Caesura

Caesura is a deliberate pause within a line of verse or within a musical phrase. In poetry, it typically occurs inside the line, dividing it into two roughly equal half-lines and shaping rhythm, breath, and emphasis. In music, a caesura denotes a brief interruption within a phrase, a moment of silence that interrupts the flow before continuing.

The term comes from the Latin caesūra, meaning a cutting off, derived from caedere, to cut. In classical poetry, caesura is a structural element that can influence how a line is heard and scanned. It is especially prominent in alliterative poetry of the Old Norse and Germanic traditions, where the line is habitually split by a caesura into two half-lines, guiding alliteration and cadence.

In verse, caesura types are discussed in some traditions as medial, occurring in the middle of a line, with further distinctions such as masculine and feminine caesura. A masculine caesura is described as a pause after a stressed syllable, while a feminine caesura follows an unstressed syllable; however, the labeling varies by language and scholarly approach. A caesura can be grammatical, arising from a syntactic boundary, or purely rhetorical, reflecting natural speech patterns and performance choices.

In contemporary usage, caesura remains a practical device for editors and performers to signal timing and pacing. In musical notation, the caesura is often shown by a specific symbol or by the visual cue of a double slash, indicating a momentary rest without regard to the bar line.

Overall, caesura denotes an intentional break that influences flow, meaning, and interpretation across poetry and music.