Final answer:
The rhythm of 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' is set by its underlying meter and the rhyme scheme used in the poem. Meter is defined by stressed and unstressed syllables, which creates the poem's beat, while rhyme schemes like ABCB contribute to its structural rhythm.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rhythm of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is established by the basic meter, its meter, and a rhyming scheme. Our familiarity with rhythm starts early, as we internalize the meter of nursery rhymes like "There was an old woman who lived in a shoe...". Meter is intrinsic to poetry, defined by combinations of stressed and unstressed syllables that create the beat of the poem.
Different poetic forms use various types of meter to achieve a desired effect, such as the iambic pentameter. Rhyme schemes, such as AABB, ABBA, AABA, and especially ABCB used in the ballad stanza, also contribute to the rhythm. This form consists of alternating eight and six syllable lines. Moreover, while strict adherence to a particular meter can be monotonous, poets often infuse different meters like trochaic, anapestic, or dactylic, within primarily iambic lines to create more interesting and dynamic rhythms. It's important to remember that rhythm must convey meaning, as emphasized by poets like Ezra Pound and demonstrated by the meticulous rhythmic choices in the works of Tennyson and Shakespeare.