Scansion
Literary term · say it SKAN-shun
Scansion is the practice of marking a line of poetry’s stressed and unstressed syllables to identify its meter. It helps readers hear the underlying beat, notice changes in the pattern, and consider how rhythm supports meaning.
Three ways to use scansion
Marking stresses
Notice which syllables receive more emphasis in natural speech. Mark strong syllables with a slash and weak syllables with a small curved mark.
At the opening of Sonnet 18 in Shakespeare’s Sonnets, the speaker considers comparing the beloved to a summer day. Scansion reveals a pattern of five weak-strong pairs.
In Shakespeare’s Sonnets by William Shakespeare
Grouping syllables into feet
Divide the syllables into repeating units called feet. The pattern within each foot and the number of feet help identify the meter.
At the beginning of The Raven, the narrator sits reading late at night, tired and troubled. The opening line has eight strong-weak feet, giving it a persistent, rocking beat.
In The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
Noticing changes in the pattern
Compare a line with the expected meter to find extra syllables or shifts in stress. A variation is not necessarily a mistake; it can give particular words more weight.
In Hamlet, the opening line of the prince’s famous meditation on living and dying ends with an extra unstressed syllable. Scansion makes that departure from a ten-syllable pattern visible.
In Hamlet by William Shakespeare
How to use scansion
- Read the line aloud with natural emphasis.
- Mark its stressed and unstressed syllables.
- Group repeating beats into feet and note any changes.
What is the difference between scansion and meter?
Meter is the underlying pattern of beats in verse, while scansion is the process of examining and marking that pattern. Think of meter as the arrangement being studied and scansion as the reader’s way of mapping it.
Can a line have more than one valid scansion?
Yes, a line can sometimes support more than one reasonable scansion. Natural speech allows some variation in emphasis, especially when several important words appear together. A useful reading respects ordinary pronunciation, the surrounding lines, and the poem’s broader metrical pattern.
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