/ — | / — | / — | / —,

/ — — | / — — |, etc.

B. SPANISH VERSE ENDINGS

An accented word is called aguda when it has the accent on the last syllable, e.g. verdad, luz, yo; llana (or grave) when it has the accent on the penult, e.g. trabajo, fruto; esdrújula when it has the accent on the antepenult, e.g. límpido, pájaro, pórtico.

A verse is called agudo, llano (or grave), or esdrújulo according to whether its final word is aguda, llana (or grave), or esdrújula.

  1. In a verso agudo the last syllable counts for two syllables. Therefore, Ni tu ni yo jamás, p. 177, XXXIII, l. 2, is a heptasyllable.
  2. In a verso llano (grave) the number of syllables does not change. Therefore, Detrás del abanico, p. 180, XL, l. 27, is a heptasyllable.
  3. In a verso esdrújulo, the intermediate syllable between the accented syllable and the final syllable does not count, either in enumerating the syllables in the verse or for the rhyme (assonance). Therefore, Umbrales de su pórtico, p. 180, XL, l. 32, is a heptasyllable.

C. THE DISTRIBUTION OF RHYTHMIC ACCENTS

In verses of different length there are different rules with regard to the distribution of accents, but the following general rules should be observed.

  1. Every verse must be accented upon the syllable nominally preceding the final syllable.
  2. NOTE: It should be borne in mind that the actual final syllable in a versa agudo counts as two syllables, and that the next to the last actual syllable in a verso esdrújulo does not count.
  3. Besides the necessary accent on the next to the last syllable, all verses of seven syllables or more must have other necessary accents, which are determined by the number of syllables in the line.
  4. The syllable directly preceding the one that has the rhythmical accent should never be accented, for it obstructs the proper accentuation of the constituent syllable. A syllable so accented is called obstruccionista.