Introduction ( or What This is Not)
This analysis is not exactly a critique, but in some ways it may well be. One would be daring to criticize a master such as Pope. However, this is about analyzing the metrical variations that Pope has employed in his work. In some instances, the verses do not seem to follow without our stumbling across certain words. When the construction of the verse is explained, we can see how the verse is to be read. For the most, Pope is very consistent yet there are still variations which require the reader to be alert. Often we immediately look for the iambic rhythm, but this is not always the case and the verse will not read well if we enforce this rhythm.
This analysis consists of the metrical variations used in the entire work. For the verses to be analyzed, I have also included the companion verse in the couplet which is being analyzed.
Substitutions of the first foot of a trochee for iamb are not considered in this analysis as it is a common substitution to take place, and generally the reader will have little difficulty in reading the verse correctly. The verses being looked at are those for which the metrical accent does no match the speech stress if we assume a normalized pentameter line.
Metrical Variations
Verse 102:
102 Then Criticism the Muse’s handmaid prov’d,
103 To dress her charms, and make her more belov’d:
The companion verse (103) is of no concern for the following analysis since it is a straight-forward iambic pentameter line.
103 Tŏ drēss | hĕr chārms | ănd māke | hĕr mōre | bĕlōv’d
We can sense the beautiful rhythm to this verse that seems to bounce along in perfect harmony of the content. However, verse 102 does not appear to possess that same rhythm.
On first reading, it seems to be something associated with criticism. Partially because we are looking for iambicity, and the pronunciation of criticism. The difficulty is that the word criticism sounds like it has four syllables, whereas it only has three: crit-i-cism. It is the sounding of -cism that throws our sought after iambicity for the verse.
102 Thĕn Crīt | ĭcīsm | thĕ Mūs | ĕ’s hānd | măid prōv’d
This may well do it, but there would be a promotion of the last syllable of criticism which does not naturally fit with the speech stress. This and also taking into account that verse 101 ends with a period, we could be tempted to say the verse 102 opens with the stress on then.
102 ~ Thēn | Crītĭcĭsm | thĕ Mūs | ĕ’s hānd | măid prōv’d
There are still those five metrical accents, but they are aligning with the natural speech stress and give a more compelling reading and sounding of the verse. This verse cannot really be taken out of context with either reading, but the second is more desirable.
Verse 152:
152 Great Wits sometimes may gloriously offend,
153 And rise to Faults true Criticks dare not mend;
When we casually read the first verse we are liable to trip over the last couple of feet. A quick analysis shows that gloriously is the stumbling block.
152 Greăt Wīts | sŏmetīmes | măy glōr | ĭoŭslȳ | ŏffēnd
For the most, the verse is iambic apart from the fourth foot. Gloriously definitely upsets the iambicity of the verse, but the word is not meant to fit the pure iambic framework. Clearly the first three and fifth foot are iambic which basically leaves the fourth foot to be anapestic. The anapest is a valid substitution for the iamb and is positioned well. Hence we have a speedier fourth foot keeping three syllables in the space and timing of two.
The companion verse is as expected with the beautiful iambic flow:
153 Ănd rīse | tŏ Faūlts | trŭe Crīt | ĭcks dāre | nŏt mēnd
The combination does give a wonderful variation, provided it is not used often or too closely to another verse of the same or similar construction.
Verse 286
285 Thus Criticks, of less Judgment than Caprice,
286 Curious, not Knowing, not exact, but nice,
A typical iambic pentameter verse in most respects:
Thŭs Crīt | ĭcks ōf | lĕss Jūdg | mĕnt thān | Căprīce
There may be a slight promotion of metrical accent on of and than, but both are dependent on the reader for speech stress for the required emphasis. As for the line in question, there a number of possible interpretations:
Cūrĭoŭs | nŏt knōw | ĭng nōt | ĕxāct | bŭt nīce (a)
Cūrĭoūs | nŏt knōw | ĭng nōt | ĕxāct | bŭt nīce (b)
Cūrĭoŭs | nŏt knōwĭng | ° nōt | ĕxāct | bŭt nīce (c)
Emphases on the occurrences of not are different. In the first, leads to an emphasis with knowing (what) and the second specifies how.
