Villanello - Definition and Examples of Villanelle

Definition of Villanelle
Villanelle is derived from the Italian word villano, which means “peasant.’ In fact, a villanelle is a dance music coupled with pastoral themes. In literature, it's miles described as a poetic tool that which requires a poem to have 19 lines and a set form. It has five tercets (first 15 lines), a quatrain (last four strains), and a couplet on the quit of the quatrain.

Major Features of Villanelle
Here are the most important traits of a villanelle:

There isn't any well-prepared meter in a villanelle, but it has a hard and fast rhyme scheme.
There are no constant numbers of syllables.
The refraining pattern of a standard villanelle is organized as shown below:
(A1) refrain 1
Line 2 (b)

(A2) refrain 2
Line 4 (a)
Line 5 (b)

(A1) refrain 1
Line 7 (a)
Line 8 (b)

(A2) refrain 2
Line 10 (a)
Line 11 (b)

(A1) refrain 1
Line 13 (a)
Line 14 (b)

(A2) chorus 2
Line 16 (a)
Line 17 (b)

(A1) chorus 1
(A2) refrain 2

Here, the letters “a” and “b” denote two rhyming sounds, while “A” suggests chorus, and the numerals “1” and “2” denote refrain 1 and chorus 2 respectively.

Examples of Villanelle in Literature
Example #1: Mad Girl’s Love Song (By Sylvia Plath)
“I close my eyes and all the international drops dead; (A1)
I raise my lids and all is born again. (a)
(I think I made you up inner my head.) (A2)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red, (a)
And arbitrary blackness gallops in: (b)
I close my eyes and all of the world drops dead. (A1)

I dreamed which you bewitched me into bed (a)
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane. (b)
(I assume I made you up internal my head.) (A2)

God topples from the sky, hell’s fires fade: (a)
Exit seraphim and Satan’s men: (b)
I close my eyes and all of the international drops dead. (A1)

I fancied you’d go back the manner you said, (a)
But I grow antique and I forget your name. (b)
(I assume I made you up inside my head.) (A2)

I ought to have loved a thunderbird instead; (a)
At least when spring comes they roar lower back again. (b)
I close my eyes and all of the international drops dead. (A1)
(I assume I made you up interior my head.)” (A2)

Example #2: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (By James Joyce)
Are you now not weary of ardent ways, (A1)
Lure of the fallen seraphim? (b)
Tell no more of enchanted days. (A2)

Your eyes have set man’s heart ablaze (a)
And you have had your will of him. (b)
Are you now not weary of ardent ways? (A1)

Above the flame the smoke of praise (a)
Goes up from ocean rim to rim. (b)
Tell no greater of enchanted days. (A2)

Our damaged cries and mournful lays (a)
Rise in one eucharistic hymn. (b)
Are you now not weary of ardent ways? (A1)

While sacrificing fingers upraise (a)
The chalice flowing to the brim, (b)
Tell no more of enchanted days. (A2)

And nevertheless you maintain our longing gaze (a)
With languorous look and lavish limb! (b)
Are you now not weary of ardent ways? (A1)
Tell no greater of enchanted days. (A2)

Example #3: Theocritus (By Oscar Wilde)
O Singer of Persephone! (A1)
In the dim meadows desolate (b)
Dost thou recollect Sicily? (A2)

Still thru the ivy flits the bee (a)
Where Amaryllis lies in state; (b)
O Singer of Persephone! (A1)

Simætha calls on Hecate
And hears the wild dogs at the gate;
Dost thou do not forget Sicily? (A2)

Still by using the mild and laughing sea
Poor Polypheme bemoans his fate:
O Singer of Persephone! (A1)

And nonetheless in boyish rivalry
Young Daphnis challenges his mate:
Dost thou do not forget Sicily? (A2)

Slim Lacon continues a goat for thee,
For thee the jocund shepherds wait,
O Singer of Persephone! (A1)
Dost thou bear in mind Sicily? (A2)

Oscar Wilde is famous for the usage of villanelle in his poems.

Function of Villanelle
Villanelle is split into 3 segments. The first segment is known as the “introduction.” The second is called the “development,” and the 0.33 is referred to as the “conclusion.” Villanelle builds up the intensity and tone of a poem. It is in general used in lyrical poems and songs, with the objective of using repeated strains to soften the standard repetition of traditional forms.