♪ IAMBIC PENTAMETER! ♪ by Matthew Patrick Davis

Hey Shakes-nerds! Time to learn about Iambic Pentameter! May this be required curriculum in theatre classes around the world.

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Directed by Chris Leps
Color correction by Sean Cruser

LYRICS:
Time to learn about Iambic Pentameter
Don't be a Shakespearean amat'er
If you're playing Romeo or Hamlet 'r
Lear
Pentameter's
Here
To help you to perform
Shakespeare!

It goes like this:
"duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH"
10 beats!
"(duh-DUH)(duh-DUH)(duh-DUH)(duh-DUH)(duh-DUH)"
5 feets!

Two beats in a foot and most feet are iambs
And sometimes the ends of the iambs have rhy-mes

But hey, what is an iamb anyway?

IAMB
Here, I'll explain! I'm an iamb!
"duh-DUH. duh-DUH."
An iambic foot has an unstressed syllable
Followed by a stressed!
"duh-DUH."

And that's the kinda foot that I am
I am an iamb!

TROCHEE:
Trochee! Trochee!
A stressed syllable first then an unstressed one
"DUH-duh. DUH-duh."

IAMB:
"duh-DUH."

TROCHEE:
"DUH-duh."

IAMB:
"duh-DUH."

FEM. ENDING:
And don't forget about me boys:
I'm a feminine ending
Instead of ending at the 10th beat, I just add one more
That's what a feminine ending is for
"duh-DUH-duh..."

IAMB:
"duh-DUH."

TROCHEE:
"DUH-duh."

FEM. ENDING:
"duh-DUH-duh..."

IAMB:
"To be or not to be:"

TROCHEE:
"That is--

FEM. ENDING:
--the question:"

TROCHEE:
"Now is--"

IAMB:
"--the winter of our discon--"

TROCHEE:
(interrupting)
"--OUR disCONtent!"

NARRATOR:
No, Trochee, stop it!

TROCHEE:
"BUT soft!"
"BUT soft WHAT light THRU yonDER winDOW breaks!"
"BUT soft!" "BUTT soft!"

FEM. ENDING:
Stop saying Butt soft!

IAMB:
It's okay, Feminine, I got this:
"But soft what light thru yonder window breaks?"
Is an example of iambic Willy Shakes!

Oh, see, it all sounds so much sweeter
When you analyze the meter

Now ya won't be an amat'er
Ya know about Iambic Pentameter
You could play Romeo or Hamlet 'r
Juliet or Lear
Now you can perform
Shakespeare!

[sirderp]

This is the best thing I've ever seen

[lluvela]

My school teacher showed my class this video to help us learn about iambic pentameter and ever since we have been obsessed with this song!! This video has help me a lot thank you!

[JamieBarnes-me]

I found this and I will never stop using it in my classes. Thank you so much!

[jasonkh]

I came across this guy's channel while checking out other iambic pentameter vids and I absolutely love how clever and talented and genuinely funny he is. You, my friend have earned yourself a sub, keep up the the excellent content 👍

[mattalexzweig]

OK this dude is my new favorite person

[TheBeckyperry]

What a great video! Thanks for all the work you put into it. I'm a homeschooling mom and this was perfect for explaining iambic pentameter to my son.

[thirzel]

Just delicious. You are a good actor too!

[tino]

i didn't expect this to help but it did

[MrJlong]

I am going to use this in my first English class ever as a teacher. Thank you.

[jaidenh]

Great job, I have had to watch this video like 5 times in class and it doesn't get old, it's funny.

[angelalaform]

This is gold. Thank you, Mr. Davis, for this glorious video. My 9th graders don't know it yet, but they're in for a real treat. :)

[sopia]

I watched this ytube whole today. You're awesome. Your voice is v~~~~ery beautiful .

[mitchellkeely]

Fucking spot on. As ever, superb stuff

[NitroLemons]

ngl I basically absorbed nothing from this video. but maybe at some point I'll come back and give it another go.

[JoshalynnLove]

I think we are supposed to be best friends

[juless.]

reminds me of that guy from tangled that sings