The basis for the following remarks on Spanish prosody is, for the most part, E. Benot's Prosodia Castellana y Versification, 3 vols., Madrid, 1892. Other works which have been consulted are the Ortologia y Arte Metrica of A. Bello, published in his Obras Completas, vol. 4, Madrid, 1890; Rengifo's Arte Poètica Española, Barcelona, 1759; J. D. M. Ford's "Notes on Spanish Prosody," in A Spanish Anthology, published by Silver, Burdett & Co., 1901; and a Tratado de Literatura Preceptiva, by D. Saturnino Milego é Inglada, published at Toledo in 1887.
Spanish versification has nothing to do with the quantity of vowels (whether long or short), which was the basis of Latin prosody.
There are four important elements in Spanish versification. Of these four elements two are essential, and the other two are usually present.
The essential elements, without which Spanish verse cannot exist, are—
I. A determined number of syllables per line.
II. A rhythmic distribution of the accents in the line.
The additional elements usually present in Spanish poetical compositions are—
III. Caesural pauses.
IV. Rhyme.
Consonants.—In verse the same rules hold as in prose for the distribution of consonants in syllables.
Vowels.—If there were but one vowel in a syllable, Spanish syllabification would be easy; but sometimes two or more vowels are found either between consonants, or at the beginning or at the end of a word. When such is the case, intricacies arise, for sometimes the contiguous vowels are pronounced in a single syllable and sometimes they are divided into separate syllables.
The contiguous vowels may belong to a single word (see A); or they may be the final vowel or vowels of one word and the initial vowel or vowels of a following word or words (see B).
A. Diphthongization,—If two contiguous vowels of a single word are pronounced in but one syllable they form a diphthong, e.g. hu^esped.
B. Synalepha.—If two or more contiguous vowels belonging to two or more words are pronounced in a single syllable, they form synalepha.
Ex. Yo sé^un himno gigante y^extraño, p. 164, I, l. 1.
Since Spanish verse depends upon a determined number of syllables per line, diphthongization and synalepha are important factors in versification.
Mute h between vowels is disregarded and does not prevent diphthongization, e.g. a^h^ora, re^h^usar.
The separation of two vowels that are usually united in one syllable is called diaeresis, e.g. vi|oleta.
The union in one syllable of two vowels that are usually in separate syllables is called synaeresis, e.g. ca^os.
The vowels may be divided into strong vowels (a, e, o) and weak vowels (i, u). For purposes of versification y as a vowel may be treated as i. The five vowels (a, e, o, i, u) taken in pairs may form diphthongs in twenty-five possible combinations, as follows:
a. Pairs of two weak vowels: ui, iu, ii, uu.
b. Pairs of two strong vowels:
{ ae, ao, aa,
{ ea, eo, ee,
{ oa, oe, oo.
c. Pairs of a strong vowel plus a weak vowel
{ ai, au,
{ ei, eu,
{ oi, ou.
d. Pairs of a weak vowel plus a strong vowel
{ ua, ue, uo,
{ ia, ie, io.
NOTE: In diphthongs a dominates o and e; and o dominates e. Any strong vowel dominates a weak one.
Ex. In Bo^abdíl, if a were not dominant, the diphthong would be dissolved.
There are with regard to accent three possible conditions under which two contiguous vowels may occur within a word.
a. The contiguous vowels may precede the accented syllable.
b. One of the contiguous vowels may be accented.
c. The contiguous vowels may come after the accented syllable.
(1) Of the twenty-five possible combinations all are admissible in diphthongs in a syllable preceding the accented syllable.
Ex. Habrá po^esta, p. 165, IV, l. 4.
(a) Diaeresis may be employed to dissolve the diphthong.
Ex. Sobre una vi|oleta, p. 169, XIII, l. 8.
(1) When two contiguous vowel's are strong.
(a) There is no diphthong if one of two contiguous strong vowels receives the accent.
Ex. Chispë|ando el sol hiere, p. 173, XXVI I, l. 17.
Ex. Tú, sombra a|érea que, cuantas veces, p. 170, XV, l. 7.
