CHAPTER V

THE FOOT

The office of the poet as a teacher of the chorus demanded a practical knowledge of all that passed under the term “dancing," including steps, gestures, attitudes, and the various resources of rhythmical movement. The very word poet in classical times often implies the two-fold character of poet and musician, and in later writers is sometimes used, like our composer, in a strictly limited reference to music.

-S. H. BUTCHER, Aristotle's Theory of Poetry and Fine Art.

We have said that Greek verse was originally measured by the time of the rise and fall of one foot-step forward and backward in the dance. The term foot therefore came to mean a group of syllables which could be uttered within the time of this foot-movement. At least one syllable of the group was long, corresponding to the thesis, or the setting down of the foot, and was placed in the verse where the beat came in the music. This formed accent, or stress, in the verse. The other syllable or syllables of the group was short, corresponding to the arsis, or the raising of the foot, and was less prominent, or unaccented. As English verse is not divided into long and short syllables, but into accented and unaccented syllables, the English accented syllable is considered to represent the Greek long syllable, and the English unaccented syllable is held to be equal to the Greek short syllable.

We have said that accent, which is the basis of this foot

division, gives both form and name to English meter. Let us see some of the forms and names.

1. The Iambus, or Iambic Foot

ΙΟ

IO

The cur | few tolls | the knell | of part | ing day,
The low | ing herd | winds slow | ly o'er | the lea,
The plow | man home | ward plods | his wea | ry way, 10
And leaves | the world | to dark | ness and | to me.

ΙΟ

We see that each line of this stanza consists of a regular succession of alternating unaccented (or weak), and accented (or strong), syllables. These syllables fall naturally into groups of two, and each group we call a foot. The first syllable in each foot is unaccented, the second is accented.

If we turn to our glossary, we shall see that a foot consisting of two syllables, the first of which is unaccented (or weak), and the second accented (or strong), is called an

I did but dream. | I never knew

What charms our stern | est sea | son wore.

-WHITTIER, The Clear Vision.

He ceased; | and Sa | tan stay'd❘ not to | reply. | -MILTON, Paradise Lost.

Iambic measure (which may include any number of syllables from two to fourteen to the line) is the measure most congenial to the English language, because the native accent of our speech falls naturally into iambics. Hence, a very large proportion of English poetry is written in iambic measure, and this proportion includes both the simplest and the grandest poems in the language; it is equally suited to the simple measure of Wordsworth's "Lucy,"

She dwelt alone | and few | could know |

When Lucy ceased to be. |

and to the stately march of Milton's blank verse, an excerpt from which follows as the second example.

With head a while inclined,

And eyes fast fixed, he stood, as one who prayed,
Or some great matter in his mind revolved:
At last, with head erect, thus cried aloud:-
"Hitherto, Lords, what your commands imposed
I have performed, as reason was, obeying,
Not without wonder or delight beheld;
Now, of my own accord, such other trial

I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater,
As with amaze shall strike all who behold."
This uttered, straining all his nerves he bowed;
As with the force of winds and waters pent

When mountains tremble, those two massy pillars
With horrible convulsion to and fro

He tugged, he shook, till down they came, and drew
The whole roof after them with burst of thunder
Upon the heads of all who sat beneath.

-MILTON, Samson Agonistes.

2. The Trochee, or Trochaic Foot

Life is real! Life is | earnest! |

And the grave is not its | goal; -
Dust thou art, to | dust returnest,
Was not | spoken | of the soul.

The foregoing selection falls naturally into groups of two syllables each, forming the feet into which we divide it. The first syllable is accented (or strong), the second is unaccented (or weak). Our glossary tells us that a foot of two syllables, the first accented, the second unaccented, is a trochee. "A Psalm of Life" is therefore in trochaic measure. (NOTE. The last foot of the second and of the fourth line drops one syllable from the usual number. A line which thus drops one syllable is called a catalectic line).

OTHER EXAMPLES OF TROCHAIC MEASURE

Go where | glory | waits thee |

-MOORE.

Read this song of | Hía | watha. |

-LONGFELLOW, Hiawatha.

There's a lady, an earl's | daughter, | she is proud

and | she is noble. |

-MRS. BROWNING, Lady Geraldine's Courtship.

3. The Anapast, or Anapæstic Foot

And the sheen of their spears | was like stars | on the

sea.

-BYRON, The Destruction of Sennacharib.

From the centre all round | to the sea |

I am lord of the fowl | and the brute.

-COWPER, The Solitude of Alexander Selkirk.

Of the four commonest forms of time-scheme, the third is the anapast, which, as the foregoing examples illustrate, consists of two unaccented syllables followed by one which is accented.

4. The Dactyl, or Dactylic Foot

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them.

-TENNYSON, The Charge of the Light Brigade.