We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Poetry

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Spondee?

By G. Wiesen
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 11,699
Share

A spondee is a type of metrical foot within poetry that indicates a foot that contains only two syllables, both of which are stressed. This is in contrast to the more common metrical disyllabic feet — iambs and trochee — which are composed of both a stressed and unstressed syllable. The use of this type of foot precludes tonal variation between the two components of the spondee itself. This means it is almost exclusively used to make one foot stand out among others and not as a metrical form for an entire poem or even a single line of a poem.

Much like other types of feet, such as the iamb, trochee, and dactyl, a spondee is a single element within a line of metered poetry. Poems written using a particular metrical rhythm are often divided, by line, into a number of different feet. The number of feet per line of a poem is indicated by the meter in which the poem is written, such as tetrameter, pentameter, or heptameter. A poem written in any type of tetrameter has four feet per line of the poem, while a poem written in heptameter has seven feet per line.

The way in which each of these feet are structured depends on the type of feet used throughout the poem. A poem written in iambic pentameter is written with each line containing five feet, indicated by “pentameter,” and each of those feet is written in the iambic style. Iambs are quite common and fairly simple, consisting of only two syllables with the first syllable unstressed and the second syllable stressed. This is in contrast to a trochee, which is a disyllabic foot consisting of a stressed first syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. A spondee, on the other hand, is a foot within a line of poetry that also has two syllables, but both of them are stressed.

Most poets do not use a spondee as an ongoing metrical structure, since the resulting poem would consist of nothing but stressed syllables. Even a single line of a poem written in this way would be unpleasant to read and lack rhythmic variation. A spondee is typically used in a poem written in another style, usually iambic or trochaic, to provide emphasis on a particular foot.

There are certain words and phrases that naturally contain two stressed syllables, and the use of these words in a disyllabic structure often creates a spondee within a line. Words like “breakdown,” “barbell,” and “heartbreak” are all examples of naturally occurring spondees. These words can also be used in other types of feet without the creation of a spondee, such as trisyllabic feet like a bacchius, which contains two stressed syllables along with an unstressed syllable.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-spondee.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.