25:
39:
932:
441:
886:
127:
455:
413:
229:
909:
711:) are found in a variety of minor and hybrid genres of the 17th and 18th century. The works are composed of lines of various lengths, without regularity in distribution or order; however, each individual line is perfectly metrical, and the rule of alternation of rhymes is followed. The result is somewhat analogous to the
427:
479:. This in part explains the strictness with which its prosodic rules (e.g. medial caesura and end rhyme) were kept; they were felt necessary to preserve its distinction and unity as verse. Nevertheless, several strategies for reducing the strictness of the verse form have been employed over the centuries.
298:
cannot be immediately followed by a different masculine rime, or a feminine rime by a different feminine rime." This rule resulted in the preponderance of three rhyme schemes, though others are possible. (Masculine rhymes are given in lowercase, and feminine in CAPS):
666:) designate distinct historical strategies to introduce more prosodic variety into French verse. All three involve verse forms beyond just the alexandrine, but just as the alexandrine was chief among lines, it is the chief target of these modifications.
576:
remained a supplemental line, used within a classical alexandrine context and forming no more than one quarter of the alexandrine lines written during this time. Passages of classical alexandrines were still written by these poets, as for example this
282:, it became the dominant long line of French verse up to the end of the 19th century, and was "elevated to the status of national symbol and eventually came to typify French poetry overall". The classical alexandrine is always rhymed. The
238:
Typically, each hemistich also holds one secondary accent which may occur on any of the first five syllables, most frequently on the third; this frequently balanced four-part structure resulted in one of several monikers for the line:
81:
dividing the line into two hemistichs (half-lines) of six syllables each. It was the dominant long line of French poetry from the 17th through the 19th century, and influenced many other
European literatures which developed
189:
However, toward the end of the 14th century, the line was "totally abandoned, being ousted by its old rival the decasyllabic"; and despite occasional isolated attempts, would not regain its stature for almost 200 years.
784:
consistently continued to use rhyme, many of them accepted categories of rhyme which were previously considered "careless" or unusual. The alexandrine was not their only metrical target; they also cultivated the use of
840:(weakening of strictures for caesura and rhymes, as well as experimentation with unusual line lengths). Its birth — for the reading public at least — can be dated exactly: 1886; in this year, editor
876:
shed all metrical and prosodic constraints, such as verse length, rhyme, and caesura; Laforgue said, "I forget to rhyme, I forget about the number of syllables, I forget about stanzaic structure."
793:— lines with an odd, rather than even, number of syllables. These uneven lines, though known from earlier French verse, were relatively uncommon and helped suggest a new rhythmic register.
290:(rule of alternation of rhymes), which was a tendency in some poets before the Pléiade, was "firmly established by Ronsard in the sixteenth century and rigorously decreed by
175:
These early alexandrines were slightly looser rhythmically than those reintroduced in the 16th century. Significantly, they allowed an "epic caesura" — an extrametrical
186:
o o o o o S(e) o o o o o S Or sunt li quatre frère | sus el palais plenier o=any syllable; S=stressed syllable; (e)=optional mute e; |=caesura
554:, which preserves the medial caesura with a word break, but de-emphasizes it by surrounding it with two stronger phrase breaks after syllables four and eight:
776:. The liberties taken included the weakening, movement, and erasure of caesurae, and rejection of the rule of alternation of rhymes. Although writers of
565:
908:
885:
931:
167:, and at the end of the thirteenth century it had gained so completely the upper hand as the epic line that several of the old
1405:
561:
768:
was a mid-to-late-19th-century extension of the liberties begun to be taken by the
Romantics with their embrace of the
1515:
1489:
1461:
1433:
1371:
1337:
440:
446:
207:
147:
295:
52:
Molière and Racine, perhaps the greatest writers of classical alexandrines in comedy and tragedy respectively.
