A villanelle is a complex yet fascinating poetic form, known for its strict structure and powerful rhythm. The essence of a villanelle lies in its ability to evoke deep emotion or convey a sense of repetition and meditation through its formal constraints. Writing a villanelle poem can be an enriching creative process that challenges the poet’s technical skill while providing room for expression.
This article will guide you through the process of writing a villanelle poem, explaining its form, rules, techniques, and offering practical tips on how to master this traditional French verse structure.
Understanding the Villanelle Form
A villanelle is a nineteen-line poem composed of five tercets (three-line stanzas) followed by a final quatrain (four-line stanza). The defining feature of the villanelle is its refrains — two lines that repeat alternately throughout the poem, providing a rhythmic and thematic unity.
Nineteen lines: The poem consists of 19 lines in total, divided into 5 tercets (each having three lines) and 1 quatrain (four lines).
Refrains: The first and third lines of the first tercet are alternately repeated at the end of each tercet and then both appear at the end of the quatrain.
Rhyme scheme: The rhyme scheme is ABA for the tercets and ABBA for the quatrain.
Example of a Villanelle: One of the most famous villanelles is Dylan Thomas‘s “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” which explores themes of resistance against death and the inevitability of mortality. In this poem, the refrains are the lines:
“Do not go gentle into that good night”
“Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
The Structure of a Villanelle
1. Stanza Breakdown: A villanelle consists of 19 lines in total, and these lines are organized as follows:
5 tercets (3-line stanzas) with the rhyme scheme of ABA.
1 quatrain (4-line stanza) with the rhyme scheme of ABBA.
The first and third lines of the initial tercet become the refrains, and they alternate as the last line of each subsequent tercet. Both of these refrains appear in the final quatrain.
Writing a Villanelle: Step-by-Step
Choose a Theme or Idea
The first step in writing a villanelle is selecting the central idea, theme, or emotion you want to explore. Since villanelles are often meditative, they lend themselves to themes of obsession, loss, defiance, or any subject that benefits from repetition and echoing.
A theme that works well with a villanelle could be one that involves a struggle or tension, like time, nature, love, or mortality. For example, themes such as defiance against fate, urging someone to fight against the inevitable, or longing for something lost, are excellent choices.
The inevitability of time passing
The struggle to resist letting go
A deep emotional plea or desire
Create Your Refrains
The next step is to choose your refrains—the first and third lines of your first tercet. These lines will be repeated throughout the poem, so it’s important to select them carefully. These lines should be emotionally charged or thematic, as they will act as the backbone of your poem.
“Do not go gentle into that good night” (Dylan Thomas)
“The world is too much with us” (William Wordsworth)
Refrains often contain a certain universality or weight, making them powerful tools in emphasizing the poem’s central theme.
Work on the Rhyme Scheme
After establishing your refrains, work on filling in the remaining lines while keeping in mind the rhyme scheme ABA for the tercets and ABBA for the final quatrain. The rhyme scheme can sometimes feel restrictive, but it is also what gives the villanelle its musical and hypnotic quality. The final quatrain often offers a sense of resolution or impact, where the two refrains appear together.
Remember, the alternating refrains mean that the same two lines will be repeated multiple times, so you need to build your poem around them. Consider how these repeated refrains will interact with the new lines in the tercets.
Build the Middle Lines of the Tercets
After fixing your refrains, you need to write the middle lines of each tercet, ensuring they rhyme with the end word of the first and third lines of the tercet. These lines will be the “content” of the poem, so use them to explore, develop, or complicate your theme. Here, you can add more detail, description, or emotion to the poem, playing off the emotional resonance of the refrains.
Make sure that the middle lines both contribute meaningfully to the poem’s themes and fit the rhyme scheme. This can be a tricky part of the process, as it’s easy for the poem to feel disjointed. Smooth transitions are key.
Finish with the Quatrain
The last stanza of the villanelle is the quatrain. The quatrain should tie together the poem’s thematic ideas while maintaining the alternating refrains. The rhyme scheme of the quatrain is ABBA, and this can serve as the final emotional or thematic emphasis of the poem.
If you’re writing a villanelle with a reflective or emotional tone, the quatrain can be where the repeated refrains reach their peak. For example, in Thomas’s “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” the final quatrain forces the urgency of the poem to resonate with a sense of finality and reckoning.
Edit and Refine
Once the poem is written, it’s essential to go through it several times to ensure it adheres to the strict formal requirements and flows smoothly. Villanelles often require precision, and small changes to the word choice or structure can have a significant impact on the overall effect of the poem.
The musicality of the poem: Villanelles are highly rhythmic due to their rhyme and repetition.
The consistency of your theme: The refrain will reinforce your message, so every line needs to connect with the central idea.
The balance between predictability and surprise: The repeated lines provide predictability, but the middle lines should offer something fresh or unexpected each time.
Conclusion
The villanelle is a remarkable poetic form that has withstood the test of time, offering a balance of complexity and lyrical beauty. By embracing its intricate structure of alternating refrains and rhyming tercets, poets can create works that are both musically captivating and emotionally impactful. Through careful selection of theme, refrains, and an eye for sound and structure, any poet can write a successful villanelle.
Although the form is challenging, it offers an opportunity to experiment with repetition, rhythm, and resonance in unique ways. For those who are willing to embrace its rules and engage with its potential, the villanelle provides a rewarding and deeply expressive framework for poetry.
