blank verse

This term describes a specific poetic structure that avoids rhyme while maintaining a strict rhythmic pulse. It is most closely associated with the works of William Shakespeare and John Milton, serving as a bridge between the formality of structured poetry and the natural cadence of spoken English.

Because it lacks a rhyme scheme, it allows playwrights and poets to develop complex ideas and long narratives without the artificial constraints of matching end-sounds. It is distinct from free verse, which lacks both rhyme and a consistent meter.