The villanelle is one of the most iconic and structured forms of poetry, recognized for its specific rhyme and refrain scheme. With its distinct 19-line format, it is composed of five tercets (three-line stanzas) and a concluding quatrain, in which the first and third lines of the opening tercet are alternately repeated at the end of each subsequent stanza. The villanelle’s rich, lyrical repetition often creates a hauntingly resonant mood, making it a favorite among poets and a subject of fascination for poetry enthusiasts.
This article will explore the origins of the villanelle, its evolution over time, and most importantly, the figures who popularized it—transforming the form into the celebrated poetic style it is today.
The Origins of the Villanelle
The history of the villanelle dates back to the late 16th century, and it is widely believed that the form was influenced by Italian pastoral verse. The word “villanelle” is derived from the Italian word villanella, which referred to a rustic or pastoral song, a tradition that originated from rural Italy. The earliest written examples of the form emerged in France, where it began as a simple, song-like poem.
Initially, the villanelle was quite different from the structured version we know today. Early villanelles were not bound by the strict rules we now associate with the form. Instead, they were characterized by their musicality and refrain-like qualities, which were more fluid than the rigid structure of the later villanelle.
Early Development: The French Influence
The villanelle began to evolve significantly in France in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It was in this period that poets began experimenting with the form’s structural potential, although it was still not universally fixed. Early French poets used the form as a tool for expressing a variety of emotions and themes, including love, melancholy, and nature.
A significant influence on the development of the villanelle in France came from the poet Jean Passerat, who is often credited with shaping the form. His 1606 poem “J’ay perdu ma tourterelle” is widely considered one of the first major works written in the modern villanelle form. This poem, with its distinct structure and refrain, helped cement the villanelle’s place in French poetry.
Despite Passerat’s contribution, it was not until the 19th century that the villanelle truly began to emerge as a dominant poetic form, thanks in part to the work of later poets.
The Role of 19th-Century Poets in Popularizing the Villanelle
In the 19th century, the villanelle began to receive the kind of critical and popular attention that would secure its place as a mainstay in Western literature. This period saw the villanelle move from a relatively obscure form into the realm of high poetry, thanks in large part to the works of two poets: Gérard de Nerval and Paul Verlaine.
Gérard de Nerval: The First Great Champion of the Villanelle
While it is true that the villanelle had already been experimented with in France prior to Nerval, it was his works that gave the form a certain prominence. As a key figure in the French Romantic movement, Nerval’s use of the villanelle was significant. He crafted poems that embraced both the emotional intensity of Romanticism and the technical rigor of the villanelle form.
Nerval’s 1854 poem “La Nuit de Mai” is an excellent example of his mastery of the villanelle. In this work, he took advantage of the repetition inherent in the villanelle to echo the poem’s melancholic mood and themes of despair and longing. This emotional resonance is what became a hallmark of the villanelle in Nerval’s hands.
Paul Verlaine and the Symbolist Movement
The Symbolist poets, led by Paul Verlaine, further solidified the villanelle’s place in French poetry. Verlaine, like Nerval, was deeply influenced by the emotional and musical qualities of the form, and he used the villanelle to explore themes of nature, love, and the passing of time.
Verlaine’s 1893 collection “Jadis et Naguère” contains several villanelles, such as “Villanelle”, that demonstrated his ability to marry musicality and emotional depth. Through these works, Verlaine helped to refine the villanelle, making it an essential part of the Symbolist poetic arsenal.
Thus, by the late 19th century, the villanelle was established as a prestigious and popular poetic form in France. However, its popularity was not limited to French poets alone.
The Villanelle Crosses the English Channel
While the villanelle gained prominence in France, its arrival in English poetry was somewhat delayed. Nonetheless, once English-speaking poets began exploring the form, it quickly garnered attention for its challenging structure and unique rhythm. The villanelle’s arrival in English poetry can be attributed to two key poets: Edgar Allan Poe and Dylan Thomas.
Edgar Allan Poe: A Master of Musicality and Structure
Edgar Allan Poe, one of the most influential figures in American poetry, played a pivotal role in the popularization of the villanelle in English. Poe, who was known for his musical style and fixation on rhythmic structure, found the villanelle’s intricate form to be a perfect vehicle for expressing emotional intensity.
Poe’s “The Raven“ might be his best-known poem, but it was his 1845 villanelle “A Valentine” that made his mark on the form. Though not as widely acclaimed as some of his other works, “A Valentine” demonstrated Poe’s ability to use the repetition and rhyme scheme of the villanelle to create a resonant, song-like quality. In doing so, Poe helped establish the villanelle as a respected form of English poetry.
Dylan Thomas: The Modern Master of the Villanelle
Dylan Thomas, a 20th-century Welsh poet, is perhaps the most famous poet associated with the villanelle in modern English poetry. His 1944 poem “Do not go gentle into that good night“ is one of the most iconic works ever written in the form, and it brought the villanelle to a new generation of poets and readers.
The poem, written as an emotional plea for his dying father, exemplifies the power of the villanelle’s repeated refrains. Thomas used the form’s repetition not only to create a musical quality but also to intensify the emotional weight of his plea. The villanelle, with its cyclical nature, worked perfectly to mirror the inevitability of death and the human struggle to resist it. The poem’s success helped secure the villanelle’s place as a classic form in the modern English poetic tradition.
Thomas’s success with the villanelle prompted a renewed interest in the form. Many poets in the mid-20th century, including W. H. Auden and Seamus Heaney, experimented with the form in various ways, further expanding its range and versatility.
The Villanelle’s Continued Popularity
Today, the villanelle remains a popular form among poets, with numerous contemporary poets using it to express a wide array of emotions, from despair and longing to joy and celebration. The form’s ability to create a sense of musicality through its refrains and strict rhyme scheme makes it an attractive choice for poets who wish to explore both structure and meaning in their works.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the villanelle’s origins lie in the rustic song traditions of Italy and France, it was the work of poets like Jean Passerat, Gérard de Nerval, and Paul Verlaine that helped shape it into the iconic form we recognize today. In the English-speaking world, poets like Edgar Allan Poe and Dylan Thomas further popularized the form, ensuring its place in both English and world poetry.
The villanelle’s continued appeal lies in its unique blend of structure and emotional resonance. Its popularity can be attributed to the innovative ways in which poets have used it to explore complex themes and evoke powerful emotions. By embracing both repetition and variation, the villanelle allows poets to create a rhythm that speaks deeply to readers—making it a timeless and influential form in the world of poetry.
