The Green-Eyed Blogger

For our first post of 2025, let's take a look at some common misconceptions about Shakespeare's meter and clear them up. This post uses specific vocabulary relating to Shakespeare's meter. If you need a refresher, check out our Quick Guide to Scanning Shakespeare's Verse . Do you know of a misconception that didn't make the list? Comment down below and maybe we'll include it! Misconception: Meter does not matter. This is the biggest misconception of them all. Newcomers to Shakespeare often underestimate the impact of meter on the text. You cannot get the full experience of Shakespeare without considering (and experiencing) his meter. Meter is a literary tool that Shakespeare used to get his points across and shape the experience of reading, speaking, and hearing his plays. Meter can help uncover the meaning of a line, encouraging you to naturally stress the most important parts. It can create an impression about the character delivering the lines, or establish t...