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Steady meter

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

A consistent, unvarying metrical pattern maintained throughout a poem

Detailed Definition
Steady meter describes consistent, unvarying rhythmic patterns that establish predictability and formal control, often used to convey stability, solemnity, or meditative focus; its regularity provides a grounding pulse against which thematic or emotional shifts gain heightened contrast and clarity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Alexander Pope’s “An Essay on Criticism” uses steady meter in heroic couplets; John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” maintains steady meter in blank verse; William Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” uses steady meter to convey meditative calm; Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods” employs steady meter to mirror snowfall’s hush.
Additional Notes
Steady meter maintains consistent rhythm (e.g., iambic pentameter throughout); creates calm, control, or inevitability; common in neoclassical and narrative poetry; contrast with varied meter for emotional shifts.
Also Known As
Regular meter Consistent rhythm Metrical constancy Steady cadence Even meter
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