The villanelle is a distinct and complex form of poetry, traditionally composed of 19 lines with a specific rhyme scheme and repeating refrains. It is often associated with themes of obsession, loss, and longing, as the repeated refrains seem to echo the cyclical nature of human emotion. Empathy, on the other hand, is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Given the repetitive structure and emotional depth of a villanelle, one might wonder if this form can evoke empathy, not just from the reader, but within its own structure.
In this article, we will explore how the villanelle form can serve as a vehicle for empathy, considering its characteristics, how it influences both writer and reader, and how poets employ it to express and elicit emotional understanding. We will also discuss its historical context and notable examples that highlight empathy within the villanelle form.
The Structure of a Villanelle
The villanelle’s rigid structure is one of the key elements that makes it distinct from other forms of poetry. Its fixed rhyme scheme, ABA for the first stanza, and alternating refrains, create a repetitive and cyclical rhythm that echoes the repetitive nature of emotional states. The repetition is not only musical, but it can also mirror a sense of obsession or a deeply ingrained emotional experience.
The Construction: A typical villanelle consists of 19 lines, organized into five tercets (three-line stanzas) and a final quatrain (four-line stanza). The first and third lines of the first stanza are alternately repeated as the final line of each subsequent stanza and appear together in the final quatrain.
The Emotional Depth of a Villanelle
Empathy, at its core, is about connection—connecting with another person’s emotions and understanding their experience. The villanelle, with its repetitive nature, encourages this very type of connection. By revisiting the same words and phrases multiple times, the poet allows the emotion to sink deeper, like an echo that grows louder the more it is repeated. This emotional depth can bring readers closer to the poet’s experience, inviting them to feel what the poet feels.
The repetition can mimic the cyclical nature of emotions like grief, regret, or longing. In this way, a villanelle can represent emotional states that are difficult to escape, and this difficulty is something that evokes empathy in the reader. When a poet writes a villanelle, they may be attempting to reconcile their emotions, reflecting on them with each repetition. The reader, in turn, is invited to share in that process, understanding the poet’s emotional journey through the structure’s reiteration.
The Empathy of the Refrains
The refrains in a villanelle are not just formal devices; they are emotional tools that guide the reader into a deeper understanding of the poem‘s themes. These repeated lines often introduce a sense of universality, as they represent a central, unchanging feeling or idea. Through the refrains, a poet invites the reader to join in the emotional experience by presenting a phrase that resonates on multiple levels.
For example, in Dylan Thomas’s famous villanelle Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, the refrain “Do not go gentle into that good night” becomes a call to fight against the inevitability of death. This repetition serves as a plea, an emotional appeal that carries the weight of human experience. Readers feel the tension between the desire for survival and the acceptance of mortality. In this case, the empathy is not only in understanding the poet’s personal struggle but also in sharing the collective struggle of humanity.
The Historical Context of Villanelles and Empathy
The villanelle as a poetic form dates back to the late 16th century, but its emotional resonance remains ever-relevant. Initially popularized by French poets like Jean Passerat, the form’s repetitiveness may have been used to emphasize themes of longing, melancholy, and existential reflection. During these early periods, empathy as we understand it today may not have been the central focus, but the human emotional connection was still apparent.
The use of villanelles by poets like Thomas, and later, by poets such as Seamus Heaney and Elizabeth Bishop, demonstrates how the form has adapted over time to express deep personal emotions. Whether reflecting on grief, love, or the nature of existence, the structure’s cyclical nature often mirrors the cycles of human emotion. Thus, the villanelle form inherently lends itself to emotional expression, making empathy a natural outcome of its use.
Empathy in Modern Villanelles
In the modern era, the villanelle continues to serve as a powerful means of emotional expression. Contemporary poets often use the villanelle form to tackle themes of identity, loss, and societal issues—subjects that require a great deal of empathy. By choosing a form that emphasizes repetition, modern poets are able to highlight the urgency and persistence of their concerns, creating an emotional resonance that speaks directly to the reader’s sense of understanding.
For instance, a poet writing about the trauma of war might choose a villanelle to convey the relentless psychological toll of conflict. The refrains would echo the unrelenting nature of trauma, inviting the reader to engage with the speaker’s pain. The cyclical repetition serves as a mirror to the repetitive, haunting nature of the soldier’s experience, offering the reader a chance to emotionally connect to that experience.
Examples of Empathy in Villanelles
Dylan Thomas – “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” As mentioned earlier, Dylan Thomas’s villanelle is a perfect example of how the form can express empathy. The repeated lines, “Do not go gentle into that good night” and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light,” evoke a shared sense of resistance against death, creating a universal emotional appeal. The reader is invited into the poet’s grief and defiance, feeling the urgency of the message on a personal level.
Seamus Heaney – “A Call” Seamus Heaney’s villanelle “A Call” is another example of how the villanelle can evoke empathy through its refrain. In this poem, the repetition of the phrase “Come back to me” invites the reader into a moment of yearning, loss, and reconciliation. The repetitive call is not just a literal one, but an emotional plea that resonates deeply with readers who have experienced separation or longing.
Elizabeth Bishop – “One Art” In Elizabeth Bishop’s “One Art,” the repetition of the phrase “the art of losing isn’t hard to master” conveys the pain of loss. The poet’s controlled, almost detached repetition contrasts with the emotional turmoil hidden beneath the surface, creating an empathetic connection between the speaker and the reader. The repeated refrain serves as a reminder of the ubiquity of loss, making the experience of losing something familiar and, in a sense, shared.
The Empathetic Connection between Poet and Reader
Empathy is not only a tool for expressing emotion but also for connecting with others. The poet uses the villanelle’s form to channel their emotions, while the reader experiences those emotions through the repetition and rhythm of the poem. The more a line is repeated, the more the reader can internalize the emotion, understanding its depth and significance.
In a sense, the villanelle becomes a shared emotional experience. The poet’s emotional journey is encoded in the form’s structure, and the reader, through the act of reading and re-reading the refrains, participates in that journey. This participatory nature of the form strengthens the empathetic bond between poet and reader, making the villanelle not just a poem but an emotional exchange.
Conclusion
The villanelle, with its distinctive form and repetitive refrains, is a powerful medium for conveying emotion and empathy. Through its structure, poets can delve into complex emotional states, drawing the reader into a shared experience of feeling. Whether used to express personal grief, universal struggles, or the cyclical nature of life, the villanelle invites empathy by emphasizing the persistence of emotions and thoughts. In this way, the villanelle proves to be a profound tool for emotional connection, not just for the poet but for the reader as well.
As we continue to explore the villanelle’s role in modern poetry, its ability to create an empathetic experience for both poet and reader remains central to its enduring appeal. By engaging with the repetition and rhythmic flow of the form, we are able to explore the depths of human emotion and connect with the poet’s inner world in a way that few other forms of poetry can achieve.
