[1] Exceptions are only apparent, as in 68, 7. Platen followed the rules of Graeco-Roman prosody, where a long syllable could be substituted for two short syllables.
RHYME.—When two or more words correspond from their accented vowel on, they are said to rhyme: Pferde—Erde. The rhyming syllable must carry at least a secondary accent: Héiligkèit—Zéit. Rhymes of one syllable are called masculine, of two syllables feminine. According to their degree of perfection rhymes are classified as pure and impure. Thus geboren—geschworen, bestellt—Welt are pure, gesehn—schön, gerissen—Füßen, Lied—Gemüt, sprach—Gemach, Wiesen—fließen are impure. Impure rhymes are not of necessity poor, but may be used to enhance the musical effects of a poem. Heine was a master in this respect. The modern school, however, tends to avoid impure rhymes.
Rhymes within a verse are called internal rhymes.
ALLITERATION—two or more accented syllables beginning with the same consonant or with a vowel: Von weißen Wolken umwogt, 59, 2—is used to enhance the rhythmic-melodic character of a poem, as is also assonance—the agreement of vowels in two or more accented syllables, 36. Often assonance is practically a form of impure rhyme, Grunde—verschwunden, 41, Himmel—Schimmer, 44.
STANZA—a union of two or more verses. In a stanza itself the individual verses may either stand apart or two or more verses may form larger units. Thus the structure of the various stanzas may be made to differentiate and the rhythmic-melodic character of the poem be thereby modified (44 and 56 and notes). Similarly, stanzas may form larger units (2). If the end of a verse breaks into a syntactic unit, we have what is called an enjambement. This tends to put a special stress on the last word. Notice for example the onomatopoetic effect in 13, 7 and 8:
Aus dem bewegten Wasser rauscht
Ein feuchtes Weib hervor.
REFRAIN.—This is a repetition of one or more verses, either exactly repeated or slightly modified, at the end of a stanza or less frequently at another fixed place (4, 10, 34). Aside from its rhythmic-melodic effect the refrain helps to center the attention on a certain idea or motif.
STANZA AND VERSE FORMS.—Only a few need any special discussion.
1. Blank Verse. This is the verse of Shakspere and was introduced into Germany from England. It is an unrhymed iambic verse of five feet (19).
2. Freie Rhythmen. An unrhymed verse that does not follow any fixed form; the rhythm may vary even within the verse. The number of accented syllables usually does not exceed four (15, 16 and 59).