Tetrameter

Tetrameter meaning

What is tetrameter? Here's a basic definition:

While this may seem complex, let's recap some essential poetic terminology and then return to make sense of this definition.

Recap: meter and feet

Before we explore the concept of tetrameter, we need to go back to the beginning. Let's learn what a poetic meter is. Here's a simple definition:

To state what a line's meter is, we consider the number of beats (syllables) in the line and on which syllables the poet places stress. We refer to each syllable as either stressed or unstressed. Placing stress on certain syllables may seem unusual, but we do it naturally every day. Here's an example to prove it:

We group different combinations of these stressed and unstressed syllables into 'feet'.

There are multiple different categories of metrical feet. We know which category to place a group of syllables in based on their combination of stressed and unstressed sounds.

For example, an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable is called an iamb. Say the word 'escape' out loud, and you'll find the second syllable is more pronounced than the first (da-DUM). Every instance of this 'unstressed/stressed' pattern is one iambic foot. If a line features three unstressed/stressed patterns, it contains three iambic feet.

The most common categories of metrical feet are:

• Iamb: Unstressed/Stressed (da-DUM)
• Trochee: Stressed/Unstressed (DA-dum)
• Spondee: Stressed/Stressed (DA-DUM)
• Anapest: Unstressed/Unstressed/Stressed (da-da-DUM)
• Dactyl: Stressed/Unstressed/Unstressed (DA-da-dum)

Let's understand what this means in relation to tetrameter.

Tetrameter

As we know, a specific combination of syllables makes up a foot, and feet make up the meter of a line. The more feet a line has, the longer the meter. A line of poetry with two feet is known as a 'dimeter', and a line with three a 'trimeter'.

Knowing that 'tetra' is the Greek word four 'four', this makes four feet in a line an example of 'tetrameter'.

Now it starts to make sense! For a line to be tetrameter, it doesn't matter which type of feet are in the line. All that matters is that there are four of them. If the line is made up of four iambs, then the line is an example of 'iambic tetrameter'. If the line is made up of four trochees, it would be named 'trochaic tetrameter'.

Here's how tetrameter fits in with other meters:

• Monometer = one foot
• Dimeter = two feet
• Trimeter = three feet
• Tetrameter = four feet
• Pentameter = five feet
• Hexameter = six feet
• Heptameter = seven feet
• Octameter = eight feet

Tetrameter examples

Remember that tetrameter always consists of four feet. All that changes is the category of feet that the syllables fit into. Let's look at some different examples to help us better understand this:

In all examples, stressed syllables are bold and underlined.

This line features four repetitions of unstressed then stressed syllables (da-DUM). As we know, this is the stress pattern for an iamb, making this poem an example of iambic tetrameter.

In this poem, Byron emphasises every third syllable. This gives the lines an 'unstressed/unstressed/stressed' pattern (da-da-DUM). He repeats this pattern four times, making The Destruction of Sennacherib an example of anapestic tetrameter.

Similarly to iambic tetrameter, Shakespeare emphasises every other syllable in these lines. However, because he stresses the first part of every two syllables, the pattern is 'stressed/unstressed' (DUM-da), making this an example of trochaic tetrameter.

Poets most commonly pair tetrameter with iambs or trochees. Let's look at a longer example of iambic tetrameter and trochaic tetrameter in more detail.

Iambic tetrameter

Iambic tetrameter is one of the most popular poetic meters and has existed in poetry in some form for thousands of years. The unstressed to stressed transition is said to closely resemble the natural cadence of everyday speech.

Here's an example of iambic tetrameter:

Wordsworth's classic romantic poem is one of the more famous examples of iambic tetrameter. The calming, rhythmic cadence of the iambs reflects the relaxed nature of the poem; everything is at peace, and the poetic meter contributes to this sense of order.

Trochaic tetrameter

While most traditional European poets and playwrights stick to an iambic stress pattern, some employ the opposite technique for effect. Trochaic tetrameter reverses the iambic pattern so that every line starts with a stressed syllable. This creates a more urgent, unnatural pattern of verse which maintains aggressive momentum from beginning to end. Let's look at an example from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

As the poem features American indigenous people, Longfellow wanted to more accurately represent his perception of American indigenous singing. He also cited Elias Lönnrot's famous Finnish epic poem Kalevala (1835) as an influence on his writing style.

Pentameter and tetrameter

Pentameter and tetrameter are very closely related. In short, while tetrameter contains four metrical feet per bar, pentameter contains five. Despite the minor difference between the two meters, pentameter has long been the more popular meter of the two for poets and playwrights alike. In particular, iambic pentameter is the most common meter in English poetry and was frequently employed by significant literary figures like Chaucer, Milton, and Shakespeare.