What is a Feminine Rhyme?
Rhyming of two or more syllables, with stress on a syllable other than the last.
Feminine Rhymes: The Unsung Heroines of Poetry
While masculine rhyme, where the final syllable is stressed, is a staple of poetry, feminine rhyme is often overlooked but equally powerful, adding musicality and nuance to a poem. Feminine rhyme rhymes two or more multi-syllable words on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable, with the final syllable unstressed, thus creating a more delicate and varied effect.
An example of a feminine rhyme is the pairing of the words 'turtle' and 'fertile.' The word 'turtle' has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable, while the word 'fertile' has three syllables, with the stress on the first. With the stress falling on the penultimate syllable of 'fertile,' the two words create a gentle and pleasing rhyme, which can be used to create a more subtle and complex effect in a poem.
So when it comes to writing poetry, don't overlook the unsung heroines of the verse, the delicate, nuanced, and oh-so-effective feminine rhymes!
Here are two examples of the use of feminine rhymes in literature:
Edgar Allan Poe's classic poem 'The Raven' features many examples of feminine rhyme, one of which is the line 'tis some visitor, I muttered, tapping at my chamber door.' The words 'visitor' and 'door' create an elegant, understated rhyme, adding to the eerie, haunting atmosphere of the poem.
Shakespeare is no stranger to feminine rhyme, often weaving it into his famous works. In his play 'Hamlet,' Shakespeare uses it in the line 'And let us hear Bernardo speak of this,' where the words 'hear' and 'Bernardo' create a gentle, musical sound, adding to the rhythm of the dialogue.