824:, and is effectively identical in meaning. It can be seen as a radical extension of the tendencies of both
743:
475:
The classical alexandrine was early recognized as having a prose-like effect, for example by
Ronsard and
454:
1317:
1351:
161:
From about the year 1200 the
Alexandrine began to supplant the decasyllabic line as the metre of the
24:
1544:
118:
then doubling this line in a syllabic context with phrasal stress rather than length as a marker.
1476:
1448:
1420:
1189:
733:
460:
291:
211:
1539:
1471:
1443:
1415:
179:
at the close of the first hemistich (half-line), as exemplified in this line from the medieval
1329:
1322:
412:
1534:
509:) as an alternative rhythm to the classical alexandrine. His famous self-descriptive line:
153:
1141:
426:
8:
1382:
1225:
1183:
891:
728:
130:
342:
These lines by
Corneille (with formal paraphrase) exemplify classical alexandrines with
1363:
1215:
586:
432:
203:
198:
The alexandrine was resurrected in the middle of the 16th century by the poets of the
1511:
1504:
1485:
1457:
1429:
1401:
1367:
1356:
1333:
476:
418:
215:
163:
222:
introduced its use in comedy. It was metrically stricter, allowing no epic caesura:
1347:
1131:
232:
219:
100:
38:
1135:
1219:
142:
63:
1499:
937:
865:
861:
716:
126:
74:
71:
1400:(Fourth ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. pp. 35–36.
1528:
1393:
914:
400:
841:
1179:
490:
83:
44:
151:
of 1150, but the name derives from their more famous use in part of the
821:
808:
738:
489:
Although used in exceptional cases by some 17th-century French poets,
199:
30:
712:
663:
228:
103:, the French alexandrine developed from the Ambrosian octosyllable,
616:
So her bright jewels she wore, | her tinkling chains, her treasure:
557:
o o o S | o o ¦ o S | o o o S (e) |=strong caesura; ¦=word break
78:
1160:
1506:
Missing
Measures: Modern Poetry and the Revolt Against Meter
620:
Like to a Moor's slave girl | in the days of her pleasure.
1480:. In Preminger, Alex; Brogan, T.V.F.; et al. (eds.).
1452:. In Preminger, Alex; Brogan, T.V.F.; et al. (eds.).
1424:. In Preminger, Alex; Brogan, T.V.F.; et al. (eds.).
605:
Qu'ont dans leurs jours heureux | les esclaves des Maures.
375:
Thus, seeing us all march | in league and with such favor,
1296:
1294:
1281:
1279:
1264:
1254:
1252:
1250:
1039:
1037:
962:
171:
1078:
1076:
1022:
133:
in a diving bell: a scene from the line's namesake, the
77:
of (nominally and typically) 12 syllables with a medial
1237:
1235:
1196:
1148:
1088:
1291:
1276:
1247:
1034:
998:
373:
To three thousand we grew | as we approached the port.
371:
As five hundred we left, | but soon we gained support:
356:
Nous partîmes cinq cents; | mais par un prompt renfort
1112:
1100:
1073:
1061:
1049:
1010:
986:
1482:
The New
Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
1454:
The New
Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
1426:
The New
Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
1232:
974:
603:
Dont le riche attirail | lui donnait l'air vainqueur
599:
La très-chère était nue, | et, connaissant mon cœur,
377:
The fear melted away, | the throng becoming braver!
141:
The earliest recorded use of alexandrines is in the
1510:. Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas Press.
1503:
1475:
1447:
1419:
1355:
1321:
358:Nous nous vîmes trois mille | en arrivant au port,
614:My most darling was bare | but she knew my desire
538:—Hugo: "XXVI: Quelques mots à un autre", line 84
1526:
1398:The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
1328:. New York: New York University Press. pp.
1224:. Paris: Poulet-Malassis et De Broise. p.
519:J'ai disloqué | ce grand ¦ niais | d'alexandrin
360:Tant, Ă nous voir marcher | avec un tel visage,
618:Such an air of command | in her golden attire,
109:by gradually losing the final two syllables,
1392:Peureux, Guillaume (2012). "Alexandrine". In
832:(various and unpredictable line lengths) and
635:
362:Les plus épouvantés | reprenaient de courage!
