We explain what the consonant rhyme is, how it can be classified and examples of this rhyme. Also, what is assonance rhyme and free rhyme.
What is consonant rhyme?
It is known as consonant rhyme or perfect rhyme to a type of poetic repetition that occurs when all the phonemes that follow the stressed syllable of the last word of the verse coincide soundly. That is to say, when the last syllables of a verse coincide with a later one.
Remember that rhyme is a repetition of phonemes usual in poetic writing and singing, emerged as a method of memorizing content in times prior to the invention and / or popularization of writing.
In fact, entire works were composed in rhyme so that they could be memorized and recited by the bards and aedas, in charge of transporting and disseminating the mythical stories of the ancient peoples.
Rhyme usually is made following the forms of loudness and grammar of the different languages of the world, but it is usually classified according to the following criteria:
- According to its timbre. They are divided into consonants (the entire final syllable coincides) and assonance (only the final vowels coincide).
- According to your accent. They can be oxyton (they close with a sharp word), paraoxitone (they close with a grave or flat word), or proparaoxitone (they close with a sdrújula or sobredrújula word).
- According to your disposition. Depending on its internal arrangement or regularity, it can be spoken of continuous rhyme (AAAA), twin rhyme (AABB), embraced rhyme (ABBA), crossed rhyme (ABAB), braided rhyme (ABA BCD CDE) or internal rhyme (occurs within the verse).
Examples of consonant rhyme
Some famous examples of consonant rhyme are:
- Félix María Samaniego, “Fable of the flies”:
To a honeycomb of rich mythe
two thousand flies cameeron
that for sweet tooth I diederon
prey legs onhe.
- Carlos Pezoa Véliz, “Life of the port”:
To those who dream of renown and glory
and they make their lunch a littleon
It may cause them to laughsa
this romantic longaniza
worthy of the oestrus by Paul Verlaine!
- Lope de Vega, “Sing, loving bird”
Sing bird on the enramada
jungle to his love, that by the green hiselo
the hunter has not seen that withelo
is listening to him, the bullesta armada.
- Francisco de Quevedo, “To the sea”
In your own pride I stopped youin,
How humble you are enough to resistilla;
To yourself your jail wonderilla,
Rich, for our evil, for our biin
- Rubén Darío, “New Year”
At twelve at night, through the gates of the gloestuary
and the pearl and gold glow of an extraterrestrial lightstar,
comes out on the shoulders of four angels, and in his chair gestatoestuary,
San Silvstar.
- Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, “Rima XX”
You know, if ever your red lipsyou
burning invisible atmosphere openada,
that the soul that speaks can with the eyesyou,
you can also kiss with the mirada.
Assonance rhyme
Unlike the consonant rhyme, the assonance, partial or imperfect rhyme is given when it coincides between one verse and another nothing more than the vowels. Normally both types of rhyme are not usually combined, and the consonant, common in court poems and of greater literary tradition, is usually considered more difficult; while the assonance is characteristic of romanceros and popular lyrics. An example of an assonance rhyme would be the following:
- There was the pájara pint
sitting in her lemon green
picks up the branch with its beak
with the branch pick up the flower
(Children’s song, “La pájara pinta”)
Free rhyme
The free rhyme or white rhyme is one that is neither consonant nor assonance, but rather is musically related autonomously, free. These types of verses are usually called “white” or “free” and it is often said that they do not have any rhyme, since they dispense with internal rules and metrics. Contemporary poetry is given from the full acceptance of free verse.
An example of free verse would be:
- Someone closes a door on a man who becomes silent, looks at his one-vent cell and doubts that he himself exists.
Sometimes, for moments, he is taken out to see the sun, but he returns by his own steps to his place.
There at least he knows that he suffers.
(“Temor”, by Rafael Cadenas)