Posted by Amber Sughrue (64.30.110.147) on July 5, 2005 at 9:12:23 p.m.:
Amber Sughrue
English 301
Jeanne Guerin
Essay 3- Rough Draft
5 July 2005
Poets use many elements to create meaning and add beauty to their poems. One element of poetry is form, and there are different types of form, as well. The villanelle and sestina are two fixed forms that many poets have seen as a challenging, but compelling form. These two complex forms are applied in Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night” and Elizabeth Bishop’s “Sestina” to create meaning and add an interesting and memorable characteristic to each poem. P1
“Do not go gentle into that good night” discusses the last part of life before death and the villanelle adds a haunting quality that enriches the poem. The villanelle form is comprised of six stanzas and the first and third lines of the first tercet are alternately repeated throughout the poem. Dylan Thomas uses the first line, “Do not go gentle into that good night” (688, line 1) and the third line, “Rage, rage against the dying of the light” (688.3) to convey the fury that the poet feels about death. Each line is emphatic about the importance of not giving into the “good night” and fighting death instead of dying a quiet death. Because the villanelle requires the first and third lines to be repeated throughout the poem, this makes a lingering and resounding statement expressing the grave mood of the poem. P2
“Do not go gentle into that good night” reads as an angry poem of a son wishing his father to fight against impending death. Thomas’s use of the word “rage” and “dying” adds a strong and powerful quality in contrast to the words he uses for the third line that is repeated, like “gentle” and “good.” This contrast further develops the poem, alternating the mood between a sense of urgency and anger to one of more understanding and persuasion. P3
The villanelle brings an interesting characteristic to the poem, as seen in “Do not go gentle into that good night.” As the first and third lines are reiterated throughout the poem, the reader is reminded of the somber, desperate tone of the poem. A line that may not be memorable if it was just said once is instead woven throughout and given much importance. Therefore, the poet must be careful when writing a poem in the villanelle form, to write meaningful first and third lines that contribute to the theme of the overall poem. Also, because of this constant repetition, the poem must stay highly focused. Thomas chose to carefully craft words that would be suiting to his poem about encroaching death. “Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight / Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, / Rage, rage against the dying of the light” (688.13 – 15). P4
Metaphors are used throughout the poem “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Thomas compares death to the night and “the dying of the light” (688.3). The use of metaphor in Thomas’s villanelle produces an artistic and intriguing perspective, instead of being plain or matter of fact. By utilizing metaphors, the reader is captivated and curious about the subject of the poem and often digs deeper to discern what the poet is trying to communicate. P5
The villanelle also uses rhyme, ending the first and third lines of each stanza with a word rhyming with “night” and the second line of each stanza ends with a word rhyming with “day.” This rhyming sequence allows the poem to flow, but still has a sense of urgency. Because of the repeated lines and rhymes, the villanelle form produces a very connected poem. P6
The sestina form is very complex because it requires the end words of each line in the first six-line stanza to be repeated in the ends of the six lines in the remaining five stanzas and the envoy. In “Sestina,” Elizabeth Bishop utilizes this challenging form in a successful manner. She repeats the ending words “house,” “grandmother,” “child,” “stove,” “almanac,” and “tears” at the very end of each stanza. This recurring usage of words emphasizes these pertinent words and makes them more meaningful than may be assumed. The sestina rarely rhymes; however, because the end words are repeated throughout the poem, there is an echoing theme present and helps the poem to move along smoothly. P7
“Sestina” describes a grandmother and a child at home during a fall day with rain falling outside as they occupy themselves inside. The grandmother is sad and with Bishop’s use of tears all through the poem, it is believed that the grandmother could burst into tears at any moment. The poem expresses the beauty of life; delving into sorrow and joy that one feels along with the tendency to hide upsetting things. The grandmother has experienced much of life and the child still has much of life left to experience, be it sorrow or joy, happiness or misery. P8
The melancholy feel of Bishop’s “Sestina” is further developed and enhanced through the sestina form. “September rain falls on the house. / In the failing light, the old grandmother / […] / laughing and talking to hide her tears (690, lines 1-2, 5). The setting of the poem in fall, and the occurrence of rain add to the tone of the poem. Furthermore, the sestina’s use of the same words used throughout the poem also drives home the theme of this sweet, but sorrowful sestina. There is contrast in the tone of the poem because of the words that are used. The stove conjures up feelings of warmth, however the presence of tears throughout the poem, lead to believe that there is a sorrow present as well. P9
Bishop uses strong images in her poem that allows the reader to picture the place she is describing, “and her teacup full of dark brown tears. / She shivers and says she thinks the house / feels chilly, and puts more wood in the stove (690.22-24). Bishop uses items like a teacup, house, wood and stove, which conjure up images of a cozy house. She also describes the teacup to be “full of dark brown tears” (690.22) which not only visually describes the tea, but also sets a tone of solemn. The reader can almost feel the bitter cold when Bishop writes, “She shivers and says she thinks the house / feels chilly,” (690.23-24). P10
When a poet chooses a villanelle or sestina form, he or she must be careful to use graceful words that will not grow tired or lose their meaning as the poem progresses. Thomas had a very focused theme to his poem and created an echoing voice that carried all through the poem. Bishop also chose words that she could use throughout her “Sestina.” She uses tears to express many things such as the grandmother hiding her tears to the child drawing buttons that look like tears. P11
The villanelle and sestina forms are highly intriguing and beautiful forms that, when placed in the right hands, can be crafted into wonderful poems. Bishop used the sestina form in “Sestina” creating a sorrowful poem with special notice to words. With Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night” there is much attention paid to the strength of his powerful words and repeated lines. And, although these poems do have much repetition, both Thomas and Bishop are highly successful in using these complicated forms not to allow monotony, but to produce intrigue. P12
Word Count: 1240