In English poetry substitution, also known as inversion, is the use of an alien metric foot in a line of otherwise regular metrical pattern.[1] For instance in an iambic line of "da DUM", a trochaic substitution would introduce a foot of "DUM da".
Using '°' for a weak syllable, '/' for a strong syllable, and '|' for divisions between feet it can be represented as:
°
/
°
/
°
/
°
/
°
/
To
swell
|
the
gourd,
|
and
plump
|
the
ha-
|
zel
shells
The opening of a sonnet by John Donne demonstrates trochaic substitution of the first foot ("Batter"):
/
°
°
/
°
/
°
/
°
/
Bat-
ter
|
my
heart
|
three-
per-
|
soned
God,
|
for
you
|
Donne uses an inversion (DUM da instead of da DUM) in the first foot of the first line to stress the key verb, "batter", and then sets up a clear iambic pattern with the rest of the line
In the first line the word that is stressed rather than is, which would be an unnatural accent. The first syllable of Whether is also stressed, making a trochaic beginning to the line.
John Milton used this technique extensively, prompting the critic F. R. Leavis to insultingly call this technique the Miltonic Thump.[3]
Iambic substitutionedit
Sometimes the opposite substitution, of an iamb in place of a trochee, is found, as in the following lines from Shelley'sOde to the West Wind:
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leavesdead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing.
Here the words the leaves are an iamb (da DUM) in a place in the line where normally there would be a trochee (DUM da).
^Adams, Stephen (1997-04-07). Poetic Designs: An Introduction to Meters, Verse Forms, and Figures of Speech. Broadview Press. pp. 17. ISBN9781551111292. miltonic thump.
External linksedit
The dictionary definition of anaclasis at Wiktionary
This poetry-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
substitution, poetry, further, information, anaclasis, poetry, english, poetry, substitution, also, known, inversion, alien, metric, foot, line, otherwise, regular, metrical, pattern, instance, iambic, line, trochaic, substitution, would, introduce, foot, cont. Further information Anaclasis poetry In English poetry substitution also known as inversion is the use of an alien metric foot in a line of otherwise regular metrical pattern 1 For instance in an iambic line of da DUM a trochaic substitution would introduce a foot of DUM da Contents 1 Trochaic substitution 2 Iambic substitution 3 References 4 External linksTrochaic substitution editIn a line of verse that normally employs iambic meter trochaic substitution describes the replacement of an iamb by a trochee The following line from John Keats s To Autumn is straightforward iambic pentameter 2 To swell the gourd and plump the hazel shells Using for a weak syllable for a strong syllable and for divisions between feet it can be represented as To swell the gourd and plump the ha zel shells The opening of a sonnet by John Donne demonstrates trochaic substitution of the first foot Batter Bat ter my heart three per soned God for you Donne uses an inversion DUM da instead of da DUM in the first foot of the first line to stress the key verb batter and then sets up a clear iambic pattern with the rest of the lineShakespeare s Hamlet includes a well known example To be or not to be that is the question Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune In the first line the word that is stressed rather than is which would be an unnatural accent The first syllable of Whether is also stressed making a trochaic beginning to the line John Milton used this technique extensively prompting the critic F R Leavis to insultingly call this technique the Miltonic Thump 3 Iambic substitution editSometimes the opposite substitution of an iamb in place of a trochee is found as in the following lines from Shelley s Ode to the West Wind Thou from whose unseen presence the leaves dead Are driven like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing Here the words the leaves are an iamb da DUM in a place in the line where normally there would be a trochee DUM da References edit Fry Stephen 2005 The Ode Less Travelled Arrow Books ISBN 978 0 09 950934 9 Steele Timothy 1999 All the fun s in how you say a thing Ohio University Press ISBN 0 8214 1260 4 Adams Stephen 1997 04 07 Poetic Designs An Introduction to Meters Verse Forms and Figures of Speech Broadview Press pp 17 ISBN 9781551111292 miltonic thump External links edit nbsp The dictionary definition of anaclasis at Wiktionary nbsp This poetry related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Substitution poetry amp oldid 1154742963, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
