Heroic couplet - GCSE English Language Definition

A heroic couplet is a pair of rhyming lines written in iambic pentameter, which is a rhythmic pattern consisting of ten syllables per line with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one.

Heroic couplets are often used in narrative or epic poetry, and convey complete thoughts or ideas, making them a favoured choice for expressing themes of heroism, morality and nature in a concise and impactful way. In the context of a GCSE English course, students might study heroic couplets to explore how poets create rhythm and emphasis in their work, and to understand how this form contributes to the themes and tones of the poetry studied.

Here is an example of a heroic couplet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:

"For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

Act 5, Scene 3

Both of these lines are written in iambic pentameter, and rhyme, summing up the tragic love story and delivering a complete and poignant final thought.