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Rhapsody

Genre
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 highly emotional, enthusiastic, or ecstatic piece of verse, often irregular in form.

Detailed Definition
Rhapsody in poetry denotes an expression of great enthusiasm, passion, or ecstatic feeling, often in free-flowing, irregular structure; originating with ancient Greek rhapsodes who recited epic verse, rhapsody later came to describe poems of exalted emotion, visionary intensity, or improvisatory style, such as Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind,” where heightened language mirrors the poet’s fervent state of mind.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “The Prelude,” Wordsworth’s rhapsody blends memory, nature, and philosophy; In “Song of Myself,” Whitman’s rhapsody celebrates democratic multiplicity; Contemporary poet Tracy K. Smith’s “Life on Mars” uses cosmic rhapsody; In “Ode to the West Wind,” Shelley’s rhapsody invokes natural power; Student example: “I remember fields… cities… stars… all mine” as rhapsody.
Additional Notes
Rhapsody is an enthusiastic, irregular, emotionally charged poem, sometimes associated with musical improvisation.
Also Known As
Epic song Ecstatic verse Enthusiastic poem Bardic recitation
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