Iambic Pentameter: GCSE English Definition

What is iambic pentameter?

In GCSE English Literature, iambic pentameter is a form of poetic metre in which each line contains ten syllables, divided into five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables (iambs). This pattern mimics the rhythm of a heartbeat and the natural patterns of speech. 

Why do writers use iambic pentameter?

Iambic pentameter is often found in poetry and in Shakespearean drama. Its unmistakable heartbeat rhythm means that iambic pentameter is particularly associated with love poetry and the romantic sonnet form.

In drama, the sophisticated and romantic connotations of iambic pentameter can emphasise love or intimacy between characters or the importance of a speech. The rhythm can also imply a character’s status as iambic pentameter is usually spoken only by the most important or high-status characters.

Examples of iambic pentameter

I think of thee! - my thoughts do twine and bud

About thee, as wild vines, about a tree

‘I think of thee!’, a romantic sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, uses iambic pentameter to emphasise the speaker’s passion for her beloved. It gives these lines a playful, sensual quality.

IAGO You would be satisfied

OTHELLO                             Would! Nay, I will

Iambic pentameter is not always romantic. In Shakespeare’s play Othello, Iago begins to poison Othello’s mind with the suspicion that his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful. In Act 3 Scene 3, where Iago is at his most persuasive, Iago and Othello begin to complete one another’s lines of verse which shows Iago’s growing influence over Othello and their intimacy. 

To understand more, read our blank verse glossary. 

Revision resources to ace your exams

For study guides on how to analyse iambic pentameter in literary texts, check out our detailed revision notes. All our notes are course-specific, so everything you’ll need to ace your exams is in one place!

GCSE English Literature Revision Notes 

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