By synaeresis, however, a diphthong may be formed, especially in the combinations á^o, á^e, ó^e—c^a^o^s, c^a^e, ro^e. But in order to diphthongize oa, ea, and eo, when the accent naturally falls on the first vowel, the accent must shift to the second, which is a dominant vowel. Such diphthongization is harsh. For example, loa would shift the accent from o to a in order to form a diphthong. The accent would also shift in cre^a, fe^o.
(2) When one of the contiguous vowels is weak and the other strong.
(a) There is no diphthong if an accented weak vowel precedes a strong.
Ex. Yo, que á tus ojos en mi agoní|a, p. 171, XV, l. 18. Synaeresis is, however, sometimes employed to overcome this rule. The accent must then shift.
Ex. Habi^a llegado una nave. Calderón.
(b) There is no diphthong if an accented weak vowel follows a strong.
Ex. ¿Cómo puede re|ir? p. 182, XLIX, l. 4.
Synaeresis serves sometimes to overcome this rule. The result is usually harsh.
Ex. En re^ir á costa ajena, les prepara.
(c) If an accented strong vowel precedes a weak, they form a diphthong. The diphthong is rarely dissolved, and is usually marked with a diaresis, if dissolution takes place.
Ex. Beso del aura, onda de luz, p. 170, XV, l. 5.
(d) If an accented strong vowel follows a weak they may or may not form a diphthong.
Ex. Por una sonrisa, un ci^elo, p. 172, XXIII, l. 2. [Diphthong.]
Ex. Domando el rebelde, mezquino idï|oma, p. 164, I, l. 6. [No diphthong.]
Diaeresis or synaeresis may usually be employed according to the case.
Thus, fiel becomes by diaeresis fi|el, and br|ioso becomes by synaeresis bri^oso.
It should be remembered that in some words the accentuation is variable, while in others it is fixed.
There are two classes of words that have a variable accentuation: first, those in which an unaccented weak vowel is followed by an accented strong vowel, e.g. majestu^oso, majestu|oso; second, those in which an accented strong vowel is followed by an unaccented strong vowel, e.g. tra|e, tra^e.
Ex. Cre^es que la afe|an. Becquer.
Cre|es que suspirando pasa el viento, p. 171, XVI, l. 3.
Etymological conditions often determine whether or not a diphthong is formed.
ie and ue, derived from the Latin e and o respectively, form indissoluble diphthongs.
The ending -ión for substantives is usually a diphthong and rarely suffers dissolution.
Synaeresis may be employed to unite in a single syllable two contiguous vowels (unaccented weak + accented strong) that are separated on account of etymology, or, in the case of derivatives, analogy with the original word; but diaeresis is employed very rarely to dissolve a proper diphthongal combination (unaccented weak + accented strong).
For example, di|ario by analogy with día, and fi|ó from the Latin fidavit, have ordinarily the i in separate syllables, but a diphthong may be formed by synaeresis.
(3) When the two contiguous vowels are weak.
(a) Two contiguous weak vowels with the accent on the first form an indissoluble diphthong, e.g. mu^y.
(b) Two contiguous weak vowels with the accent on the second may or may not form a diphthong.
Ex. Si antes no juras que por ru^in falsía. Hermosilla. [Diphthong.]
Ex. Con sus mil rü|idos, p. 188, LXXIII, l. 19, [No diphthong.]
(1) Two contiguous strong vowels after the accented syllable naturally form a diphthong.
Ex. Tú, sombra aére^a que, cuantas veces, p. 170, XV, l. 7.
Diaeresis may be employed to dissolve the diphthong.
(2) If a strong vowel is followed by a weak vowel after the accented syllable, they form a diphthong, e.g. hablaba^is, amara^is.
This diphthong is easily dissolved.
(3) If a weak vowel is followed by a strong vowel after the accented syllable, they form a diphthong, e.g. histor^i^a, ans^i^a.
Ex. De la brisa nocturna al tenu^e soplo, p. 192, LXXV, l. 6.
The diphthong may, however, be dissolved, e.g. estatu|a, tenu|e, nadi|e.
If three vowels belonging to the same word are contiguous, one of them must be accented. There are then three possible arrangements.