Both (a) and (b) are plausible, but stretch knowing which can make the reading somewhat awkward or at least the speech stress unnatural. A normal expected reading would have not knowing running quickly to maintain the rhythm. Also in (a), the dactyl followed by the iamb has thrown the rhythm slightly at the start. The verse does recover but generally a trochee would be better to help develop the rhythm. The use of the amphibrach gives a little more cohesion to the verse.
In (c) we find the presence of a clipped foot which makes more sense and can be thought of as the punctuation being metrically timed as opposed to a mere pause-foot. The verse seeks more of a pause after knowing which is more evident and clearer than options (a) and (b). The dactyl followed by the amphibrach give that speedier first part to the verse, allowing the iambs to take over and complete the verse with the expected rhythm. Thus (c) has far more merit.
Verse 357:
356 A needless Alexandrine ends the Song
357 That like a wounded Snake, drags its slow length along.
Examining the content (and context) of these verses, we can plainly see that there is no error in the length or rhythm of either verse. The first is a typical and well-formed/composed iambic pentameter verse, although there may be a slight promoted metrical accent on the first syllable of Alexandrine.
356 Ă nēed | lĕss Āl |ĕxān | drĭne ēnds | thĕ Sōng
The companion verse is clearly longer and is iambic hexameter having six metrical feet. This is what we would call an Alexandrine in English poetry, and is typically made up of two iambic trimeters. Often it is very difficult to construct to keep a pleasant flow. Here we find that the hexameter has been expertly constructed with just enough pause to carry it through.
357 Thăt līke | ă wōund | ĕd Snāke | drăgs īts | slŏw lēngth | ălōng
However, we do find that the second trimeter is not quite as iambicious as expected and is better represented as:
drāgs ĭts | slŏw lēngth | ălōng
The pause after Snake allows the trochee to pick up the rhythm in a more dramatic manner than an iamb would permit.
Pope has developed a series of rules in which he would not allow the Alexandrine, however he did let them creep into some of his work. Personally, I find it a very obnoxious thing to use in most cases, but here its use is carried off perfectly.
Verse 363:
362 True Ease in Writing comes from Art, not Chance,
363 As those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.
Once more we find that one verse comes as as a little more awkward in the first reading than the companion verse of the couplet. Most times this is noticeable when the first verse is as expected (normalized iambic pentameter), and then there is a variation, albeit slight, in the second. This couplet is an example of such.
The first verse is a beautifully constructed iambic pentameter line, the type of we we naturally look for in Pope’s work:
362 Trŭe Eāse | ĭn Wrīt | ĭng cōmes | frŏm Ārt | nŏt Chānce
We also note the metrical accent aligns perfectly with the speech stress giving it a very natural flow and sound. Magnificent!
If we continue in the same mode we will stumble. The ten syllables will generally sit well in iambic pentameter if metrical accent and speech stress align reasonably well. An eleventh is mostly feminine if iambs and trochees feature. Yet this verse is not feminine which would imply that another foot (trisyllabic) has been used for substitution.
363 Ăs thōse | mŏve eās | ĭēst | whō hăve lēarn’d | tŏ dānce
This is the most logical interpretation of the verse and we may find a minor promotion of metrical accent on the first and last syllables of easiest, but it comes as quite natural in the reading.
There are two possibilities left to us with the fourth foot since the presence of iambs is obvious. Learn’d obviously needs the accent and stress to make sense of the reading. However, there is the choice of accent and stress placed on who:
whoͯ hăve lēarn’d
Hence an anapest or cretic, both of which would be appropriate and both giving a quicker reading for the substituted foot. In some respects the cretic would be more appealing because of the emphasis on who which would make the verse more dramatic. There is also a yearning for a slight pause after easiest making the increased accent and stress on who more palatable.
If the anapest were used, there would be little if any difference in interpretation, and in a way, a slightly better rhythm. Again, an interesting and successful variation.
