A caesura is a pause or break in a verse where one phrase ends and another phrase begins. It is a feature of verse, not prose, and can be marked by punctuation or by a grammatical boundary, such as a phrase or clause. Caesurae have been used in poetry since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and they can occur anywhere within a line of poetry. Some types of caesurae include:
- Medial Caesura: This splits the line in equal parts, as is common in Old English poetry.
- Initial Caesura: This occurs toward the beginning of the line.
- Terminal Caesura: This occurs toward the end of the line.
- Masculine Caesura: This follows a stressed syllable.
- Feminine Caesura: This follows an unstressed syllable.
In modern European poetry, a caesura is defined as a natural phrase end, especially when occurring in the middle of a line. It can be marked by a comma, a tick, or two lines, either slashed or upright. Caesurae can also be used to formulate thoughts and images using rhythm and sound.