(i) Three contiguous vowels of a word with the accent on the first, e.g. tráeos.
(ii) Three contiguous vowels of a word with the accent on the second, e.g. creia, buey.
(iii) Three contiguous vowels with the accent on the third, e.g. rehuí.
Each of the above arrangements has two combinations of accented and unaccented vowels to which the rules for diphthongs may be applied. In (i) there will be a combination of two vowels with the first accented, plus a combination of two vowels after the accent. In tráeos, for example, the a and e would probably be in separate syllables by b (1) (a), and eo would probably form a diphthong by c (1). Tráeos would, then, probably be a dissyllable.
In (ii) there will be a combination of two vowels with the accent an the second, and one of two vowels with the accent on the first. In creia, for example, the e and í would be in separate syllables by b (2) (b), and the í and a would probably be in separate syllables also by b (2)(a). Therefore, creia would probably be a trisyllable. In cambiáos the i and á might form one syllable or two by b (2) (d), and the á and o would probably be in separate syllables by b (1) (a). Therefore, in cambiáos the combination iáo might form a dissyllable or a trisyllable.
In (iii) there will be a combination of two vowels before the accent, and one of two vowels with the second accented. In rehuí, for example, the e and u might be in the same syllable by a (1), or in separate syllables by dieresis by a (1) (a), and the u and í might be in separate syllables or not by b (3) (b). Therefore, rehuí might be a monosyllable, a dissyllable, or a trisyllable.
Other combinations of three vowels may be analyzed in a similar way, as may also combinations of more than three vowels, e.g. creíais, etc.
Between the contiguous vowels of separate words there may occur synalepha (which corresponds to diphthongization within a word), or hiatus (which is similar to diaeresis within a word).
Ex. Abre^una^eternidad, p. 178, XXXVI I, l. 22. ¿Á qué me lo decís? lo sé^:^es mudable, p. 179, XXXIX, l. 1. [Synalepha.]
Ex. Como la onda^azul, en cuya cresta, p. 173, XXVII, l. 16. [Hiatus.]
The vowels contracted by synalepha are each pronounced, except when the same vowel is repeated, when only a prolonged sound is heard, as in onda^azul or sé^es above.
Synalepha may join into a single syllable two, three, four, and even five vowels. The union of two vowels (diphthongal synalepha) and the union of three vowels (triphthongal synalepha) are the most common.
A pause due to a break in sense does not prevent synalepha. Mute h is disregarded in the verse and does not prevent synalepha.
Ex. Capaz de encerrarlo, y apénas ¡oh^hermosa! p. 164, I, l. 10.
1. DIPHTHONGAL SYNALEPHA
a. Synalepha takes place between two contiguous unaccented vowels belonging to separate words.
Ex. Abre^una^eternidad, p. 178, XXXVII, l. 22.
b. Synalepha occurs when the final vowel of the first word is accented.
Ex. Te ví^un punto, y, flotando ante mis ojos, p. 169, XIV, l. 1.
c. Synalepha usually occurs when the initial vowel of the second word is accented, especially when the first word ends in a weak vowel, and also in the combinations aá, oá, oa, eá, eó, eé.
Ex. Me parece^en el cielo de la tarde, p. 169, XIII, l. 11.
NOTE: Synalepha is possible with the other combinations, but hiatus is preferable even with the above combinations, in a syllable on which the rhythmical accent falls (see under Rhythmic Accent).
Ex. Despierta, hablas, y al hablar, vibrantes, p. 174, XXVII, l. 23.
Ex. Como la ola que á la playa viene, p. 178, XXXVII, l. 19.
2. TRIPHTHONGAL SYNALEPHA
a. There is always triphthongal synalepha when a is the middle vowel; or when o or e is the middle vowel, except in the following combinations, aoa, aoo, ooo, aea, aeo, oea, oeo.
Ex. Silenciosa á expirar, p. 178, XXXVII, l. 20.
b. There is never triphthongal synalepha when an accented weak vowel stands between two strong vowels. Therefore the conjunctions y and ú prevent triphthongal synalepha.