Verse 373:
372 Not so, when swift Camila scours the Plain
373 Flies o’er th’unbending Corn, and skims along the Main
When reading the second verse, it is not entirely obvious that the verse is longer than usual for a couplet. It is actually an Alexandrine, but it sits superbly and compliments it companion very well.
The first verse is what we have come to expect in Pope’s work with couplets, and that is a perfect iambic pentameter verse.
372 Nŏt sō | whĕn swīft | Cămīl | lă scōurs | thĕ Plāin
There is definitely no confusion about this verse’s structure or rhythm. It leads naturally into the second without any awkwardness at all:
373 Flies o’ēr | th’ŭnbēnd | ĭng Cōrn | ănd skīms | ălōng | thĕ Māin
This verse also exhibits one of Pope’s eliding techniques in the use of th’unbending. This would normally be written as the unbending if we were not to elide. The result is to move from three to two syllables with th’unbending being pronounced as one word, as in thunbending. This a technique that keeps the meter and hence rhythm of words and verses.
Once again, this verse is not an error but a simple variation which may be easily overlooked because of the ease with which it follows its companion verse.
Verse 490:
490 When mellowing Years their full Perfection give,
491 And each Bold Figure just begins to Live;
I will reinforce again that pre-reading serves a great purpose. In this case we would not stumble in the first verse if we had taken time to check the verse. There is clearly something happening with mellowing.
Moving from verse 489, we find there will be a minor metrical promotion on When at the start of verse 490:
489 And sweetly melt into just Shade and Light
However, this promotion is minor and not as great as that on the first syllable of mellowing.
There are clearly five speech stresses and this corresponds to the five metrical accents in five feet, leaving us with the anapest in the second foot.
490 Whĕn mēl | lŏwĭng Yēars | thĕir fūll | Pĕrfēct | iŏn gīve
The continuation from iamb to anapest is smooth and fast, making the second foot appear more as an iamb, but the anapest has done its job well and smoothly carries through to the remaining iambs by creating a quicker verse beginning and slowing to give importance to the remaining three feet.
The companion verse is a typical iambic pentameter verse:
491 Ănd eāch | Bŏld Fīg | ŭre jūst | bĕgīns | tŏ Līve
Flowing and well constructed!
Verse 588:
588 Fear most to tax an Honourable Fool,
589 Whose Right it is, uncensur’d to be dull;
Verse 588 sounds as though there are only four metrical accents and indeed the speech stressed to align for four feet. There is no escaping the quartus paeon, which although a rarity, does occur in English verse.
588 Fĕar nōt | tŏ tāx | ăn Hōn | ŏurăblĕ Fōol
Not only is the quartus paeon required, it also give the required speed to the verse. The speech stress and metrical accent will not align in the case of pure iambs:
588 Fĕar nōt | tŏ tāx | ăn Hōn | ŏurā | blĕ Fōol
The is too much accent in the fourth foot and it has a very unnatural pronunciation.
The second verse, picks up the normal iambic pentameter rhythm:
589 Whŏse Rīght | ĭt īs | ŭncēn | sŭr’d tō | bĕ dūll
and closes the couplet.
Verse 692:
691 A second Deluge Learning this o’er-run
692 And the Monks finish’d what the Goths begun.
The first verse is as expected:
691 Ă sēc | ŏnd Dēl |ŭge Lēarn | ĭng thūs | o’ĕr-rūn
so there are no difficulties with this, but leading into the second verse we find a difficulty in to places. Namely with Monks and finish’d.
Although the verse is of the appropriate length, it does not sound with the five metrical accents or with speech stress. It certainly sounds and feels like four feet.
692 Ănd thĕ Mōnks | fĭnĭsh’d whāt | thĕ Gōths | bĕgūn
The reason is that the beginning is marked with two anapests and finishes with two iambs. A unique combination, but definitely workable.
Notable Verses:
v215
A little Learning is a dang’rous Thing
v525:
To err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine
Humane was a common earlier spelling of human.
V625:
For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread
Ferrick Gray
July, 2024
Green Iamb Publications
an imprint of
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