Iambic tetrameter

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Iambic tetrameter is a meter in poetry. It refers to a line consisting of four iambic feet. The word "tetrameter" simply means that there are four feet in the line; iambic tetrameter is a line comprising four iambs.

[edit] Quantitative verse

The term originally applied to the quantitative meter of Classical Greek poetry, in which an iamb consisted of a short syllable followed by a long syllable. See syllable weight.

[edit] Accentual-syllabic verse

The term was adopted to describe the equivalent meter in accentual-syllabic verse, as composed in English, German, Russian, and other languages. Here, iamb refers to an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. A line of iambic tetrameter consists of four such feet in a row:

da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM

See the article on iambic pentameter for a more detailed presentation of the basic rhythm of iambic lines.

Here is an English example of iambic tetrameter:

 x     /   x    /  x   /  x  /
Come live with me and be my love

(Christopher Marlowe, "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love")

Here is a German example:

 x    /   x   /   x  /  x      /
Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön[1]

(Emanuel Schikaneder, libretto to The Magic Flute)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "This image is enchantingly lovely". See Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön.