Wednesday, August 10, 2011

What is the meter of sonnet 35?

Yes, it's iambic pentameter. Count the syllables on your hand; if there are ten and the emphasis is on the evens (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th & 10th), it's iambic pentameter. The Bard could have done better in the beginnings of lines 2 & 3, though. The accents over certain syllables indicate that the emphasis should be placed on them for the purpose of recitation (in other words, he's cheating).

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