As I was studying for my Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP this past month, I was startled and aggravated to see the following statement in my REA TestPrep book:
Masculine rhyme uses one-syllable words and stresses the final syllable… giving strength and impact. Feminine rhyme uses a rhyme of two more more syllables… giving a feeling of lightness and softness. one can see that these terms for rhyme were written in a less enlightened age!
Isn’t that ridiculous? A feminine term meaning lightness and softness, and a masculine term giving strength and impact… what is wrong with that?