Student Question
What is the difference between rising rhythm and falling rhythm in poetry?
Quick answer:
Rising rhythm in poetry refers to metrical patterns where the rhythm progresses from unaccented to accented syllables, exemplified by iambs and anapests. Falling rhythm, on the other hand, moves from accented to unaccented syllables, as seen in trochees and dactyls. The meter, which can range from dimeter to octameter, defines the structure of these rhythms. Spondees and pyrrhics do not fit into rising or falling categories due to their uniform syllabic accents.
First, meter measures units of rhythmic repetition within a verse (line) of poetry.These metrical units are called feet. The standard meters are: Dimeter, two feet; Trimeter, three feet; Tetrameter, four feet; Pentameter, five feet; Hexameter, six feet; Heptameter, seven feet; and Octameter, eight feet.
Rhythm options in the English language, which are based upon syllabic accent, are the rhythms of: imab, trochee, anapest, dactyl, spondee, and pyrrhic. Iambs have one unaccented syllable followed by one accented syllable (per^ suade'). Trochees have one accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable (par' don^). Anapest is like iamb but has two unaccented syllables in front of one accented syllable (of^ the^ joy'). Dactyl is the reverse of anapest with one accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables (func' tion^ al^). Spondee has two twin accented syllables (hip' hop'). Pyrrhic has two twin unaccented syllables (of^ a^), which is problematic...
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for writing. Spondees can be worked with, "Old court, / New love. / Fall down. / Left. Gone," but pyrrhics are harder.
So rising meter refers to metrical units, which are called feet, with rhythms that rise from unaccented to accented syllables. Iambs and anapests are therefore the rhythms in rising meters, with the meter itself being anything from dimeter to octameter. "A^ chance' re^ treat' " is a rising meter in dimeter.
Falling meter refers to metrical units, feet, with rhythms that fall from accented to unaccented syllables. Trochees and dactyls are therefore the rhythms in falling meters, with the meter itself again being anything from dimeter to octameter. "Just'-ice^ calls' to^ hon'-est^ work'-ers^" is a falling meter in tetrameter. Spondee and pyrrhic rhythms do not qualify for rising or falling meters.
Even though the rise and fall occur in the rhythm, the standard literary terms are "rising meter" and "falling meter," which is how you'll find them referenced in a literary glossary like Bedford St. Martin - Meyer Literature Glossary of Literary Terms. This is because the rhythm is assumed within the meter and because, once the rhythm is identified, it is the meter that governs the movement of the verses (lines) of the poem. Therefore it may be stated that the rising or falling meter identifies the rhythmic movement of the accented and unaccented syllables within the metrical feet, thus producing the terms rising meter and falling meter.