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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.
Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example: AH0 TH IY1 N AH0 = a-THEE-na (Athena)
The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.
Quick Definition
A systematic enumeration of items, names, or images within a poem, used for rhetorical emphasis, memorialization, or expansive description.
Explore this topic in depth (5)
Epic Poetry
— Epic poetry is not simply a very long poem: it is a flexible tradition of large-scale storytelling, shaped by performance, memory, writing and translation. This guide introduces its conventions, its many cultural histories and practical ways to approach an epic in print or in sound.
How to Hear Tone in a Poem
— Tone is the attitude a poem’s speaker takes toward a subject, a listener or themselves. Learn to hear it through word choice, pace, address, sound and change—rather than settling too quickly on one label.
Allusion in Poetry
— An allusion is a meaningful reference beyond the poem: to a story, person, place, song, belief or earlier work. This guide offers ways to notice and explore such references without treating poetry as a test of what you already know.
Poetic Voice and the Speaker
— A poem’s “I” is not automatically its author, and a poem can speak in more than one voice. This guide offers practical ways to identify the speaker, hear changes in tone and perspective, and base interpretations on the poem’s language and form.
How to Read a Poem in Context
— Context can make a poem’s references, pressures and choices clearer, but it is not a substitute for reading closely. Learn how to begin with the words on the page, find relevant background, and return to the poem with stronger evidence.
Detailed Definition
In epic and narrative poetry, a systematic list or inventory of warriors, ships, places, or other elements that demonstrates scope, comprehensiveness, and authority. Famous examples include Homer's catalogue of Greek ships in the Iliad and Milton's enumeration of fallen angels in Paradise Lost. These catalogues serve multiple functions: they display the poet's knowledge, create a sense of vast scale, provide encyclopedic information, and often carry symbolic or thematic significance beyond mere enumeration.
Example
Example in poetry:
Catalogue appears in Whitman’s “Song of Myself” listing American types; Homer’s “Catalogue of Ships” in Iliad enumerates warriors; contemporary poets like Claudia Rankine use catalogue for racial microaggressions; the form asserts inclusivity or overwhelming abundance; catalogue differs from list by lyrical rhythm and thematic intent
Additional Notes
In epic poetry, the catalogue serves to demonstrate scope and grandeur. Famous examples include Homer's Catalogue of Ships and Milton's catalogue of demons. Creates sense of comprehensiveness and authority.