Dactylic Hexameter...care to explain?

Question

I'm doing a project about Homer for my AP English class.

I need to talk about his writing style, and according to online sources he wrote in Dactylic Hexameter. I've looked at several websites about this, but I just don't seem to understand. I know it's something about feet, unstressed and stressed syllables...but...I have no idea what all that really means and it really is...

Could anyone explain dactylic hexameter to me?

Thanks to anyone who tries.

Answer 1

Here's my attempt to break it down:
Dactyl - long syllable, short syllable, short syllable (one meter)
Hexameter - 6 meters (groups of syllables)

Dactylic hexameter - 6 dactyls in a row

STRAW ber ry PO e try COME take a WALK with me AND you'll see WHAT you need

(bad verse, but a quick example)
It has to do with the rhythm as you are reciting an epic poem.

That was my attempt. Not sure if it helped. Best wishes.

Answer 2

Let's see if we can do this without all the "English Lit" wording assuming you are not studying same...

Dactylic Hexameter : In poetry, 'Dactyl' is a metrical foot consisting of one long syllable and two short. 'Hexa' is Greek for six. 'Meter' is the sound pattern. In this case, the poem consist of lines made of six measures of rhythm. That's the basics.

The dactylic line looks like this where "L" is a long syllable and "s" is a short syllable (This has acceptable variations of the strict structure shown):
L+(L or s+s) & L+(L or s+s) & L+(L or s+s) & L+(L or s+s) & L+s+s & L+L
(each measure is grouped by the "&")

It helps to think of (and sound out) the poem like a song or dance steps rather than words. Borrowing from "The Sound of Music" with the La's and So's...
La so so & La La & La so so & La La & La so so & La La

Now you know why I studied engineering and not literature !
1 + 1 = 2 is so much easier.