Eye rhyme
A visual or spelling rhyme where words appear to rhyme on the page but do not sound identical when pronounced. Eye rhyme creates a disconnect between visual and sonic expectations, often used for ironic or comic effect.
Real World
In Alexander Pope's 18th-century verse, 'love' and 'prove' were perfect rhymes in contemporary pronunciation; reading them today as an eye rhyme reveals how the English language has shifted over three centuries.
Exam Focus
Note whether the eye rhyme was intentional or historical—this distinction shows sophisticated understanding of literary context for AO3.
How well did you know this?