Blank verse
Poetry written in iambic pentameter without a regular rhyme scheme. Blank verse is the dominant form of English dramatic verse and much philosophical poetry, balancing the structure of metre with the flexibility of unrestricted line endings.
Real World
Milton chose blank verse for 'Paradise Lost' specifically to reject what he called 'the jingling sound of like endings' in rhymed couplets, arguing that unrhymed iambic pentameter better suited the epic grandeur of humanity's fall from grace.
Exam Focus
Explain why the poet chose blank verse over rhyme — linking form to purpose earns higher AO2 marks than mere identification.
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