well. But thats if you have a purpose like "the evanescence of life" where each line would flow on to the next, with ephemeral ease.
Have fun with it!

[Empyrean444]

Yes, i think that Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade is a sublime poem.

Dimeter, hey? I was thinking possibly tetrameter (just because i'm not sure how much i can say in only 6 syllables!).

Denotes a fall (as in the descent into "the Valley of Death"?). This could be suitable for my theme (which is about the fall of empires).

Thanks for your advice: it has been most insightful

[CSundstrom]

Yes, I think it connotes a fall. Others might argue.

You can say as much as you'd like if you employ enjambment.
Maybe split every line/sentence across two lines.

If you wanted to keep it orthodox, you could use dactylic hexameter, which Homer used. It's used for epic poems quite a lot.



Oh and also, I'll repeat some advice my teacher gave me concerning Historical Fiction.
Change something about it, don't simply retell the story with pretty words. Take charge and make it innovative. Perhaps a different perspective?
To get top marks it needs to be fresh.

Just some food for thought

Have fun with it!

[Empyrean444]

Dactylic hexameter. Also used by Virgil and the other Latin epic poets. I have experimented with it... but it really seems inappropriate for english. (I feel it becomes tooo drawn out and a little lengthy. Longfellow used it in Evangeline).

Thanks for advice