942:
919:
896:
870:
854:
846:
834:
826:
814:
798:
787:
778:
770:
762:
752:
721:
705:
697:
689:
681:
671:
656:
648:
637:
601:Elle n'avait gardé | que ses bijoux sonores,
597:
579:
570:
548:
517:
503:
495:
354:
332:
322:
312:
304:
284:
276:
268:
257:
249:
241:
106:× – u – × – u × Aeterne rerum conditor
1316:Flescher, Jacqueline (1972). "French". In
1214:
719:. Two of the most famous works written in
560:Although generally embraced by the French
266:Often called the "classical alexandrine",
1456:. New York: MJF Books. pp. 1344–45.
1428:. New York: MJF Books. pp. 1343–44.
1130:
868:, with more following in the next years.
193:
89:
1396:; Cushman, Stephen; et al. (eds.).
1346:
1315:
1202:
1166:
1154:
1094:
1043:
1004:
968:
227:
125:
1391:
1380:
1118:
1106:
1082:
1067:
1055:
1028:
1016:
992:
980:
864:(written over a decade previously) and
470:
294:in the seventeenth." It states that "a
1527:
1498:
1470:
1442:
1414:
1300:
1285:
1270:
1258:
1241:
482:
1484:. New York: MJF Books. p. 1345.
646:These three similar terms (in French
627:—Baudelaire: "Les Bijoux", lines 1-4
1178:
1140:. Boston: Ginn and Company. p.
591:
511:
348:
1358:A History of European Versification
1324:Versification: Major Language Types
1188:. Paris: Nelson, Éditeurs. p.
528:I dislocate | the great ¦ nitwit |
121:
112:× – u – × – Aeterne rerum cond
13:
820:is the source of the English term
16:French poetic line of 12 syllables
14:
1556:
1384:A History of French Versification
546:exemplifies the structure of the
1134:(1912). Searles, Colbert (ed.).
930:
907:
884:
453:
439:
425:
411:
37:
23:
1208:
1172:
1124:
447:Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas
388:Act IV, scene 3, lines 1259-62
208:Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas
157:of 1170. L. E. Kastner states:
1387:. Oxford: The Clarendon Press.
1362:. Translated by Smith, G. S.;
225:o o o o o S | o o o o o S (e)
1:
1309:
247:(in contradistinction to the
99:According to verse historian
286:règle d'alternance des rimes
148:Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne
7:
1366:. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
10:
1561:
844:published several seminal
806:
639:Vers libres, libéré, libre
94:
1477:"Vers Libres Classiques"
956:
1381:Kastner, L. E. (1903).
1350:(1996). Smith, G. S.;
1169:, p. 190, note 7.
943:
920:
897:
871:
855:
847:
835:
827:
815:
799:
788:
779:
771:
763:
753:
722:
706:
698:
691:vers libres classiques
690:
682:
672:
657:
649:
638:
612:
598:
595:
580:
571:
549:
526:
518:
515:
504:
496:
369:
355:
352:
333:
323:
313:
305:
285:
277:
269:
258:
250:
242:
235:
194:16th to 18th centuries
173:
138:
90:12th to 15th centuries
67:
940:(1860–1887) composed
917:(1844–1896) composed
894:(1621–1695) composed
860:, including poems by
501:(also referred to as
243:alexandrin tétramètre
231:
159:
129:
1352:Holford-Strevens, L.
852:poems in his review
471:Loosening strategies
461:Jean-Antoine de BaĂŻf
212:Jean-Antoine de BaĂŻf
181:Li quatre fils Aymon
1364:Tarlinskaja, Marina
1273:, pp. 1343–44.
1216:Baudelaire, Charles
892:Jean de La Fontaine
772:alexandrin ternaire
729:Jean de La Fontaine
572:alexandrin ternaire
550:alexandrin ternaire
497:alexandrin ternaire
484:Alexandrin ternaire
259:alexandrin ternaire
131:Alexander the Great
1185:Les Contemplations
1031:, pp. 146–47.
