Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature Practice Exam

What poetic form consists of nineteen lines with two repeating rhymes?

1. Sonnet

2. Villanelle

3. Haiku

4. Ballad

The correct answer is: Villanelle

The villanelle is a highly structured poetic form consisting of nineteen lines, characterized by its specific rhyme scheme and repeated lines. This form features five tercets (three-line stanzas) followed by a quatrain (four-line stanza). The rhyme scheme is typically ABA for the tercets, with the quatrain following the ABAA pattern. A key feature of the villanelle is the use of two refrains, which are lines that are repeated alternately at the end of each tercet and then both are repeated at the end of the quatrain. This creates a musical and poignant effect, enhancing the emotional impact of the poem. Well-known examples include Dylan Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night," which showcases the form's ability to explore profound themes of mortality and defiance. In contrast, a sonnet is a fourteen-line poem with specific rhyme schemes, a haiku is a three-line poem with a 5-7-5 syllable structure, and a ballad is a narrative poem that typically tells a story and is often written in quatrains. Thus, the unique structure and characteristics of the villanelle distinctly set it apart as the correct answer.