Macapat

Macapat is a traditional Javanese poetic form that consists of four-line stanzas. It originated in the Mataram period of the Kingdom of Java, a historical region in Indonesia. Macapat's structure is defined by a specific pattern of syllables and rhymes, using the metres of apit, ganda, uglas, and dhandhanggula.

Macapat is characterized by its use of monorhythms and daheg (emphasized syllables). Each line of a macapat stanza typically contains four to eight syllables and is governed by a set of rules that dictate its rhythm and meter. The primary characteristics of macapat poems include their rhyming quatrain structure, where the first and third lines rhyme and the second and fourth lines do not.

Macapat has been used in Indonesian literature for centuries, often to narrate stories from classical Javanese epics. It has also been incorporated into the Japanese language, influenced by the cultural exchange that occurred during the Heian period. The form's significance extends beyond its poetic value, reflecting the inner world and alterity of the poet who composed it.

The majority of macapat poems are written in a syllabic system using the three main vowel-syllable-based phonetic principles of purwa, madhya, and icula, coinciding with the qualities of "male", "female", and male-female. As a poetic form, macapat is evidence that functions as a criteria for beauty. Its preservation in the written and oral traditions is important for understanding Javanese poetry and its place within the classical tradition of Indonesian literature.