971:, pp. 130–31.
587:Charles Baudelaire
263:described below).
236:
139:
60:French alexandrine
1407:978-0-691-13334-8
1221:Les Fleurs du Mal
1132:Corneille, Pierre
633:
632:
544:
543:
477:Joachim du Bellay
419:Pierre de Ronsard
394:
393:
216:Pierre de Ronsard
164:chansons de geste
154:Roman d'Alexandre
135:Roman d'Alexandre
115:
1552:
1521:
1509:
1495:
1479:
1467:
1451:
1439:
1423:
1411:
1388:
1377:
1361:
1343:
1327:
1304:
1298:
1289:
1283:
1274:
1268:
1262:
1256:
1245:
1239:
1230:
1229:
1212:
1206:
1200:
1194:
1193:
1176:
1170:
1164:
1158:
1152:
1146:
1145:
1128:
1122:
1116:
1110:
1104:
1098:
1092:
1086:
1080:
1071:
1065:
1059:
1053:
1047:
1041:
1032:
1026:
1020:
1014:
1008:
1002:
996:
990:
984:
978:
972:
966:
946:
934:
923:
911:
900:
888:
874:
858:
850:
838:
830:
818:
802:
791:
782:
774:
766:
756:
725:
709:
707:vers irréguliers
701:
693:
685:
675:
660:
652:
641:
607:
592:
583:
574:
552:
521:
512:
507:
499:
493:popularized the
457:
443:
429:
415:
398:Some members of
364:
349:
336:
334:rimes embrassées
328:: aBaB (or AbAb)
326:
316:
308:
288:
280:
272:
261:
253:
245:
233:Pierre Corneille
220:Pierre Corneille
122:Rise and decline
113:
101:Mikhail Gasparov
41:
27:
1560:
1559:
1555:
1554:
1553:
1551:
1550:
1549:
1545:Types of verses
1525:
1524:
1518:
1500:Steele, Timothy
1492:
1464:
1436:
1408:
1374:
1348:Gasparov, M. L.
1340:
1312:
1307:
1303:, p. 1344.
1299:
1292:
1288:, p. 1344.
1284:
1277:
1269:
1265:
1261:, p. 1345.
1257:
1248:
1240:
1233:
1213:
1209:
1201:
1197:
1177:
1173:
1165:
1161:
1153:
1149:
1129:
1125:
1117:
1113:
1105:
1101:
1093:
1089:
1081:
1074:
1066:
1062:
1054:
1050:
1042:
1035:
1027:
1023:
1015:
1011:
1003:
999:
991:
987:
979:
975:
967:
963:
959:
954:
953:
952:
949:
935:
926:
912:
903:
889:
811:
644:
622:
619:
617:
615:
609:
604:
602:
600:
558:
533:
523:
487:
473:
468:
467:
466:
463:
458:
449:
444:
435:
433:Étienne Jodelle
430:
421:
416:
405:
404:
379:
376:
374:
372:
366:
361:
359:
357:
226:
204:Étienne Jodelle
196:
187:
143:Medieval French
124:
116:
107:
97:
92:
56:
55:
54:
53:
49:
48:
47:
42:
34:
33:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1558:
1548:
1547:
1542:
1537:
1523:
1522:
1516:
1496:
1490:
1468:
1462:
1440:
1434:
1412:
1406:
1394:Greene, Roland
1389:
1378:
1372:
1344:
1338:
1318:Wimsatt, W. K.
1311:
1308:
1306:
1305:
1290:
1275:
1263:
1246:
1231:
1207:
1205:, p. 133.
1195:
1171:
1159:
1157:, p. 179.
1147:
1123:
1111:
1099:
1097:, p. 180.
1087:
1072:
1070:, p. 148.
1060:
1058:, p. 147.
1048:
1046:, p. 130.
1033:
1021:
1019:, p. 146.
1009:
1007:, p. 131.
997:
995:, p. 145.
