What are enjambement and caesura? Why are they important/what are their effects?

They are different techniques usually used in poetry. Enjambement is run-on lines, that is, lines that do not have punctuation at the end but flow on immediately to the next line. It links ideas together and maintains a constant and steady pace. It is particularly significant when it occurs across stanza breaks; it combines ideas that are separated by the stanzas and is likely to reinforce themes/moods. Caesura is a break or pause in the middle of a line, denoted by punctuation (dashes, fullstops, commas etc.). Caesura, particularly when used frequently, causes the pace to slow down and become jerky which often reinforces ideas of distress and confusion. It can also be used to increase emphasis on a word or phrase, or bracket information like an aside in a play.

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Answered by Maryann P. English tutor

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