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Literary Devices

Sound Device · Syntax & Structure

Caesura

Caesura is a pause or break in a line of poetry or prose, usually marked by a punctuation mark or a natural rhythm of speech. This pause can be used to create emphasis, contrast, or a sense of division or separation between different parts of a sentence or verse. In poetry, caesura is often used to create a sense of rhythm and structure, and can be found in various forms of verse, such as haiku, sonnets, and blank verse. Caesura can also be used in prose to create a sense of pacing and emphasis.

A caesura is a noticeable pause within a poetic line, created by punctuation, syntax, or performance rhythm. Mark where the line breaks internally and explain how the pause divides, delays, contrasts, or emphasizes its parts.

The bell stopped—then every window opened.
The dash creates a strong internal pause separating stillness from sudden action.

See it in language

Examples of Caesura

  1. The bell stopped—then every window opened.

    Instructional example

  2. We waited; the tide did not.

    Instructional example

    The semicolon produces a medial pause that sharpens the contrast between human delay and natural movement.

  3. No answer, only wind / across the field.

    Instructional example

    The comma creates an internal pause before the line continues into the image of wind.

Show more examples
  1. "To be, or not to be: that is the question"

    — The colon in this line from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" serves as a caesura, creating a pause that emphasizes the contrast between the two options presented.

  2. "Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul"

    — The slash in this line from Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope" serves as a caesura, creating a pause and a sense of division between the two parts of the metaphor.

  3. "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep"

    — The comma in this line from Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" serves as a caesura, creating a pause and emphasizing the speaker's obligations.

  4. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness"

    — The comma and repetition in this line from Charles Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities" serve as caesuras, creating a sense of contrast and division between the two descriptions.

  5. "There is no Frigate like a Book / To take us Lands away"

    — The line break in this poem by Emily Dickinson serves as a caesura, creating a pause and emphasizing the metaphor of books as a means of escape.

Read like an editor

How to recognize it

  1. Read the line aloud and locate a perceptible pause before the line ending.
  2. Identify punctuation, syntax, or rhythmic pressure producing the pause.
  3. Explain how the pause organizes contrast, hesitation, emphasis, or pacing.

Meaning and effect

Why writers use Caesura

Build rhythm
Caesura varies the internal timing and phrasing of a line.
Create emphasis
Words adjacent to a strong pause receive added prominence.
Shape pace
An internal pause can delay or interrupt the line's movement.

Common confusion

Caesura vs. Enjambment

Caesura creates a pause within a line; Enjambment carries syntax across a line ending.

Caesura

Caesura is an internal line pause.

“We waited; the tide did not.”

Enjambment

Enjambment continues a phrase or clause beyond the line boundary.

“She carried the letter / across the empty square.”

What's the Difference?

Follow the idea

Related devices

Questions readers ask

Frequently asked questions

Must Caesura be marked by punctuation?

No. Syntax or performance can create a clear internal pause even without a visible mark.

Is Caesura the same as an end-stopped line?

No. Caesura is internal to the line; end-stopping places a syntactic pause at the line ending.