985:
973:
960:
958:
955:
951:
950:
938:Jules Laforgue
936:
929:
927:
913:
906:
904:
890:
883:
880:
879:
878:
866:Jules Laforgue
862:Arthur Rimbaud
807:Main article:
805:
804:
759:
758:
717:Abraham Cowley
678:
677:
643:
634:
631:
630:
628:
624:
623:
610:
581:rimes croisées
556:
542:
541:
539:
535:
534:
524:
486:
481:
472:
469:
465:
464:
459:
452:
450:
445:
438:
436:
431:
424:
422:
417:
410:
407:
406:
397:
396:
395:
392:
391:
389:
381:
380:
367:
340:
339:
338:aBBa (or AbbA)
329:
324:rimes croisées
319:
296:masculine rime
224:
195:
192:
185:
123:
120:
111:
105:
96:
93:
91:
88:
86:of their own.
51:
50:
43:
36:
35:
29:
22:
21:
20:
19:
18:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1557:
1546:
1543:
1541:
1540:French poetry
1538:
1536:
1533:
1532:
1530:
1519:
1517:1-55728-125-4
1513:
1508:
1507:
1501:
1497:
1493:
1491:1-56731-152-0
1487:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1469:
1465:
1463:1-56731-152-0
1459:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1441:
1437:
1435:1-56731-152-0
1431:
1427:
1422:
1421:"Vers Libéré"
1417:
1413:
1409:
1403:
1399:
1395:
1390:
1386:
1385:
1379:
1375:
1373:0-19-815879-3
1369:
1365:
1360:
1359:
1353:
1349:
1345:
1341:
1335:
1331:
1326:
1325:
1319:
1314:
1313:
1302:
1297:
1295:
1287:
1282:
1280:
1272:
1267:
1260:
1255:
1253:
1251:
1244:, p. 17.
1243:
1238:
1236:
1227:
1223:
1222:
1217:
1211:
1204:
1203:Gasparov 1996
1199:
1191:
1187:
1186:
1181:
1175:
1168:
1167:Flescher 1972
1163:
1156:
1155:Flescher 1972
1151:
1143:
1139:
1138:
1133:
1127:
1121:, p. 67.
1120:
1115:
1109:, p. 63.
1108:
1103:
1096:
1095:Flescher 1972
1091:
1085:, p. 36.
1084:
1079:
1077:
1069:
1064:
1057:
1052:
1045:
1044:Gasparov 1996
1040:
1038:
1030:
1025:
1018:
1013:
1006:
1005:Gasparov 1996
1001:
994:
989:
983:, p. 35.
982:
977:
970:
969:Gasparov 1996
965:
961:
947:
945:
939:
933:
928:
924:
922:
916:
915:Paul Verlaine
910:
905:
901:
899:
893:
887:
882:
881:
877:
875:
873:
867:
863:
859:
857:
851:
849:
843:
839:
837:
831:
829:
823:
819:
817:
810:
803:
801:
796:
795:
794:
792:
790:
783:
781:
775:
773:
767:
765:
757:
755:
750:
749:
748:
746:
745:
740:
736:
735:
730:
726:
724:
718:
714:
710:
708:
702:
700:
694:
692:
686:
684:
676:
674:
669:
668:
667:
665:
661:
659:
653:
651:
642:
640:
629:
626:
625:
621:
611:
608:
606:
594:
593:
590:
588:
584:
582:
575:
573:
567:
563:
555:
553:
551:
540:
537:
536:
532:
531:
525:
522:
520:
514:
513:
510:
508:
506:
500:
498:
492:
485:
480:
478:
462:
456:
451:
448:
442:
437:
434:
428:
423:
420:
414:
409:
408:
403:
402:
390:
387:
383:
382:
378:
368:
365:
363:
351:
350:
347:
345:
344:rimes suivies
337:
335:
330:
327:
325:
320:
317:
315:
314:rimes suivies
309:
307:
302:
301:
300:
297:
293:
289:
287:
281:
279:
273:
271:
270:vers héroïque
