Villanelle - GCSE English Language Definition

Villanelle is a type of poem. It is made up of 19 lines, with five three-line stanzas followed by one four-line stanza. It uses only two rhyme sounds throughout the poem and repeats some lines in a set pattern.

Writers choose to use a villanelle when they want to create a strong rhythm or emphasise certain ideas through repetition. This form is often used to express intense emotions like love, loss or longing because the repeated lines can make the feeling more powerful and memorable.

Example of villanelle in a GCSE text

In the poem 'Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night' by Dylan Thomas, the villanelle form helps to stress the poem’s urgent message. The repeated lines — “Do not go gentle into that good night” and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light” — show the speaker’s passionate plea for his father to fight against death.