Question

select the correct answer. what is the meter pattern in these lines from \on imagination\ by phillis wheatley? imagination! who can sing thy force? or who describe the swiftness of thy course? a. trochaic tetrameter b. iambic pentameter c. spondaic hexameter d. anapestic pentameter e. iambic hexameter

Explanation:

To determine the meter pattern, we analyze the stress and syllable structure. Iambic pentameter has a pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (iamb), with five iambs per line (pentameter). Let's scan the lines: "i - mag - i - na - tion! who - can - sing - thy - force?" and "Or - who - de - scribe - the - swift - ness - of - thy - course?". Each line has ten syllables (five iambs: unstressed - stressed). Trochaic is stressed - unstressed, spondaic is stressed - stressed, anapestic is two unstressed - stressed, and hexameter has six feet. So the pattern is iambic pentameter.

Answer:

B. iambic pentameter