The Elusive Art of Greek Scansion

Tennyson's Elegiac Couplet is a masterpiece of poetic form, where he seamlessly weaves together hexameter and pentameter to create a harmonious whole. In his poem 'Enoch Arden, and Other Poems,' Tennyson explores the challenge of translating classical meters into English, a feat that has puzzled poets for centuries.

The attempt to accentuate quantitative verse, as seen in German literature, is met with disdain by Tennyson, who believes it is a barbarous experiment. He argues that the strong winged music of Homer's hexameters cannot be replicated in English, no matter how hard one tries. The example of Longfellow's 'Evangeline' serves to illustrate this point, as the poet attempts to introduce accentual representations of classical meters, but ultimately fails.

In contrast, ancient civilizations were content with reading as they scanned, and their languages, such as Latin, Greek, and Swedish, abounded in hexameters. The Greek and Roman ear had become reconciled to artificial spondees, which are words formed from a combination of one word and another. This unique rhythm demands a preponderance of natural spondees for English ears.

Poe famously denied that the hexameter could be introduced into the English language, citing the nature of the language itself as the main obstacle. His words have sparked a lively discussion about representing classical meters in English, with some arguing that it is possible to achieve this goal.

As we continue to explore this topic, it becomes clear that Tennyson's criticism of Longfellow's attempt was not unfounded. The challenges of translating classical meters into English are significant, and any successful attempts will require a deep understanding of the rhythms and cadences of both languages. Ultimately, the elusive art of Greek scansion remains an open question, with each poet and scholar left to ponder its possibilities and limitations.

Greek scansion tool