诗歌中有很多种节奏模式，但你可能听过最多的是抑扬格五步格。莎士比亚以抑扬格五步曲而闻名，在他的每一部戏剧中，你都可以找到多种形式的抑扬格五步曲。他经常使用流行的押韵抑扬格五步格，但并不总是这样。例如，在《麦克白》中，莎士比亚用不押韵的抑扬格五步格（也称为空白诗句）来描写高贵的人物。

理解和识别抑扬五音步是欣赏莎士比亚戏剧的关键，让我们来看一看。

理解抑扬格五步格

“抑扬格五拍子”一开始听起来很吓人。然而，这只是莎士比亚同时代观众习惯的一种说话方式。关于这位吟游诗人如何使用这种拍子，只有五件关键的事情需要知道：

1. 抑扬格五步格是莎士比亚作品中常用的一种诗歌节奏。
2. 它每行有10个音节。
3. 音节在非重读节拍和重读节拍之间交替，形成了这样的模式：“de/DUM de/DUM de/DUM de/DUM de/DUM de/DUM”
4. 莎士比亚有时确实会利用这种结构来创造不同的效果。例如，他改变了重音模式，增加了音节以产生变化和强调。
5. 一般来说，高级角色用抑扬格五步格说话，低级角色用散文说话。

抑扬格五步格的起源

抑扬格五步格诞生于16世纪，是为了创造一种英语韵律。在这一点上，拉丁语被认为是优越的和“真正的文学语言”，而英语是为普通人。诗人们把抑扬格五步格作为一种提高英语水平的方法，使之也值得文学和诗歌的学习。

无论是押韵诗还是空白诗，这种模式的效果使诗歌充满了动感、意象和音乐性。在当代诗歌中，抑扬格五步格被认为是一种失传的艺术；然而，有些人使用这种模式或类似的仪表作为一种技术，使他们的工作充满活力。

莎士比亚戏剧中抑扬格五步格的例子

莎士比亚的所有戏剧中都有抑扬格五步格的例子，包括著名的《罗密欧与朱丽叶》，《朱利叶斯·凯撒》，《仲夏夜之梦》和《哈姆雷特》。见下面的诗句中的抑扬格五步格例子。

来自《罗密欧与朱丽叶》：

"Two households, both alike in dignity (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life." (Prologue) "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. Be not her maid since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off." (Act 2, Scene 2)

出自《凯撒大帝》

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." (Act 3, Scene 2)

来自《仲夏夜之梦》：

"And I do love thee. Therefore go with me. I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee, And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep." (Act 3, Scene 1)

来自《理查三世》：

"Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York, And all the clouds that loured upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried." (Act 1, Scene 1)

来自“麦克白”：

"Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland In such an honor named. What's more to do, Which would be planted newly with the time, As calling home our exiled friends abroad That fled the snares of watchful tyranny, Producing forth the cruel ministers Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen (Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands, Took off her life)—this, and what needful else That calls upon us, by the grace of grace, We will perform in measure, time, and place. So thanks to all at once and to each one, Whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone." (Act 5, Scene 8)

来自《哈姆雷特》：

"O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon ’gainst (self-slaughter!) O God, God." (Act 1, Scene 2)

从“第十二夜”：

"If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so die. That strain again! It had a dying fall. O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound That breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odor! Enough; no more. 'Tis not so sweet now as it was before. O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou, That, notwithstanding thy capacity Receiveth as the sea, naught enters there, Of what validity and pitch soe'er, But falls into abatement and low price Even in a minute. So full of shapes is fancy That it alone is high fantastical." (Act 1, Scene 1)