Student Question
Is the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" in blank verse?
Quick answer:
The poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is not in blank verse. Although it has a specific meter, iambic tetrameter, it cannot be classified as blank verse because it features a rhyme scheme. The poem's four quatrains follow an aaba, bbcb, ccdc, dddd rhyming pattern. While the meter contributes significantly to its memorability, the presence of rhyme disqualifies it from being true blank verse.
Blank verse is a style of lyrical poetry that is defined as having a specific meter but no rhyme. Most often, poetry written in blank verse is written in iambic pentameter. Frost's "Stopping by Woods" certainly has a very specific meter (iambic tetrameter) but cannot be considered true blank verse because it also has a rhyme scheme.
The four quatrains (four-line stanzas) follow this rhyming pattern: aaba, bbcb, ccdc, dddd. It has been argued that it is the meter rather than the rhyme which causes this poem to resonate with listeners and makes the poem most memorable, which is likely why it is often mistakenly considered blank verse at first glance.
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