Sapphic verse, named after the ancient Greek poet Sappho of Lesbos (c. 630-570 BC), presents a unique challenge for English-language poets. While little of Sappho’s original work survives, her metrical forms were adopted and adapted by later Greek poets, revived by the Roman poet Catullus, and further popularized by Horace. This article explores the history of Sapphic verse, its resurgence in English literature, and the complexities of adapting its structure to the English language.
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A Brief History of Sapphic Meter
The Sapphic form enjoyed a revival in 17th and 18th century England, spurred by the mandatory study of classical languages at universities like Oxford and Cambridge. Students were immersed in the poetry of Horace and tasked with composing in both Greek and Latin, reintroducing them to this complex meter. Even Coleridge’s Cambridge “Greek Ode” prize was awarded for a poem in Sapphic meter. This renewed interest sparked attempts by prominent English poets, including Swinburne, Tennyson, Watts, Hardy, and Kipling, to adapt Sapphic verse to English. As an article in Project Muse highlights, the Sapphic form was surprisingly common during Tennyson’s time, described as having “virtual naturalization into the English tradition.”
Decoding the Sapphic Structure
Understanding the Sapphic form requires delving into its metrical intricacies. Originally based on quantitative meter in ancient Greek, modern adaptations rely on accentual meter, substituting stressed syllables for long ones and unstressed for short. The core components are trochees (stressed/unstressed) and dactyls (stressed/unstressed/unstressed). The first three lines of a Sapphic stanza typically consist of two trochees, a dactyl, and two more trochees. The fourth line, known as an Adonic, comprises a dactyl followed by a trochee. However, variations exist, allowing for two stressed syllables in place of the second and last foot of each line.
Sapphics in English: A Practical Approach
A common English Sapphic structure employs stanzas of four lines. The first three follow an identical stress pattern, while the fourth line, shorter, adheres to its own distinct pattern. A simplified representation, using “D” for stressed and “d” for unstressed syllables, with “(a)” representing a syllable that can be either (but consistently so), is as follows:
D d D (a) D d d D d D
D d D (a) D d d D d D
D d D (a) D d d D d D
D d d D d
Swinburne’s “Sapphics” provides a good example:
So the god-dess fled from her place, with aw-ful Sound of feet and thun-der of wings around her;
While behind a clam-our of sing-ing wom-en
Sev-ered the twi-light.
Notice how the fifth syllable in the first three lines benefits from a slight pause, as does the first syllable of the final line. This subtle rhythmic variation enhances the flow and musicality of the verse. However, this same emphasis doesn’t work as effectively with Isaac Watts’ “The Day of Judgment,” where he chooses to stress the optional middle syllable, requiring a different rhythmic approach.
Modern Examples and Continued Challenges
The inherent difficulty of Sapphic verse is precisely what draws many poets to it. John Lee’s satirical Sapphic stanza, for example, humorously laments the challenges of adapting the form to English:
Making Sapphics isn’t that easy, shackling
Our reluctant language with trochees. Since you
First begot them, songstress of Lesbos, keep them.
I’ll never write them.
John Tranter similarly addresses the struggle in his “Writing in the Manner of Sappho”:
Writing Sapphics well is a tricky business.
Lines begin and end with a pair of trochees;
in between them dozes a dactyl, rhythm
rising and falling,
like a drunk asleep at a party. Ancient
Greek — the language seemed to be made for Sapphics,
not a worry; anyone used to English
finds it a bastard.
The Allure of the Difficult
The perceived difficulty of Sapphic verse is part of its allure. It offers a unique challenge to poets, pushing them to explore the boundaries of language and rhythm. While the form may be demanding, the rewards, in terms of achieving a distinct and evocative musicality, are significant. The ongoing experimentation with Sapphics in English testifies to its enduring appeal and the continuing desire of poets to wrestle with its complex, yet captivating, structure.