VILLANELLES

Introduction

 

Villanelles are a peculiar form of poetry.  The use of interwoven refrains means that many lines are identical.  Yer, as we hear in songs on the radio every day, just because a line is repeated frequently, doesn't mean that it loses meaning or becomes tired and boring. 

 

Choruses often change in feeling and meaning throughout the course of the song, and villanelles make use of refrains in much the same manner.

 

For this lesson, you will make use of your prior knowledge about poetry, in particular rhyme scheme, meter, tone, voice, form, and all of your analysis skills that you've been developing.

 

You will be reading about villanelles, then read and listen to several exemplary works.  The purpose of listening to the poem is to draw out and explore the relationship between refrains and tone.  Listening to a work being read aloud can better reveal those connections, similar to the act of listening to a song.  Next, you will be finding a song, whose treatment of refrain reminds you of a villanelle in some way.  Finally, you will be trying your hand at composing your own villanelle.  Keep in mind, your villanelle does not need to be perfect, publication-ready.  It should, however, accurately utilize the villanelle form and it should express some aspect of your creativity.  Feel free to experiment and explore the relationship between refrain and tone in your own work.

 

 

Essential Question: 

What is the relationship between the refrains of a villanelle and the poem's tone?