You’re in a poetry class and the term “blank verse” has come up. “What is blank verse?” you may be asking. You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll go over blank verse meaning, some examples, and how to identify poems in blank verse so that you’re ready for your next class.
What is blank verse?
How to define blank verse in poetry
Blank verse can be challenging to understand when you’re exploring poetry for the first time. But, after laying out a definition for blank verse and going through classic and modern examples, you’ll be set to easily identify poems written in blank verse like a pro.
BLANK VERSE DEFINITION
What is blank verse in poetry?
Blank verse is a form of poetry that does not rhyme and follows a regular meter, typically iambic pentameter.
To truly understand the definition for blank verse, it is essential to first understand the two key literary terms that define its structure and rhythmic foundation.
- Meter: The rhythm present in a line of poetry. It is often emphasized through a combination of stressed and unstressed syllables.
- Iambic pentameter: Five pairs (or feet) of unstressed and stressed syllables (in this order).
Blank verse dates back to 16th century Italy during the Italian Renaissance. This writing style was adapted from the heroic verse found in Greek and Latin writings. It eventually made its way to England where notable writers like William Shakespeare and John Milton helped popularize it. It’s estimated that about 75% of 19th century English poetry was written in blank verse. Despite its early origins, the form remains a viable and frequently used structure in contemporary poetry. Modern writers continue to adapt it to suit evolving themes and styles.
Blank Verse Characteristics:
- Does not rhyme
- Metered rhythm
- Typically written in iambic pentameter
BLANK VERSE EXAMPLE
3 best blank verse examples
Now that we have the blank verse definition out of the way, here are some of the most popular examples of blank verse as it appears in poetry.
1. Classic Blank Verse Example — William Shakespeare
Known for his famed plays and sonnets, Shakespeare was revolutionizing the English language. He helped do this by using blank verse in his plays. Shakespeare wrote approximately 38 plays, and the majority are composed primarily in blank verse. Whereas a majority of his sonnets used end-rhymes, his plays were mainly written in blank verse (with a couple of end-rhymes sprinkled throughout).
Blank verse in Shakespeare’s plays
Blank Verse Poetry Example
So many journeys may the sun and moon
Make us again count o’er ere love be done!
But woe is me! You are so sick of late,
So far from cheer and from your former state,
That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust,
Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must.
— William Shakespeare, Hamlet | Lines 182-187
How do we determine if this text is in blank verse?
Does it rhyme? Yes. However, Shakespeare occasionally ends scenes with rhyming couplets. The majority of this passage above is written in blank verse.
Is it metered? Does it have a rhythm throughout? Yes, it does have a beat.
Is it in iambic pentameter? That is, does it have ten syllables per line and are there five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables? Yes, it does!
A piece of poetry is not required to be written in iambic pentameter for it to be considered blank verse, though it’s a strong indicator because iambic pentameter a) is a specific type of meter and b) a lot of Shakespeare’s writing is in iambic pentameter.
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2. Epic Blank Verse Example — John Milton
While Shakespeare popularized blank verse in drama, John Milton elevated it in epic poetry. His Paradise Lost (1667) is one of the most famous examples of sustained blank verse in English literature. Paradise Lost has remained continuously in print since its publication in 1667 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest epic poems in the English language.
In fact, Milton argued that rhyme was “no necessary adjunct or true ornament of poem or good verse.”
In the opening of Paradise Lost, we can see that he writes:
Blank Verse Poetry Example
Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top
— John Milton, Paradise Lost | Book I, Lines 1–6
Let’s determine whether this passage is written in blank verse.
Does it rhyme? No.
The lines do not follow a coherent rhyming pattern.
Is it metered? Yes.
The passage just follows a regular poem rhythm.
Is it in iambic pentameter? Yes.
Each line contains ten syllables arranged in five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables.
Milton’s use of blank verse demonstrates how the form can sustain long, serious narratives without relying on rhyme. Instead of rhyme, the rhythm of iambic pentameter is what carries the Milton's poem forward.
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3. Modern Blank Verse Example — Gwendolyn Brooks
Blank verse doesn’t come in a singular shape or size. In this next excerpt from The Lovers of the Poor by U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize Winner Gwendolyn Brooks, the blank verse slightly differs from the blank verse in Shakespeare’s Hamlet from above.
Blank Verse Example
Buy the right books in the best bindings; saunter
On Michigan, Easter mornings, in sun or wind.
Oh Squalor! This sick four-story hulk, this fibre
With fissures everywhere! Why, what are bringings
Of loathe-love largesse? What shall peril hungers
— The Lovers of the Poor | Lines 72-76
Brief History on Gwendolyn Brooks
Blank verse in this passage doesn’t follow the conventional structure Shakespeare’s verse follows, and that’s okay! Poetry structures don’t always need to follow convention—a lot of great poetry doesn’t.
So is this piece of text written in blank verse? Let’s consider the following questions to assess whether it meets the standard.
Does it rhyme? No.
Is it metered? Does it have a rhythm throughout? Yes, it does have a beat.
Is it in iambic pentameter? No.
But this fact doesn’t disqualify it from being in blank verse! Why is this an example of blank verse if it’s not in iambic pentameter?
Because the two main characteristics that poetry needs to meet for it to be blank verse are that it 1) doesn’t rhyme and 2) isn’t metered. Both requirements have been met.
“But how is the poem metered if it’s not in iambic pentameter?” you may be asking. That's a great question!
First, the passage can’t be classified as iambic pentameter because none of the lines have 10 syllables. The first and last lines of the poem have 11 syllables while the middle three have 12 syllables. This variation in syllable count disrupts the strict structure required for the traditional five iambic feet per line.
One of the beautiful things about this poem, and this selection in particular, is that its meter varies. At times, the poem makes use of iambic feet (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one), trochaic feet (a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one), and even a pyrrhic feet (made up of two consecutive unstressed syllables).
Understanding stressed syllables in poetry
Even more interesting is that Brooks shifts between different meters across these lines.
The first line of the poem is in trochaic pentameter with a masculine ending. To clarify, this line has a total of 11 syllables; the first ten syllables make up 5 feet (pentameter) of stressed and unstressed syllables (trochees). The very last syllable is stressed, so it’s said to have a masculine ending.
The third line is in trochaic hexameter; it has a total of 12 syllables divided into 6 feet (hexameter) and each foot is a trochee (a pair of stressed and unstressed syllables)
As such, the poem does not follow any singular meter. Even so, it retains a rhythmic pattern and can still be classified as metered verse.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about blank verse
Both blank and free verse are unrhymed. But when comparing blank verse vs free verse, the key difference is that blank verse has a meter but free verse does not, hence its name.
They might not want to be constricted by needing to rhyme at the end of every other line, for example. Blank verse provides more liberty than rhymed poetry.
Absolutely! As previously discussed, blank verse doesn’t need to use iambic pentameter even though it’s a typical characteristic of the form.
Earlier writers like William Shakespeare and John Milton are known for their use of blank verse. Contemporary poets like Rafael Campo and Gwendolyn Brooks also use blank verse poetry.
Yes! Modern poets continue to pay homage to poetic conventions by using blank verse in their writing.
UP NEXT
Overview of Meter in Poetry
By now, you might feel inspired to write some blank verses of your own. But maybe you don’t want to follow in the footsteps of Shakespeare or Milton who largely wrote in iambic pentameter. Perhaps you want to be more innovative in your approach. Why limit yourself to writing poetry in only one type of meter? Check out the various kinds of meters used in poetry in the next article.
Up Next: What is Meter in Poetry Explained →
