The villanelle is a highly structured and evocative form of poetry, distinguished by its intricate rhyme scheme and repetitive nature. With its origins in the Renaissance, the villanelle has evolved into a favorite among poets due to its musicality, emotional intensity, and unique challenges. Writing a villanelle can be a rewarding experience, but one of the most critical aspects of crafting this form lies in how you end it.
Ending a villanelle requires careful consideration of both form and content. The final lines are crucial because they provide closure, reinforce the central themes, and leave a lasting impression on the reader. This article will explore the various ways to end a villanelle, delving into the mechanics of the form, the importance of the concluding lines, and how poets can use this space creatively to achieve the desired emotional and thematic impact.
The Structure of a Villanelle
Before discussing how to end a villanelle, it’s important to understand its structure. The villanelle consists of 19 lines, divided into five tercets (three-line stanzas) and a final quatrain (four-line stanza). The most defining feature of the villanelle is its strict rhyme scheme: ABA for the tercets and ABAA for the final quatrain.
Additionally, two lines of the poem, known as the refrains, alternate throughout the poem. The first line of the poem is repeated as the final line of the second and fourth tercets, while the third line of the poem repeats as the final line of the third and fifth tercets. These refrains create a sense of rhythm and circularity, emphasizing key phrases and themes.
The Last Line of a Villanelle
The final line of a villanelle is its most critical and often the most anticipated. Given the repetitiveness of the form, the last line tends to resonate more strongly with the reader. This line should serve as a culmination of the poem’s themes, emotions, and ideas, while also providing a satisfying sense of closure.
Key Functions of the Last Line
Emotional Resolution: The final line should provide an emotional resolution, whether it’s a sense of peace, loss, or contemplation. The repetitiveness of the refrains builds toward this resolution, so the last line holds great weight in delivering the poem’s emotional payoff.
Thematic Closure: The last line should tie up the poem’s central theme or message. Whether the villanelle is about love, loss, time, or nature, the final line must encapsulate the essence of what the poem has explored.
Echoing the Refrains: The last line of a villanelle often echoes or reinforces the refrains. This creates a sense of unity and completion, as the final line is not only the culmination of the poem but also a reflection of its recurring elements.
Subversion of Expectations: In some cases, the final line may subvert the expectations created by the repeated refrains. It can offer a surprising twist or a deeper layer of meaning, which adds complexity to the poem and engages the reader on a more profound level.
Strategies for Ending a Villanelle
There are several strategies that poets can employ when crafting the last line of a villanelle. These strategies depend on the tone, themes, and desired emotional impact of the poem.
Reaffirming the Refrains
One common approach to ending a villanelle is to reaffirm the refrains by restating them in a way that reinforces the central message. This can provide a sense of closure and unity, as the final line acts as a final echo of the poem’s central theme. In this case, the last line becomes a powerful reiteration of the poem’s central ideas.
For example, in the villanelle “Do not go gentle into that good night” by Dylan Thomas, the final line reads:
“And may your heart be proud.”
Here, the final line reinforces the emotional urgency of the repeated refrains, urging the speaker to fight against death with pride and determination. The repetition of “Do not go gentle into that good night” throughout the poem builds up to this poignant final exhortation, creating a sense of finality and resolution.
Offering a Twist or Revelation
Sometimes, the last line of a villanelle can serve to subvert the expectations set by the refrains. This strategy involves introducing a surprising twist or a revelation that shifts the tone of the poem. The final line can act as a dramatic shift that forces the reader to reconsider the entire poem’s meaning.
For example, in the villanelle “Mad Girl’s Love Song” by Sylvia Plath, the last line introduces a shift from the speaker’s emotional turmoil to a final, sobering reflection:
“I think I made you up inside my head.”
This line serves as both a conclusion to the speaker’s emotional journey and a profound revelation about the nature of the love described in the poem. The twist in the final line makes the reader reevaluate the entire poem’s theme of love and loss.
Introducing a Call to Action
Another way to end a villanelle is to introduce a call to action. The last line can provide a sense of urgency or a plea, compelling the reader or the speaker to act in a certain way. This strategy works well when the villanelle deals with themes of loss, hope, or existential questions.
In the case of “Do not go gentle into that good night,” Dylan Thomas employs this approach by using the final line to urge defiance:
“Do not go gentle into that good night.”
This line reasserts the central message of the poem, challenging the reader to resist death and to live with intensity. It creates a sense of urgency, reinforcing the emotional power of the entire work.
Emphasizing the Circular Nature of the Villanelle
The villanelle’s structure is inherently circular, with the refrains returning to their original positions throughout the poem. One way to end a villanelle is to emphasize this circularity, with the last line coming full circle to the poem’s opening theme or image. The final line can reflect back on the opening lines in a way that feels inevitable or fated, reinforcing the sense of repetition and cyclical nature.
For example, in the villanelle “The Waking” by Theodore Roethke, the final line repeats the opening line, creating a sense of completion:
“I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.”
This ending reinforces the poem’s themes of consciousness, the passage of time, and the complexity of waking life. By repeating the opening line, Roethke brings the reader full circle, creating a sense of closure and reflection.
Subtle Shift in Tone or Perspective
The final line of a villanelle can also introduce a subtle shift in tone or perspective. This shift can change the way the reader interprets the poem’s message or provide a nuanced conclusion to the themes explored throughout. By shifting the tone, the poet can create a sense of resolution without necessarily offering a final, definitive statement.
For instance, in the villanelle “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop, the final line shifts from the speaker’s reflections on loss to a more intimate and personal realization:
“Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture I love) I shan’t have lied.”
Here, the subtle shift in tone reveals a deeper understanding of loss, one that acknowledges the pain without seeking to resolve it entirely. The final line provides a bittersweet closure to the poem’s exploration of grief and acceptance.
Leaving the Reader with a Sense of Ambiguity
In some cases, poets may choose to end a villanelle with an open-ended or ambiguous line. This approach leaves the reader with a sense of unresolved tension, encouraging reflection and multiple interpretations. This strategy can work particularly well for poems that explore existential questions, uncertainty, or the complexities of life.
In the villanelle “The House on the Hill” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, the last line leaves the reader with a sense of ambiguity:
“Let no more be said of the courage of the soldier.”
The ambiguity of this final line evokes a sense of melancholy and contemplation, inviting the reader to question the nature of heroism, death, and remembrance. The open-ended nature of the line adds to the emotional weight of the poem and leaves a lingering sense of reflection.
Conclusion
Ending a villanelle is one of the most crucial aspects of writing this form. The final line is where all the repetitive structure, thematic exploration, and emotional intensity culminate. Poets can choose to reaffirm the refrains, offer a twist, introduce a call to action, emphasize the circularity of the form, shift tone or perspective, or leave the reader with a sense of ambiguity. Each of these strategies allows poets to play with the form’s potential while staying true to the emotional and thematic core of the poem.
Ultimately, how you end a villanelle depends on the message you wish to convey and the emotional resonance you aim to achieve. The villanelle’s structure offers a unique opportunity for both repetition and variation, allowing poets to craft endings that are deeply satisfying, thought-provoking, and resonant.
