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Suspense

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

Anticipation of an uncertain outcome; in poetry, a device for tension, dread, and emotional grip.

Detailed Definition
Suspense in poetry builds through withheld information, rhythmic pause, and ambiguous imagery. It appears in narratives, dramatic monologues, and mystery verse. Poets use suspense to grip readers, making them turn pages or linger on lines. Suspense invites speculation and emotional investment, often culminating in revelation or anticlimax. It taps into deep curiosity and fear, making the poem a journey of unfolding.
Example
Example in poetry:
Suspense in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" where suspense is a device; In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," suspense is a theme; In contemporary poetry, suspense is a device; In "The Waste Land," suspense is a theme; In dramatic monologues, suspense often leads to climax; In Gothic poetry, suspense is a key element.
Additional Notes
Suspense in poetry builds through withheld information, rhythmic pause, and ambiguous imagery, gripping readers in narratives, dramatic monologues, and mystery verse. In teaching, distinguish suspense from surprise: suspense is anticipation of outcome, while surprise is unexpected event. Suspense invites speculation and emotional investment, culminating in revelation or anticlimax. It taps into deep curiosity and fear. Students should examine how poets use enjambment, caesura, and imagery of concealment to convey suspense's tension-filled, gripping anticipation.
Also Known As
Tension anticipation uncertainty cliffhanger expectation
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