Rhyming schemes

[mountainboo]

I have an english exam in a week and am still finding it hard to understand iambic pentameter but more importantly rhyming schemes. Please can someone explain, both if possible? TIA

[Buenchico]

Rhyming schemes are explained simply here:
http://www.rbuhsd.k12.../Rhyme%20Schemes.html

Poetry is written in basic iambic pentameter if the rhythm, when read aloud, goes
da DUm / da DUM / da DUM / da DUM / da DUM
Each pairing of syllables (" /da DUM /") is called a 'foot'.
An 'iamb' is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one ("da DUM").
So the line I've written above has 5 feet, each holding an iamb. (Thus, it's an example of iambic pentameter).

However poets often 'play' with iambic pentameter, usually by reversing the order of the syllables with a foot. (So that there's a 'DUM da' somewhere within the line). A foot where the stress falls on the first syllable is called a 'trochee', with the adjective 'trochaic' being used to refer to words where that occurs (e.g. "Shakespeare").

Chris

[mountainboo]

Thanks for your help Chris. You lost me at 'trochee', but I think I finally get what the iamb is. I will have a look at the link, thanks again.

[jno]

"trochee trips from long to shorter" was given to me as a way of remembering how it goes. Others are listed here

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/530979

(apologies for linking to a rival site)

[mountainboo]

Thanks Jno, I just seem to have a mental block where this is concerned. I did however have a break through with rhyme schemes, so not all is lost

[maxi29]

I highly recommend a book called An Introduction to English Poetry by James Fenton. It's a thin book but it explains metrical and rhyming schemes brilliantly.