In the third and fourth lines, they emphasize the pride of Ozymandias’ works, while the fourth line has used initial and medial caesuras. The use of multiple caesuras serves to make lines more interesting. The poet has broken up all the lines rhythmically by using punctuation. Look on my Works, || ye Mighty, || and despair! My name is Ozymandias, || King of Kings || Stand in the desert … || Near them, || on the sand … Who said-”Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Through these pauses, the Duke is trying to distract the attention of his readers from his own persona.Įxample #7: Ozymandias (By Percy Bysshe Shelley) The caesuras in this example tell readers that the speaker is hiding something and stopping to think. Much the same smile? || This grew || I gave commands Whene’er I passed her || but who passed without In the second, fourth, and fifth lines, the periods cause readers to pause for a while and create a caesura.Įxample #6: My Last Duchess (By My Last Duchess)Į’en then would be some stooping || and I choose This couplet uses both caesura and enjambment. || They trail the nightĪlong the morning road. Their heads were weighted down by last night’s leadĪnd eyes still drank the dark. These breaks create a staccato effect, an uneven rhythm in the flow of sound, conveying the depth of an idea.Įxample #5: Walking Wounded (By Vernon Scannell) Then there’s a pair of us || – don’t tell!ĭickinson has used masculine caesural pauses in the middle of verses. However, sometimes initial caesura occurs, such as in the sixth line, it comes after “Death.” This variation clears the meaning of the text.Įxample #4: I’m Nobody! Who Are You? (By Emily Dickinson) Mostly he has used masculine caesura happening in the middle of the lines. Pope has frequently used caesural pauses in his poems to bring depth. Her poniard, || had oppos’d the dire command.īarbarian, stay! || that bloody stroke restrain …ĭeath, || only death, can break the lasting chain Where, where was Eloise? || her voice, her hand, Look at the pauses occurring after stressed syllables including “at,” “babes,” “boys,” “hurt,” and “proud.” You can see the first line uses initial caesura, at “Dead,” followed by a pause at the beginning of line.Įxample #3: Eloisa to Abelard (By Alexander Pope)Īlas, how chang’d! || what sudden horrors rise!Ī naked lover || bound and bleeding lies! This poem presents a perfect example of masculine caesura. With the milk-teeth of babes, || and a smile at the pain ?Īh boys, // how you hurt! || you were strong as you pressed, What art is she good at, || but hurting her breast What art can a woman be good at? || Oh, vain ! Example #2: Mother and Poet (By Elizabeth Barrett)ĭead ! One of them shot by the sea in the east… This passage is an instance of feminine caesura, which occurs immediately after an unstressed syllable like “speak,” the second syllable “bused,” in abused, “him,” and “ters” in word daughters. I have three daughters || the eldest is eleven That will be damn’d for’t || would I knew the villain, It is for you we speak, || not for ourselves: The rain, || falls in my backyard where I see it,.Love the rain, ||it will bring more rain. Often in summer, || the wild bees turn tigers, || their wingsīlistering in the river water much brighter.It’s raining, ||and the clouds are not weary Oh but, || my friends, ||and ah, || my foes. Lilac, || locust, || and roses, || perfumingĮast End, || West End, || wondrously blooming.The boys in the street, || ready to sell you. Roses, roses! || Two bucks a bunch! They say.The headphone explodes, || breaking the mold.