How to Write a Poem in Heroic Couplets
Group lines in pairs., Make the paired lines rhyme with end rhymes., Use iambs., Place five iambs in each line., Close your lines.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Group lines in pairs.
Grouping lines in pairs is referred to as a couplet.
Couplets are two successive lines that belong together.
They usually share the same idea and complete a thought.As an example is, "Good nature and good sense must ever join; // To err is human, to forgive, divine." -
Step 2: Make the paired lines rhyme with end rhymes.
This is also referred to as a rhyming couplet.
A rhyming couplet is defined as a literary device that has two rhyming lines in a verse that have the same meter to form a complete thought.Look to Dr.
Seuss for examples of rhyming couplets, like, “Fox in socks, our game is done sir. // Thank you for a lot of fun sir.” , Iambs refer to a weak (unstressed) syllable followed by a strong (stressed) syllable, and vice versa.
For example, in the word present, i.e., a gift, the first syllable “pre” is stressed while the second syllable “sent” is unstressed.However, you can find iambs in two words, as well.
For example, “the herd,” where “the” is unstressed and the word “herd” is stressed. , What makes a couplet heroic is that each line contains five iambs, also known as an iambic pentameter.
Therefore, a heroic couplet must contain five of these two-syllable unstressed and stressed syllables, i.e., iambs, in each line.
Here are two examples of an iambic pentameter with the stressed syllables italicized:“The herd of hertes founden is anoon,” “With hey! go bet! prick thou! lat goon, lat goon!” , Generally, heroic couplets have closed lines.
Closed lines are lines that are end-stopped, or lines that finish a complete thought and punctuation.
This is in contrast to open lines, also known as enjambment.
Open lines are lines that end without punctuation, and/or without completing a sentence or clause.An example of closed lines are, “Miss Susie had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell.” An example of open lines are, “Miss Susie went to heaven // and the steamboat went to Hell-// O, operator...” -
Step 3: Use iambs.
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Step 4: Place five iambs in each line.
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Step 5: Close your lines.
Detailed Guide
Grouping lines in pairs is referred to as a couplet.
Couplets are two successive lines that belong together.
They usually share the same idea and complete a thought.As an example is, "Good nature and good sense must ever join; // To err is human, to forgive, divine."
This is also referred to as a rhyming couplet.
A rhyming couplet is defined as a literary device that has two rhyming lines in a verse that have the same meter to form a complete thought.Look to Dr.
Seuss for examples of rhyming couplets, like, “Fox in socks, our game is done sir. // Thank you for a lot of fun sir.” , Iambs refer to a weak (unstressed) syllable followed by a strong (stressed) syllable, and vice versa.
For example, in the word present, i.e., a gift, the first syllable “pre” is stressed while the second syllable “sent” is unstressed.However, you can find iambs in two words, as well.
For example, “the herd,” where “the” is unstressed and the word “herd” is stressed. , What makes a couplet heroic is that each line contains five iambs, also known as an iambic pentameter.
Therefore, a heroic couplet must contain five of these two-syllable unstressed and stressed syllables, i.e., iambs, in each line.
Here are two examples of an iambic pentameter with the stressed syllables italicized:“The herd of hertes founden is anoon,” “With hey! go bet! prick thou! lat goon, lat goon!” , Generally, heroic couplets have closed lines.
Closed lines are lines that are end-stopped, or lines that finish a complete thought and punctuation.
This is in contrast to open lines, also known as enjambment.
Open lines are lines that end without punctuation, and/or without completing a sentence or clause.An example of closed lines are, “Miss Susie had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell.” An example of open lines are, “Miss Susie went to heaven // and the steamboat went to Hell-// O, operator...”
About the Author
Gary Freeman
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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