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overlong 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 extended beyond its usual ten syllables for musical or expressive effect

Detailed Definition
Overlong pentameter is an iambic pentameter line that exceeds the standard ten syllables—often by adding an extra unstressed syllable (feminine ending) or through mid-line expansion—used deliberately to create rhythmic variation, expressive overflow, or syntactic emphasis, as when a thought spills beyond its metrical container to signal urgency or abundance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Overlong pentameter exceeds standard iambic five beats: Shakespeare’s “To be, or not to be, that is the question” (11 syllables); Milton’s “Paradise Lost” occasionally stretches lines for epic weight; contemporary examples include W.S. Merwin’s loose pentameters; Robert Frost’s “Birches” uses 11-syllable lines for natural speech; A.E. Stallings’ “Sestina” adapts classical overlength for English.
Additional Notes
Overlong pentameter exceeds ten syllables, often through feminine endings or mid-line expansion. Contrast with shortened pentameter. May signal overflow of emotion—scan to see if extra syllables enhance or disrupt the iambic flow.
Also Known As
Hypermetric pentameter Overextended heroic line Lengthened iambic pentameter Surplus-beat pentameter Iambic pentameter hypercatalectic
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