Introduction

Enjambment is a literary device where a sentence or phrase runs over from one line to the next without a terminal punctuation mark. This technique creates a sense of continuation and fluidity, drawing readers to the next line to complete the thought.

Pronounced

en-jam-muhnt

How Writers Use Enjambment

Enjambment is used by writers to maintain rhythm, enhance meaning, and create a sense of movement within their work. By allowing sentences to flow beyond the constraints of a single line, enjambment can evoke a sense of urgency, surprise, or suspense.

Types of Enjambment

Type	Description	Example
Simple Enjambment	Continuation without pause, creating a fluid thought.	“The sun set slowly, casting / Shadows on the ground.”
Radical Enjambment	A break that creates a significant shift or pause, often altering meaning.	“I dreamt of him last / Night, holding me close.”
Emphatic Enjambment	Breaks that emphasize a particular word or phrase.	“Her beauty was beyond compare / An eternal flame.”

Rules of Enjambment

Rule	Explanation
No End Punctuation	Lines should not end with a period, comma, or other terminal punctuation.
Carry Over Meaning	Ensure that the meaning or sentence structure carries over to the next line.
Enhance Rhythm and Flow	Use enjambment to maintain the rhythm and flow of the poem or prose.
Create Suspense or Surprise	Utilize breaks to create an element of suspense or to emphasize a shift in tone or meaning.

Enjambment in Literature 📚

Famous Examples

Author	Work	Example
William Shakespeare	“Hamlet”	“To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer”
T.S. Eliot	“The Waste Land”	“April is the cruellest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing”
Emily Dickinson	“Because I Could Not Stop for Death”	“We paused before a House that seemed / A Swelling of the Ground—”

Enjambment in Children’s Books 📖

Delightful Examples

Author	Book	Example
Dr. Seuss	“The Cat in the Hat”	“We looked! / Then we saw him step in on the mat!”
Shel Silverstein	“Where the Sidewalk Ends”	“If you are a dreamer, come in, / If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,”
A.A. Milne	“Winnie the Pooh”	“Here is Edward Bear, coming / downstairs now, bump, bump,”

Enjambment in Poetry 📝

Poetic Examples

Poet	Poem	Example
Robert Frost	“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”	“He gives his harness bells a shake / To ask if there is some mistake.”
Walt Whitman	“Song of Myself”	“The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab and my loitering.”
Sylvia Plath	“Lady Lazarus”	“Dying / Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well.”

Enjambment in Songs 🎵

Melodic Examples

Artist	Song	Example
The Beatles	“Hey Jude”	“Remember to let her into your heart / Then you can start to make it better.”
Bob Dylan	“Like a Rolling Stone”	“Once upon a time you dressed so fine / You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you?”
Leonard Cohen	“Hallelujah”	“She broke your throne, and she cut your hair / And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah”

Enjambment in Movies 🎬

Cinematic Examples

Movie	Scene	Example
The Shawshank Redemption	Ending monologue	“I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”
Dead Poets Society	“O Captain! My Captain!”	“That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”
Inception	Dream layers	“Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.”

Enjambment in Advertising 📺

Creative Examples

Brand	Ad	Example
Apple	iPhone Ad	“This is the future / Welcome to it.”
Nike	Just Do It campaign	“Greatness is not some rare DNA strand. It’s not some precious thing. / We are all capable of it.”
Coca-Cola	Open Happiness	“Open a Coke, / Open Happiness.”

FAQs about Enjambment ❓

What is the purpose of enjambment?

Enjambment helps to create a sense of movement, maintain rhythm, and keep the reader engaged by compelling them to continue to the next line to complete the thought.

Can enjambment be used in prose?

Yes, enjambment can be used in prose to create a more lyrical or poetic effect, often seen in stream-of-consciousness writing or highly stylized prose.

How does enjambment affect the reader’s experience?

Enjambment can create suspense, surprise, and a more dynamic reading experience by breaking the flow in unexpected places and encouraging continuous reading.

Related Devices 🔍

Caesura

A pause within a line of poetry, often indicated by punctuation, which can create a dramatic effect or emphasize a particular word or phrase.

End-Stopped Line

A line of poetry that ends with a terminal punctuation mark, creating a natural pause and often completing a thought or sentence.

Run-On Line

Similar to enjambment, a run-on line extends beyond the end of the line but may lack the deliberate stylistic purpose that enjambment often conveys.