Poetic Pacing

Worksheet Description

This worksheet is designed to deepen students’ understanding of enjambment as a poetic device. It begins by asking students to define enjambment, then to identify its opposite, and to describe the effect enjambment has on a poem. The final question requires students to apply their knowledge by identifying enjambment in a given excerpt from Shakespeare’s “Othello.” This task not only tests their comprehension of the concept but also their ability to recognize it in the context of classical literature.

The worksheet aims to teach students about the structure of poetry and how enjambment contributes to the rhythm and flow of a poem. It encourages them to consider how breaking a line can affect the reader’s pace and the poem’s emotional impact. By exploring the opposite of enjambment, students are introduced to the concept of end-stopped lines, which provides a contrast to further understand enjambment’s role. Analyzing Shakespeare’s use of enjambment gives students a practical example of how master poets employ this technique to enhance their work’s dramatic and rhythmic qualities.