Without doing a search - do you know what the Iambic Pentameter is?

[Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot]

And if so when were you taught it?

[edam]

Yes, English lessons, at secondary school. Reading Shakespeare so probably 14 or so?

[GhostOfMumsnet]

something with five in it?????????

I've no idea. I hope you're going to tell us cause I'm desperate to know now.

[Firepile]

I'm with Edam - about the same for me. Not sure that it was spectaculalry helpful to know that - it certainly wasn't a major part of my higher education in English Literature.

[Porpoise]

Yes, can even drone on about dactyls and spondees.
But then I'm a Latin bore
Learnt about it at school (primary, I think)

[Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot]

Firepile - really - did you not find it useful when reading Shakepeare for example?

[GhostOfMumsnet]

Bloody hell. I have Higher English. Am I really thick then? I have no idea about it.

[MrsBadger]

Yes, in English when about 11 I think - we did all the feet and I remember most of them if I try.

Also in Latin when it came to poetic forms at GCSE, but the only thing I really remember from that was 'Down in a deep dark dell sat a fat boy licking an ice cream'.

[edam]

I can't remember the full, technical explanation but I know one when I see it! Something to do with a five-footed line. So the rhythm goes 'dee-dah, dee-dah, dee' or something.

[WideWebWitch]

yes, I was taught this, at school by English teachers and my (English teacher/actor/playwright) dad sometimes used to say "right, we're all going to speak in iambic pentameter for the next ten minutes" - I'd forgotten that until I saw this thread title!

[roisin]

No, I didn't know when I read the title. (I thought it was something sciency!)
But when I read the replies I remembered.

Hey Beety our school is going to be taking part in an RSC Shakespeare project over the next 3 yrs ... really exciting

[roisin]

We didn't learn about it at school though (O Level Eng Lit - nothing higher in English)

[Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot]

Iambic pentameter is a meter in poetry. It refers to a line consisting of five iambic feet. The word "pentameter" simply means that there are five feet in the line; iambic pentameter is a line comprising five iambs.

So in Shakespeare

daDUM, daDUM, daDUM, daDum, daDUM,

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

If you know the Iambic Pentameter then you can work out the meaning as you know where the stresses are.

Not all Shakespeare written in this form of verse and he breaks the rules on purpose, for a reason.

[Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot]

Roisen - how fantastic . You will certainly learn about the Iambic then!

I have spent the last week working with kids performing Shakespeare - and NONE of the teachers had taught the kids the Iambic Pentameter - so when they came to perform the shows they couldn't get the sense

[edam]

Oh, that's right Beety, I thought my recall was faulty! Like I say, I know one when I see it...

[Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot]

lol littlelapin

[Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot]

so everyone go and find a piece of verse written in Iambic Pentameter

[Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot]

i am popping to dry cleaners -

oh and in my example - there Shakespeare makes a deliberate choice to go against it - can you see where?

[Kaz33]

yes, and learnt about it at school - mum was an english teacher as well just for extra reinforcement...

[Firepile]

Itcouldhavebeenbeetroot... I really don't think that spending ages angsting about different forms is especially helpful.

In iambic pentameter the metre is pretty clear - does it really aid understanding to know what it is called?

[percypig]

I learnt about iambic pentameter in 3rd year (Year 9 in England) and in subsequent years in school too. As an English teacher I have mentioned it briefly to a top set Year 9 (Year 8 in England class) and in more detail to GCSE classes when studying Shakespeare for GCSE coursework. I'm a bit shocked the kids didn't recognise it Beety.

[Judy1234]

English O level as it then was and yes I remembered even unto this day, although I have had three children through GCSE and one A level recently and I remember them talking about it too.

[singersgirl]

Yes, but then I write in iambic pentameter when I write poetry (a hobby). I think I probably learned about it when we first read any Shakespeare at school, which was aged 11-12. We certainly knew about it by the time we started O-level Shakespeare (in my case Macbeth).

[DimpledThighs]

did GCSE english lit and I have never heard of this. I love this kind of thing though and enjoyed working it out.

Learn a new thing everyday!

[nutcracker]

I do know but only because I learnt it in an English lesson at college. Never learnt it at school.