264:
262:
260:
254:
252:
246:
244:
234:
230:
223:
221:
217:
214:(lyric), and
213:
210:(narrative),
209:
205:
201:
191:
184:
182:
178:
172:
170:
166:
165:
158:
156:
155:
150:
149:
144:
136:
132:
128:
119:
110:
104:
102:
87:
85:
80:
76:
73:
69:
65:
61:
46:
40:
32:
26:
1505:
1481:
1472:Scott, Clive
1453:
1449:"Vers Libre"
1444:Scott, Clive
1425:
1416:Scott, Clive
1397:
1383:
1357:
1339:08147-9155-7
1323:
1266:
1220:
1210:
1198:
1184:
1180:Hugo, Victor
1174:
1162:
1150:
1136:
1126:
1119:Kastner 1903
1114:
1107:Kastner 1903
1102:
1090:
1083:Peureux 2012
1068:Kastner 1903
1063:
1056:Kastner 1903
1051:
1029:Kastner 1903
1024:
1017:Kastner 1903
1012:
1000:
993:Kastner 1903
988:
981:Peureux 2012
976:
964:
941:
918:
895:
869:
853:
845:
842:Gustave Kahn
833:
825:
813:
812:
797:
786:
777:
769:
761:
760:
751:
742:
732:
720:
704:
696:
688:
680:
679:
670:
655:
647:
645:
636:
613:
596:
585:quatrain by
578:
569:
559:
547:
545:
529:
527:
516:
502:
494:
488:
483:
474:
399:
385:
384:—Corneille:
370:
353:
343:
341:
331:
321:
311:
306:rimes plates
303:
283:
275:
267:
265:
256:
248:
240:
237:
197:
188:
180:
176:
174:
168:
162:
160:
152:
146:
140:
134:
117:
108:
98:
84:alexandrines
75:poetic metre
59:
57:
1535:12 (number)
1301:Scott 1993b
1286:Scott 1993a
1271:Scott 1993a
1259:Scott 1993c
1242:Steele 1990
921:vers libéré
898:vers libres
836:vers libéré
828:vers libres
789:vers impair
780:vers libéré
764:Vers libéré
754:Vers libéré
723:vers libres
683:Vers libres
673:Vers libres
650:vers libres
491:Victor Hugo
278:grands vers
206:(tragedy),
114:(construct)
45:Jean Racine
1529:Categories
1310:References
944:vers libre
872:Vers libre
848:vers libre
822:free verse
816:Vers libre
809:Vers libre
800:Vers libre
744:Amphitryon
699:vers mêlés
664:homophones
658:vers libre
566:Symbolists
530:alexandrin
401:La Pléiade
202:, notably
68:alexandrin
1474:(1993c).
1446:(1993b).
1418:(1993a).
713:Pindarics
562:Romantics
218:. Later,
1502:(1990).
1354:(eds.).
1218:(1857).
1182:(1856).
856:La Vogue
505:trimètre
292:Malherbe
251:trimètre
169:chansons
72:syllabic
1320:(ed.).
739:Molière
200:Pléiade
95:Genesis
79:caesura
70:) is a
31:Molière
1514:
1488:
1460:
1432:
1404:
1370:
1336:
1330:177-90
1137:Le Cid
734:Fables
687:(also
568:, the
386:Le Cid
318:: aaBB
177:mute e
64:French
957:Notes
703:, or
274:, or
145:poem
1512:ISBN
1486:ISBN
1458:ISBN
1430:ISBN
1402:ISBN
1368:ISBN
1334:ISBN
737:and
727:are
662:are
654:and
564:and
58:The
741:'s
731:'s
715:of
310:or
255:or
1531::
1332:.
1293:^
1278:^
1249:^
1234:^
1226:52
1190:74
1142:62
1075:^
1036:^
747:.
695:,
589::
346::
183::
66::
1520:.
1494:.
1466:.
1438:.
1410:.
1376:.
1342:.
1228:.
1192:.
1144:.
948:.
925:.
902:.
137:.
62:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
