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feminine pentameter

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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

An iambic pentameter line ending with an extra unstressed syllable, known as a feminine ending

Detailed Definition
Feminine pentameter is an iambic pentameter line ending with an extra unstressed syllable (a feminine ending), resulting in eleven syllables instead of ten; this metrical variation softens the line’s closure, introduces rhythmic flexibility, and often conveys hesitation, tenderness, or unresolved thought, as frequently employed by Shakespeare for expressive nuance in dramatic verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Pentameter lines ending with unstressed syllable; Feminine endings in Shakespeare’s verse; Lines with soft trailing syllable; Rhythmic flow eased by extra beat
Additional Notes
feminine pentameter|meter|Iambic pentameter ending with unstressed syllable creating softer close; common in Shakespeare. Contrasts masculine endings; usage tip: employ for gentle resolution or feminine subjects; scan lines to internalize flow.
Also Known As
Feminine ending pentameter Double-ending iambic line Terminal unstressed pentameter Soft-closing pentameter Iambic pentameter hypercatalectic
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