19574 - Dancing in Chains: Fixed Forms in Poetry

Course Overview

Why are there no sad limericks? What’s the difference between an Italian sonnet and an English sonnet?  And why do they typically tell different kinds of stories? We’ll answer these questions and more in this course. Sonnets, limericks, and other poems are called “fixed forms” because they have to follow rules, like having a certain number of lines or a specific rhyme scheme. This has two consequences: (1) form influences content, and (2) poets use the limits of a “fixed form” to create meaning and beauty. Hence, the Chinese expression for “fixed forms” is “dancing in chains.” The first class of this course will cover the limerick, triolet, villanelle, and sestina. Our second class will focus entirely on the sonnet.