Ex. Y de purpura y oro la matiza, p. 168, IX, l. 4.
c. There may be triphthongal synalepha when í (y) is the middle vowel, if u precedes it, or i follows it.
Ex. Fuí diestro, fuí valiente, fuí arrogante. Cervantes.
d. When u is the middle vowel there may be synalepha if i follows it. The construction is very rare.
e. There is no synalepha with a word beginning with hue.
Ex. Mucho nuestro huesped tarda. Tirso de Molina.
f. In the following cases the groups of vowels which would usually make triphthongal synalepha are pronounced in two syllables:
(1) When the first word of the group ends in two vowels which do not form a diphthong.
Ex. Que aún tení|a^abiertos, p. 187, LXXIII, l. 2.
(2) When the two initial vowels of the second word do not form a diphthong.
Ex. Tú, sombra^a|érea que, cuantas veces, p. 170, XV, l. 7.
(3) When the first word ends in a diphthong and the second begins with a vowel in a constituent syllable (i.e. a syllable on which the rhythmical accent falls).
Ex. Tan gran designio honra tus audacias.
If the accented vowel is not in a constituent syllable synalepha may occur.
Ex. Mientras la cencia á descubrir no alcance, p. 165, IV, l. 13.
(4) When the first word ends in a single vowel, and the second word begins with a diphthong in a constituent syllable.
Ex. Tú, proceloso austro que derribas.
(3) and (4) might well be considered as cases of hiatus.
3. SYNALEPHA BETWEEN FOUR OR MORE VOWELS
This is less common, yet it exists.
Ex. No^h^a^y^amor donde no hay celos. Lope de Vega.
4. HIATUS
Hiatus is most frequently found between words having a close syntactical relation, particularly if the initial vowel of the second word is in a constituent syllable. It may occur between the article and its substantive, the possessive adjective and its substantive, a preposition and its object, the negatives no and ni and a following vowel; and after the conjunctions y, que, si, and other words having a weak accent such as desde, coma, todo, otro, cuando, etc.
Hiatus is most likely to occur when the accented vowel is the initial vowel of the final word in a phrase or verse, or of a word that has a strongly accented position in the verse; as, for example, when the syllable is the next to the last syllable in a verse, or is the fourth or eighth syllable of a hendecasyllabic verse of the second class.
Ex. Rumor de besos y batir de alas, p. 168, X, l. 6.
Ex. Como la ola que á la playa viene, p. 178, XXXVII, l. 19.
In the above-mentioned case, the phrase de^oro is usually joined by synalepha.
Ex. Mi frente es pálida, mis trenzas de^oro. Becquer.
Hiatus is, however, sometimes observed in this phrase.
Ex. De plumas y de oro, p. 180, XL, l. 28.
When both vowels are accented hiatus is more common than synalepha, even though there is no close syntactical relation, although the vowels may be joined by synalepha if they do not come in a constituent syllable.
Ex. ¡Oh yá isla católica patente! Herrera. [Hiatus.]
Ex. ¿Sabes tú^á dónde va? p. 178, XXXVIII, l. 4. [Synalepha.]
The second essential element of Spanish verse is a rhythmic distribution of accents within a line. Words have an accent of their own and another stronger accent on account of their position in a verse.
This extraordinary accentual stress, which strengthens periodically certain naturally accented syllables of a verse, is known as rhythmic accent. It plays somewhat the same rôle as did quantity in Latin verse. All other accents and pauses in the verse are subservient to the rhythmic accent.
Spanish verse being accentual, however, and not quantitative, the terms used to determine the regular recurrence of long and short syllables in Latin verse are not very applicable to it, and few compositions are regular in the arrangement of the stress.
As Latin terms of versification are sometimes applied to Spanish verse, the following rules may be helpful.
1. A trochaic octosyllabic line, for example, substituting stress for quantity, would be scanned
/ — | / — | / — | / —,
with the stress on the first, third, fifth, and seventh syllables.
2. Iambic verse would have a regular alternation of unaccented and accented syllables, — / — /, etc.
3. Dactylic verse would have a regular recurrence of an accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables, etc.
