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Blank verse

Introduction

            According to Leggatt (5), blank verse is the form of poetry whose meter is iambic and parameter. Generally, it is the basic pattern of language in Shakespeare plays whose verse lines are of ten syllables with no rhythm but with five stresses. Leggatt (5) argue that, it was first used by Henry Howard and Earl in England. It is a well-documented fact; the earliest drama was written in the rhyming verse. Blank verse has been influential form which English poetry has considered from the sixteenth century. It is with no doubt; it has become so influential to the point that; the major achievements made by poets have been as the result of using blank verse. In essence, a number of poets have used blank verse in poetry and as a result; it has highly influenced the poem to be interesting to the reader. Among these are Ulysses by Tennyson, Directive by Frost and the Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms by Mark Strand and Evan Boland. With this regard, this paper seeks to analyze how blank verse has been used by these poets.

Ulysses Poem

According to Fagan (16 ),  Ulysses is the poem in blank verses the poet being Tennyson, Alfred Lord. The poem was published in 1842 and written in 1833. In brief, the poem concerns remarkable monologue form in the sense that, Ulysses describes his disconnects as well restlessness after returning to Ithaca kingdom. It is with no doubt; Ulysses characters have been highly explored in the literature. Within Poem’s history, many have viewed Ulysses as heroic in determination of striving to seek and find the supportive statement about his poem. The view that support Tennyson as the heroic character is outlined in his statement about the poem, the events in his life in addition, his closest friend death which prompted him to write about the poem.

It is a well-documented fact; the Ulysses Poem seventy lines of blank verse are in the form of dramatic monologue. They are written in iambic pentameter in the sense that, they are commonly used in verse drama and traditional verse. In addition, the rhythm is in small groups of syllables created through stress form in addition, alternating between stressed with unstressed syllables. According to Shaw (15), some assume the verse to turn from soliloquy to the public address in the sense that, in the first movement, Ulysses speaks to himself then later he turn to audience whereby he introduces his son, additionally, she addresses his mariners. In the first movement is set in such a way it is against the politically minded tone in the last two movements. For instance, in the second paragraph 33-43 concerning Telemachus through, which Ulysses muses again concerning the domestic life; it is a revised version of the first five lines in public consumption in addition, the savage race is the revised to that of rugged people

In addition, the speaker language is blank and forceful been expressed in conflict moods in the sense of searching continuity of the past with the future. In this regard, Shaw argues that, the language is marked in sentiment of Ulysses words with the sounds expressing them. For instance, the poem’s is interrupted by Spondees consisting of two syllables that slow down the poem movement with the laboring language being cast into the doubt of the consistency of Ulysses sentiments. With these facts, Shaw (17) categorized Ulysses poem to be Blank verse distinguished in having regular meter whose meter are most in iambic pentameter.

Directive poem

            Leggatt (15) argue that, directive poem was published in 1946 by Robert Frost. The poem has sixty two line and in blank verse form. This is because; there are elements of dramatic monologue, lyric, narrative poem, and parody along with meditation. With this in mind, it is hard to classify the poem in ambiguous form in that it infuses the whole poem by not making it clear and not easily followed.

It is a well-documented fact; the poetry was written in some sort of tradition written in various basic forms. These include blank verse narratives, sonnets and irregularly rhymed poems. It is imperative noting that, the directive poem is blank verse having one continuous paragraph with no rhyme scheme. In essence, Boland and Strand (20) argues that, this occurs in the old town which seems similar to the forest.  Robert wrote the poem in pessimistic tone which is more questioning and insecure. With this in mind, Robert is taking a journey into the past giving readers different solutions to remember how simple life is. The poem outlines how a child takes life easyily but as he grows up, he gets over it to get on with the love part of life.

It is essential noting that, blank verse is usually written with a combination of dominant foot coupled with lines that provide names of poem’s meter. With this regard, Robert Frost dominant foot is “mending wall” the iamb with five feet per line. With this in mind, it is with no doubt; the poem is written in iambic parameter thus, making it to fit in blank verse form. On the contrary, Frost mixes up the feet best indicated in the first few lines of Directive poem. The poem states that, “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, that sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, and spills the upper boulders in the sun” (Fagan 15). It is with no doubt; when the reader reads these three lines, the natural rhythm is strictly iambic pentameter whose syllables follow the pattern of stressed and unstressed.

Excerpt from Macbeth by William Shakespeare

            According to Shakespeare (10) this piece of literature of Excerpt from Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a blank verse in that, it does not have rhyme nevertheless, it has regular meter. It is with no doubt; William Shakespeare has written most of his poems in blank verse having iambic pentameter form resembling rhythms of ordinary speech. In this sense, Shakespeare use of blank verse is best indicated in the words in the end of the line sounding similar for instance, tale, more, fury and player. In conjunction with this, there is pentameter portion of the iambic pentameter found in the above words.

 

Conclusion

        It is a well-documented fact; blank verse is any verse comprised of the unrhymed lines within the same meter. In essence, blank verse is mostly in iambic pentameter and unobtrusive form, which resembles the rhythms of the ordinary speech. Example of blank verse is found in the poetic work of Tennyson, William Shakespeare and Robert Frost. The Ulysses Poem by Tennyson has seventy lines of blank verse are in the form of dramatic monologue. The poem is written in iambic pentameter in the sense that, most lines are used in verse drama and traditional verse. In addition, the rhythm is in small groups of syllables created through stress form in addition, alternating between stressed with unstressed syllable.  In conjunction with this, Robert Frost dominant foot is found in the “mending wall” which Alden (10) argue that, it is written in iambic parameter thus, making it to fit in blank verse form. Lastly, most poetic work of William shake spear is categorized in blank verse. For instance, the piece of literature of Excerpt from Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a blank verse in that, it does not have rhyme nevertheless, it has regular meter. In addition, William Shakespeare use of blank verse is indicated in the end words of the line in the poem sounding similar for instance, tale, more, fury and player. It is noteworthy noting that, many poetic works tend to do their writing in blank verse form. In this regard, this paper has examined how blank verse has been used by Frost, Tennyson and William Shakespeare in their poetic work.

Work cited

Alden, Raymond. Poems of the English race. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1921. Print

Boland,Eavan and Strand, Mark. The making of a poem: a Norton anthology of poetic forms.       California: Norton, 2001. Print

Fagan, Deirdre. Critical companion to Robert Frost: a literary reference to his life and work.         New York: Infobase Publishing, 2007. Print

Leggatt,Alexander. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth: a sourcebook. New York: Taylor &   Francis, 2006. Print

Shakespeare,  William. Shakespere’s Tragedy of Macbeth. London: General Books LLC, 2009.     Print

Shaw, Robert. Blank verse: a guide to its history and use. Washington DC: Ohio University          Press, 2007.         Print

Timmerman,John. Robert Frost: the ethics of ambiguity. California: Bucknell University Press,     2002. Print

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