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Plot introduction

Structure
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

The initial section of a narrative poem that presents the story’s premise and characters

Detailed Definition
Plot introduction in narrative poetry is the opening section that establishes key elements—characters, setting, conflict, or stakes—necessary for the unfolding story, often using exposition, dramatic incipit, or in medias res techniques to engage the reader; unlike prose, poetic plot introductions must balance narrative clarity with lyrical density, as in the invocation of the Muse in Homer’s Iliad or the stark opening of Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (“It is an ancient Mariner…”), where economy of language and rhythmic urgency immediately immerse the audience in the tale’s moral and imaginative world.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “The Odyssey,” Homer’s invocation “Sing in me, Muse…” serves as a mythic plot introduction; In “Paradise Lost,” Milton opens with “Of Man’s first disobedience…” to frame theological stakes; Contemporary poet Danez Smith begins “summer, somewhere” with “the boys are jumping off the roof again” to introduce a world of Black joy and peril; Shakespeare’s sonnets often open with a rhetorical question (“Shall I compare thee…”) as plot introduction; In “Howl,” Ginsberg’s “I saw the best minds…” instantly establishes generational trauma as plot.
Additional Notes
Plot introduction establishes narrative premise in verse storytelling. Related to story setup and narrative background. Prioritize intrigue over exposition—provide just enough to orient, then propel forward with action or voice.
Also Known As
Prologue Narrative beginning Opening scene Plot outset Exposition
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