Metre - GCSE English Literature Definition

What is metre?

In GCSE English Literature, metre refers to the rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables within a line of poetry. This pattern is often referred to as containing "feet", and each of these feet is made up of either stressed (emphasised) and/or unstressed (not emphasised) syllables.

Why do poets use metre?

Poets use metre to create a rhythmic pattern in their poems. This can help structure a poem, or add meaning or emphasis to particular words. For example, poets will often consciously choose the words that are stressed (emphasised) in a line of poetry, or sometimes change their metre mid-way through a poem to convey a specific meaning, or to signify a contrast.

Example of metre

Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem 'Ozymandias' is largely written in iambic pentameter, which is a type of metre. This means that each line has 10 syllables — five "feet" of two syllables, the first syllable unstressed and the second stressed (stressed syllables highlighted below):

"Half sunk / a shatt / ered vis / age lies, / whose frown"

However, Shelley also purposely uses a different metre when referencing how Ozymandias saw himself (as "King of Kings"); in this line the metre goes beyond five feet to six. This could reflect Ozymandias' arrogance: his ego literally doesn't fit the metrical pattern on this line.