/ — — | / — — |, etc.
4. Amphibrachic verse would be formed by a regular recurrence of three syllables of which the middle one would be stressed, — / —. This construction is sometimes followed in lines of twelve syllables (p. 164, I, 1. 2), and also in lines of six syllables (p. 167, VII, 1.-4).
5. Anapestic verse consists of a regular recurrence of two unstressed syllables preceding a stressed syllable, — — /. This is sometimes found in ten-syllable lines (p. 164, I, 1. i).
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.
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.
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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
Spanish verse may consist of any number of syllables from two up to sixteen. All must have an accent on the next to the last syllable.
1. Dissyllabic Verse: A dissyllabic verse may be composed of a single word (either aguda, llana, or esdrújula).
Ex. ¡Duerme! p. 173, XXVII, l. 13.
There can be no supernumerary accents.
2. Trisyllabic Verse: A verse of three syllables can have no supernumerary accent, for the accent would be obstruccionista.
Ex. Suspira.
3. Tetrasyllable Verse: A verse of four syllables must have an accent on the third syllable. There may or may not be a supernumerary accent on the first.
Ex. De ese brío.
4. Pentasyllabic Verse: A verse of five syllables must have an accent on the fourth. It may or may not have a supernumerary accent on the first or second syllable.
Ex. Rumor sonóro, p. I 70, XV, l. 3.
5. Adonic verse is a pentasyllable with necessary accents on the first and fourth syllables.
Ex. Céfiro blando. Villegas.
6. Hexasyllabic Verse: A verse of six syllables must have an accent on the fifth. There may or may not be supernumerary accents, but never on the fourth syllable.
5
Ex. Y^entre^aquella sombra
2 5
Veíase^á^intérvalos
3 5
Dibujarse rígida
2 5
La forma del cuerpo, p. 188, LXXIII, ll. 13–16.
7. Heptasyllabic Verse: A verse of seven syllables must have an accent on the sixth, and at least one other necessary accent, which may be on any syllable except the fifth.
2 6
Ex. Su mano^entre mis manos,
2 6
Sus ojos en mis ojos, p. 179, XL, ll. 1–2.
8. Octosyllabic Verse: A verse of eight syllables must have an accent on the seventh, and at least one other accent, which may fall on any syllable except the sixth.
1 4 7
Ex. Hojas del árbol caídas
2 5 7
Juguetes al viento son. Espronceda.
9. Hendecasyllabic verse: There are two classes of hendecasyllables.
First Class: Verses of eleven syllables which have the sixth syllable and the tenth syllable stressed are hendecasyllables of the first class.
Ex. Los invisibles 'átomos del 'aire, p. 168, X, l. 1.
Hendecasyllables of the first class may have supernumerary accents on other syllables, provided they do not fall upon the fifth or ninth.
Ex. Los sus'pires son 'aire, y van al 'aire.
Las 'lágrimas son 'agua, y van al 'mar. p. 178, XXXVIII, ll. 1–2.
Second Class: Hendecasyllables of the second class are eleven-syllable verses with the accent on the fourth, eighth, and tenth syllables. There may be accents on other syllables, provided that they be not obstruccionistas.
Ex. Olas gi'gantes qu^e^os rom'péis bra'mando, p. 183, LII, l. 1.
If it is difficult to classify a hendecasyllable because it has accents on the fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth syllables, one must decide on the prominence of the accents from pauses, or from emphasis. The hendecasyllable,
La vida es 'corta, 'sí; muy 'largo el 'arte,
would belong to the first class on account of the emphasis of sí, while the verse,
La vida es 'corta, 'corta; 'largo el 'arte,
would belong to the second class on account of the pause after the fourth and the emphasis on the eighth. The accent on the sixth is, then, not constituent, but supernumerary.
10. All meters thus far have
a. Obligatory (constituent) accents.
b. Facultative (supernumerary) accents.
c. A necessary termination in a combination of an unaccented plus an accented plus an unaccented syllable (— / —). The dissyllable is the only exception.
The facultative accent is opposed to the regular recurrence in each line of dissyllabic and trisyllabic elements, which elements caused the rhythm o