Meter & Rhythm
Masculine Ending
Contrasted with the feminine ending in Renaissance prosody. The masculine ending suits epigrammatic or assertive conclusions; feminine endings imply hesitation or tenderness.
Definition
A line that ends on a stressed syllable, producing a firm, definitive close.
Example
'Shall I comPARE thee to a SUM-mer's DAY?' — the final 'DAY' is fully stressed.