Definition

Noun: 1. A specific poetic meter traditionally used for epic or serious poetry: "Heroic meter" refers to a regular rhythmic pattern in verse that is considered appropriate for grand, noble, or elevated subject matter. The two most classic examples are the dactylic hexameter of ancient Greek and Latin epic poetry (like Homer's Iliad) and the iambic pentameter used in much English epic and dramatic poetry (like Shakespeare's plays and Milton's Paradise Lost).

Usage and Examples

• In classical literature, the dactylic hexameter was the heroic meter for epic poems such as Virgil's .
• Many of Shakespeare's noble characters speak in heroic meter, specifically unrhymed iambic pentameter (blank verse).
• The shift from one heroic meter to another often marks a significant evolution in a language's literary tradition.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The term is inherently tied to genre and theme. Using a heroic meter for a trivial or comic subject can create an ironic or mock-heroic effect.
• While "dactylic hexameter" and "iambic pentameter" are the primary referents, the definition can sometimes extend to other meters used for sustained, elevated poetry in different traditions.

Variants and Related Words

• Heroic verse: A near-synonymous term for heroic meter.
• Dactylic hexameter: A line of verse consisting of six metrical feet, each ideally a dactyl (one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed).
• Iambic pentameter: A line of verse consisting of five metrical feet, each an iamb (one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable).
• Epic meter: A closely related term emphasizing the use of the meter in long narrative poems (epics).

Synonyms

• Epic meter
• Heroic verse

Antonyms

• Common meter (a ballad stanza form)
• Light verse (poetry with a playful or trivial theme, often in simpler meters)

Noun

1. a verse form suited to the treatment of heroic or elevated themes; dactylic hexameter or iambic pentameter