Christopher Aruffo, MFA, MBA, MSc, PhD


A Rational Guide to Verse

or, Scansion Made Simple


 

Problem Two:  Not enough syllables

A line may not have enough syllables to fill the required space.  To resolve this problem, you need to increase length.  You can expand syllables to make them fill the space, or you can insert pauses to stand in for missing syllables and feet.

Problem 2B:  Not enough short syllables

If a long syllable has no matching short, you can extend the long syllable.  Any long syllable can be extended.  Extended syllables are typically used to "cover" an entire foot.

 ,        ,        ,         ,        ,      ,         ,         __
On the | pallid | bust of | Pallas | just a|bove my | chamber | door.
 ,           ,         ,        __
Pale as a | lily was | Emily | Gray.

Extended syllables also let you choose whether to pronounce -ed at the end of a word (e.g., embraced as embracèd).  If you do not pronounce -ed, the following syllable can fill its space, as shown in this line from Hamlet.

     ,           ,           ,         ,       ,
By their | oppressed | and fear | surpris|ed eyes.
     ,           ,           ,          ,      __
By their | oppressed | and fear | surprised | eyes

Rhythmically, these two choices are identical.  The difference only affects the dramatic feeling.  You can choose whether or not pronouncing -ed is better for your reading.

Resolution 2B:  Extend long syllables.

    ,         ,        ,         ,            ,    
My for|mer speech|es have | but hit | your thoughts,
  ,            ,        ,        ,     2   ,
Which can | inter|pret fur|ther: on|ly, I say,
  ,                   ,         ,           ,         ,    2->
Things have | been strange|ly borne. | The gra|cious Dun||can
     ,       ,        ,      ,         2      ,
Was pit|ied of | Macbeth: | marry, | he was dead:
   2      ,    ,  2      ,        ,            __               ***
And the right|valiant | Banquo | walked too | late;
 ,                ,      2     ,            ,         ,
Whom, you | may say, | if it please | you, Fle|ance killed,
      ,        ,          ,          ,           ,
For Fle|ance fled: | men must | not walk | too late.
     ,        ,          ,        ,   ,     ,
Who can|not want | the thought | how mon|strous                 XXX
    ,         ,        ,         ,      ,
It was | for Mal|colm and | for Don|albain
    ,             ,        ,          ,      __                 ***
To kill | their gra|cious fa|ther? damned | fact!
    ,          ,           ,          ,           ,
How^it | did grieve | Macbeth! | did he | not straight
    ,       ,         ,       ,           ,
In pi|ous rage | the two | delin|quents tear,
       ,           ,          ,            ,           ,
That were | the slaves | of drink | and thralls | of sleep?
     ,          ,       ,        2     ,       ,
Was not | that nob|ly done? | Ay, and wise|ly too;
       ,            ,        ,     ,        ,
For 'twould | have an|gered an|y heart | alive
    ,          ,       ,      2     ,        ,
To hear | the men | deny | it. So that, | I say,
  2      ,      ,     ,       ,            ,   ,
He has borne | all things | well: and | I do think              XXX
      ,         ,         ,     ,           ,
That had | he Dunc|an's sons | under | his key--
 ,              ,      ,          2       ,         2        ,
As, and | it please | heaven, | he shall not--| they should find
        ,          ,       ,        ,            ,     2->
What 'twere | to kill | a fa|ther; so | should Fle||ance.
       ,                   ,     ,             ,          ,
But, peace! | For from | broad words, | and 'cause | he failed  XXX
     ,         ,        ,          ,          ,                 ***
His pres|ence at | the ty|rant's feast, | I hear
    ,       ,             ,        ,               ,
Macduff | lives in | disgrace. |  Sir, can | you tell
  ,            ,         ,
Where he | bestows | himself?                                   XXX


*** line has been changed
XXX line is still unequal

20 out of 24 lines are now equal.

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