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Iambic catalectic

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

Iambic catalectic: A metrical line based on the iamb (unstressed-stressed foot) that is truncated, missing its final syllable and ending on a stressed beat, creating a forceful, dramatic, or incomplete conclusion.

Detailed Definition
Iambic catalectic cuts unstressed ends, common in drama for resolve, as in Sophocles. It concludes firmly; in tragedies, it underscores fate, heightening tension's release.
Example
Example in poetry:
Iambic catalectic omits the final unstressed syllable, as in "To be or not" (catalectic); "That is the" (catalectic iamb); "The time has" (truncated); "The night is" (catalectic); "The wind blows" (catalectic iamb); "The stars shine" (catalectic form).
Additional Notes
Iambic catalectic ends an iambic line on a stressed syllable by dropping the final unstressed beat; this produces a forceful, definitive close, common in Shakespearean drama and heroic verse.
Also Known As
Truncated iambic catalectic iambic line
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