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crossref-it.info - AS/A2 English Literature Study Guides - texts in context.

 

Poems for study » Harry Ploughman » Structure and versification in Harry Ploughman

The sonnet has been extended by what are called ‘burden’ lines, where the last half of a line is repeated. The Victorian music hall was full of such songs, with half lines being repeated. So here there are five burdens, occurring at the end of each third line apart from at the end of the octave, where it falls after just two lines. It means each rhyme gets repeated once more apart from the b-rhyme, which gets repeated twice more. As Hopkins wanted this read out loud, this repetition makes it more song-like and performance-orientated.

In his original manuscript form, Hopkins has marked a number of outriders and hurried feet, suggesting he was using sprung rhythm at a fairly basic level. If you have the Penguin edition, you will see the ms. in the notes at the back.
Although some editors suggest each line is basically pentameter, we may well feel that many lines are pushing their way to hexameters, even taking outriders into account. Consider 11.12~13. Even with the outriders marked by Hopkins, we want to put stresses as follows:
‘He léans to it, Hárry bends, lóok. Báck, élbow, and líquid wáist In him, all quáil to the wállowing o' the plóugh: 's chéek crimsons; cúrls’

The metre is on the whole a rising one, but the rhythm is broken by much mid-line punctuation (e.g.11.2,3). Sometimes there is a regular caesura, as in 1.12 above, but, as in Shakespeare's last plays, the rhythm takes on a life of its own, certainly not ruled by lines or metre, following, perhaps, speech rhythms more.

Investigating Harry Ploughman
  • When you read this aloud, does your voice seem to fall into a regular rhythm, or does each line take on a rhythm of its own?
  • What is the effect of the burden lines?
    • Do they destroy the feel of a sonnet form?
    • Overall, does this seem to work like a sonnet to you or is it more a 19-line poem?
A sonnet is a poem with a special structure. It has fourteen lines, which are organised in a particular manner, usually characterised by the pattern of rhyming, which changes as the ideas in the poem evolve.
The 8-line stanza of a Petrarchan sonnet, always occupying the first eight lines. It sometimes has a division halfway, creating two quatrains. It poses a problem or describes some single object or incident.
The device, frequently used at the ends of lines in poetry, where words with the same sound are paired, sometimes for contrast ' for example, 'breath' and 'death'.
A term given by Gerard Manley Hopkins to his versification. It does have a regular basic metre, but contains additional feet or outriders and other planned irregularities.
A line containing five stressed syllables or feet.
A line of poetry containing six feet or stresses (beats).
In all languages, some syllables are pronounced with more of an emphasis than others. In poetry of many languages, this becomes a significant means of patterning. The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables within a line of verse is called its
The particular measurement in a line of poetry, determined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables (in some languages, the pattern of long and short syllables). It is the measured basis of rhythm.
The musical effect of the repetition of stresses or beats, and the speed or tempo at which these may be read.
A pause, often indicated in text by a comma or full stop, during a line of blank verse.

Hard as hurdle arms, with a broth of goldish flue
Breathed round; the rack of ribs; the scooped flank; lank
Rope-over thigh; knee-nave; and barrelled shank--
Head and foot, shoulder and shank--
By a grey eye's heed steered well, one crew, fall to;
Stand at stress. Each limb's barrowy brawn, his thew
That onewhere curded, onewhere sucked or sank--
Soared or sank--,
Though as a beechbole firm, finds his, as at a roll-
call, rank
And features, in flesh, what deed he each must do--
His sinew-service where do.

He leans to it, Harry bends, look. Back, elbow, and
liquid waist
In him, all quail to the wallowing o' the plough:
's cheek crimsons; curls
Wag or crossbridle, in a wind lifted, windlaced--
See his wind- lilylocks -laced;
Churlsgrace, too, child of Amansstrength, how it hangs
or hurls
Them--broad in bluff hide his frowning feet lashed! raced
With, along them, cragiron under and cold furls--
With-a-fountain's shining-shot furls.