This reflected a peculiarity of pronunciation that has disappeared since. When Tennyson was writing, it seems to have permissible to treat the word heaven as one syllable (but not similar words like leaven). This probably wasn't originally supposed to be an 11-syllable line. Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are We are not now that strength which in old daysįinally, I assume your 11-syllable line is The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deepĪ double iambic substitution, where two adjacent feet have been replaced by a pyrrhus and a spondee (two unstressed syllables followed by two stressed one) for example, which in óld dáys in the line: Spondaic substitutions: day wanes, moon climbs, moans round are all spondees in the lines: Trochaic substitutions are especially common in the first foot of a line, but are allowed in all the feet except the last one. Much have I seen and known cities of menĪnd manners, climates, councils, governments, Trochaic substitutions: much have and cities are trochee in the lines: Tennyson was indeed writing iambic pentameter.Ĭertain substitutions are traditionally allowed in iambic pentameter, namely, a foot can be replaced by a trochee or a spondee, and two adjacent feet can be replaced by a double iamb. But I'm guessing that's not the usual thought process going on? There's also a line at the end of the poem that has 11 syllables, but I guess he just thought 'shit, this sounds so good I just have to leave it in' because it's the best line in the entire thing. What goes on in Tennyson's head when he creates such a weird structure? How does he decide to break the rules, and where? Also, is it correct to think in pairs when breaking down a poem like this? The first pair ( that loved) is an iambic foot, the second ( me, and) is what? A trochee? The third ( alone) is, finally, an iamb. What goes on in the fourth and sixth (last) lines, though? The line after that does the exact same thing ( Greatly). In the second line, there's a trochee ( Life to), but then it continues on normally. That loved me, and alone, on shore, and when Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those Life to the lees: All times I have enjoy'd There are a few spondees and trochees thrown in for good measure, but I'm confused in some places, like here:

Tennyson ulysses