Enjambment is a poetic technique in which a sentence or phrase continues across a line break, without terminal punctuation, creating a sense of flow and energy in the poetry
. The opposite of end-stopped, enjambment allows lines to move more complicatedly and quickly, as the eye hops to the next line to follow the thought or meaning of the poem
. This technique is derived from the French word "enjambment," which means "to straddle" or "encroach"
. Key aspects of enjambment include:
- Incomplete syntax : Enjambment creates a sense of incomplete syntax at the end of a line, which is resolved when the word or phrase that completes the syntax is encountered in the next line
- Tension and release : The delay of meaning in enjambment creates tension, which is released when the word or phrase that completes the syntax is encountered. This tension arises from the mixed message produced by both the pause of the line-end and the suggestion to continue provided by the incomplete meaning
- Compatibility with rhyme : Although rhyme heightens closure, enjambment can still be used in rhymed verse. The technique is compatible with both end-stopped and enjambed lines, and it can coexist with rhyme in open couplets
Examples of enjambment in poetry include:
- "I am not prone to weeping, as our sex / Commonly are; the want of which vain dew / Perchance shall dry your pities; but I have / That honourable grief lodged here which burns / Worse than tears drown" from Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale"
- "We were running to find what had happened beyond the hills. If written as a sentence (We were running to find what had happened beyond the hills) it is clear that this phrase has no punctuation until the end"
Enjambment is an essential aspect of poetry, as it allows for a more dynamic and engaging reading experience compared to end-stopped lines, which can feel relaxed, expected, and direct
