Blank Verse: A Comprehensive Study for UGC NET

 Blank Verse: A Comprehensive Study for UGC NET

Introduction

Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter, widely regarded as the most influential verse form in English drama and poetry, particularly during the Renaissance and Elizabethan period. It combines the formal structure of meter with the natural rhythms of speech, making it ideal for both theatrical dialogue and serious poetic reflection.

Definition and Structure

·         Meter: Iambic Pentameter (each line has five iambs, i.e., ten syllables in total; unstressed followed by stressed syllables)

·         Rhyme: None (unrhymed)

Example (from Paradise Lost by Milton):

"Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit"

Each foot follows the iambic pattern:
of MAN’s / first DIS / oBE / diENCE / and THE / fruit

Historical Development

1. Introduction by Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

·         First used blank verse in English for his translation of Virgil’s Aeneid in the 1540s.

·         Set the foundation for its literary adoption.

2. Christopher Marlowe

·         Gave poetic beauty and dramatic force to blank verse.

·         Known for its mighty line (Ben Jonson).

·         Example:

"Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships / And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?" (Doctor Faustus)

3. William Shakespeare

·         Mastered blank verse in drama.

·         Used it to differentiate characters, convey psychological states, and elevate tone.

·         Varied line lengths and stresses to suit mood and context.

·         Example:

"To be, or not to be, that is the question." (Hamlet)

4. John Milton

·         Employed blank verse in epic poetry, notably in Paradise Lost.

·         Added grandeur and syntactic flexibility.

·         Example:

"Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit / Of that forbidden tree..."

5. Later Usage

·         Romantic poets like Wordsworth used it in The Prelude.

·         Tennyson and Browning in Victorian era also adopted it.

·         Modern poets occasionally use it for dramatic monologues or meditative verse.

Significance of Blank Verse

1.      Dramatic Flexibility: Sounds close to natural speech; ideal for monologues, soliloquies.

2.      Poetic Elevation: Lends seriousness and dignity.

3.      Character Differentiation: Often used to signal nobility or seriousness (e.g., kings in Shakespeare speak in blank verse).

4.      Enjambment and Variation: Allows poets to break from rigid rhythm for dramatic effect.

Blank Verse vs Other Forms

Feature	Blank Verse	Free Verse	Rhymed Verse
Meter	Yes	No	Yes
Rhyme	No	No	Yes
Common Use	Drama, Epic Poetry	Modern Poetry	Lyric Poetry

Famous Examples of Blank Verse

1.      Shakespeare’s Macbeth:

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day..."

2.      Milton’s Paradise Lost:

"Hail holy Light, offspring of Heaven firstborn,
Or of the Eternal coeternal beam..."

3.      Wordsworth’s The Prelude:

"Was it for this
That one, the fairest of all rivers, lov’d
To blend his murmurs with my nurse’s song..."

UGC NET-Oriented Focus

Key Concepts for MCQs

·         Originator of blank verse: Henry Howard

·         Master of blank verse in drama: Shakespeare

·         Epic blank verse: Milton’s Paradise Lost

·         Difference between blank verse and free verse

·         Technical features: iambic pentameter, unrhymed, enjambment

UGC NET Previous Year Questions & Sample MCQs

Q1. Who introduced blank verse into English poetry?
A. Thomas Wyatt
B. Henry Howard
C. Geoffrey Chaucer
D. Edmund Spenser
Answer: B. Henry Howard

Q2. Identify the correct definition of blank verse. (UGC NET June 2020)
A. Unrhymed trochaic tetrameter
B. Rhymed iambic pentameter
C. Unrhymed iambic pentameter
D. Rhymed dactylic hexameter
Answer: C. Unrhymed iambic pentameter

Q3. “Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships…” is an example of:
A. Free verse
B. Heroic couplet
C. Blank verse
D. Ode
Answer: C. Blank verse

Q4. In which of the following works is blank verse used?
A. Pope’s Rape of the Lock
B. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
C. Milton’s Paradise Lost
D. Donne’s The Flea
Answer: C. Milton’s Paradise Lost

Q5. Match the authors with their works in blank verse:

Authors	Works
A. Shakespeare	1. Macbeth
B. Marlowe	2. Doctor Faustus
C. Milton	3. Paradise Lost
D. Wordsworth	4. The Prelude

Answer: A–1, B–2, C–3, D–4

Tips for UGC NET Preparation

·         Memorize the definition and technical elements of blank verse.

·         Understand its differences from free verse and heroic couplet.

·         Study blank verse passages from Shakespeare, Milton, and Marlowe.

·         Practice passage-based comprehension and figure of speech identification.