A poem’s meter is the type of poetic foot combined with the number of poetic feet in each line. Review the first stanza of “The
Raven” again and identify its meter. Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“'Tis some visitor, “I muttered, tapping at my chamber door —
Only this, and nothing more.”
Note the meter of the poem. Then provide a brief explanation for your answer. Be sure to use examples from the poem.
The meter of “The Raven” is trochaic octameter. The following line from the poem has trochaic feet:
While I | nodded, | nearly | napping, | sudden | ly there | came a | tapping,
Each stressed syllable is followed by a single unstressed syllable. This pattern is repeated eight times in the line. Because there are eight trochaic feet in the line, it is written in octameter.
The meter of “The Raven” is trochaic octameter. The following line from the poem has trochaic feet:
While I | nodded, | nearly | napping, | sudden | ly there | came a | tapping,
Each stressed syllable is followed by a single unstressed syllable. This pattern is repeated eight times in the line. Because there are eight trochaic feet in the line, it is written in octameter.
