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Impulse

Psychology
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

A sudden, compelling urge to act without deliberation, often portrayed in poetry as instinctive, raw, or emotionally driven.

Detailed Definition
Impulses originate in the id and challenge rational control. Poetry dramatizes them through abrupt shifts, visceral verbs, or confessional tone, exploring the allure and danger of instinctual behavior in moral or emotional contexts.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus,” impulse drives theatrical resurrection; In Robert Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover,” impulse leads to murder; In Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” impulse erupts in prophetic vision; In Emily Dickinson’s “My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun,” impulse transforms identity into weapon; In W.B. Yeats’ “Leda and the Swan,” impulse inheres in violent transformation; In Ocean Vuong’s “Aubade with Burning City,” impulse echoes in survival amid chaos.
Additional Notes
Impulse—sudden urge—often conflicts with social norms in poetry (Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover”); linked to Freud’s id; poetic techniques include abrupt syntax, visceral imagery, or first-person confession; students should analyze consequences: Does impulse liberate or destroy?; note its gendering—female impulse is often pathologized.
Also Known As
Urge Compulsion Drive Instinct
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