The+Heroic+Couplet

I read the introduction to the Heroic Couplet form, and it gave me a new perspective on it, making me realize how effective the form really is. Even though it is based primarily off two rhyming lines, the form itself is rather creative. It is creative because, basically, it //inspires creativity//. The History of the Form points out that "suddenly poets began to think, to argue, and to explain in the couplet. This then took the name 'the heroic couplet,' denoting a high subject matter" (122). This makes total sense when one realizes that with this poetic form, she is not restricted, but rather given a creative means of expression for saying whatever she likes. I especially like the line that the heroic couplet gives the poet an opportunity "to think"; it is interesting. And I see this as true because one has the chance to explore ideas with words in the semi-free form.

The book also points out that the heroic couplet is made "perfect for moralizing, warning, satirizing, and poking fun at another's expense" (122) I mean, really what can you not do with this seemingly ingenious form? I now see why Pope used the form for his //essay//. With it, he was able to be both poetical and analytical --as an essay requires. The form was a means to say what he meant and to say it in a catchy couplet, thus making his argument sharper.1204427968

After reading "The History of the Form," I too began to see how this form could be so flexible to carry a variety of different messages. Poets could "think, argue, and explain" their ideas in a witty way through this form.

This is my personal preference, but I think that it is almost necessary to use enjambment and caesuras when writing a lengthy heroic couplet. I remember last year we did a short unit on poetry, and one of the poems we studied was "My Last Dutchess," whose form was the heroic couplet. When Ms. Mueller read it to us outloud, I noticed the rhymes because I was following along on a sheet of paper, but the rhymes weren't a distraction to me because of the enjambment and caesuras. Unlike "An Essay on Criticism," I could concentrate on what the words were saying and meaning, instead of the obivous rhymes at the end of every line in the essay, which just distracted me from comprehending the meaning. 1204481785

It inspires creativity. Couldn't that argument be expanded to say that all form in poetry inspires creativity? Wendel Berry argued this in "Poetry and Marriage," or something to the effect. But this whole idea of inspiration got me to thinking, did the form follow the function, or did the function follow the form? And is that even a valid (or relevant) question to ask when talking about poetry? Were a bunch of people sitting around wanting to make fun of people in a witty way and they just started to make couplets? Or were couplets made and people fit their words into all different forms and decided that their "moralizing, warning, satirizing, and poking fun" sounded best in the couplet? The couplet is not only used in high-class dissing, but also in some church songs, and as Matt pointed out in our class discussion, the couplet has found a place in the hearts of many rappers. But a question I still struggle with is why it is that certain poems are better suited for certain subject matters. I don't mean to make this topic so hackneyed, and I know we have discussed it with other forms. Is there even an answer?

And as far as what Lynn was saying, enjambment and caesuras definitely make long sets of couplets bearable, but with Pope's essay, I don't believe the lack of them is giving me as much difficulty as the references to people I don't know, the tricky sentence structure, and the vocabulary (or to put it in Shepherd's language, the allusive, syntactical, and lexical difficulty, respectively). At first I thought that the rhymes were tripping me up, but really, I found I was only blaming them for my lack of understanding. I mean, they do make a difference and slow me down, but not half as much as other components. 1204498521

When sfa said that the heroic couplet "inspires creativity" I thought of how the form may be more flexible and less controlling then other forms. The way our book describes it the only rule is the rhyming pairs of lines. The meter is flexible as well as the presence of a caesura. This seems much more free then some of the other forms that we have looked at. When we looked at other forms like the Sestina or the Ballad we often considered poems and asked the question, "how far can a poet go before they have created a whole new form?" This doesn't seem to happen with heroic couplet poems because there is already much more room for creativity then other forms. I don't disagree that all forms are meant to inspire creativity, but this form just appears to inspire more freedom in creativity because there are so few requirements. 1204762005

I don't think that a heroic couplet really inspires creativity. I cannot deny that the poems in our poetry book are wonderful, creative expressions, but I do not think that this is all because of the form that they are written in. I believe that the poete itself is creative. The heroic couplet actually limits the creativity of a poet-- the lines have to rhyme and they have to be relatively close in length in order to sound right. I've tried to write in couplet before for school assignments and I always find it incredibly difficult. I think that the couplet is a complete challenge and the fact that poets can make something substantial and meaningful out of it really speaks of their true talent and creativity. I do see the point that many of you made that caesuras and enjambment tend to ease the form of the heroic couplet, and I would agree. But I still find that the rhyming in a heroic couplet goes into real danger of it sounding forced. It takes a truly creative and brilliant poet to master this creative form. 1204842648

For one of the first times in my life I actually agree with Kaitlyn. I too do not think that the heroic couplet inspires creativity. I think anybody who sets out to write a poem is intrinsically creative. I actually think that the couplet makes it easier on the poet as long as they have a good rhyming vocabulary. That’s the only thing that I see as inspiring creativity in the couplet. There are so few rules that the poets can basically write about whatever they want and all they have to do is rhyme at the end. To me that is like a slightly more difficult version of modern art. With some pieces of modern art, all you have to do is throw some different splotches of paint on a canvas. In the heroic couplet, all you have to do is write about nearly any subject matter and have the ends of each line rhyme, which is why it would be slightly more difficult than modern art if everyone is following my analogy or if it’s making any sense. I believe that having more rules and following more set patterns inspires more creativity. When poets have to work within more rules and complex structures then I think it inspires more ways to work around and within those rules than having a simple rhyming structure. 1204857470

I agree and disagree with kli. I think that any poem inspires creativity because the art of poetry is just that, an art. However, i do think that the heroic couplet "forces" creativity upon the poet. The fact that he/she has to rhyme and follow this two line structure makes them be more creative in order to get their point across. Is this creativity? Or is this just restriction? One could think of it as restriction because the poet has to follow this rhyming scheme and therefore can't fully express what he/she wants to. But if one thinks this, then why did the poet even consider using a heroic couplet to convey their point if it is too restrictive? I think a lof of this goes back to the poet him or herself. I think it depends on their motive for writing the poem, and therefore the creativity they wish to use to write their poem. 1205195429

I think that the heroic couplet inspires a creativity of a certain kind. While I agree with those who said that the creativity comes from the artist, not the form, I think that the form, perhaps, can enhance that creativity. After all, any poem whose poet was utterly uninspired is going to seem dull and forced. First the poet must be talented and creative in the deepest sense, able to come up with profound ideas. However, I can see how the heroic couplet might enhance that creativity: within his idea, the poet must be able to spend time moving words around, testing new and different options, in order to fit the format. In doing so, the poet is discovering the best possible way to convey his ideas, forced to look in new directions that he might not have otherwise considered.

Of course, this raises the question: Does heroic couplet have some sort of special creative power? Because it seems to me that any strict format would encourage creativity in the poet's means of expression. 1205197805

I think that to be a successful poet you obviously have to be a creative person. I think that the restrictions of the form just force the poet to be even more creative when writing down their thoughts. I don't think that there is any special creative power when it comes to writing a heroic couplet. I'm sure poets know that it is a difficult form to follow and they are just up for the challenge of writing this kind of poetry. I mean it would get kind of boring to write all of your poems in blank verse and the writers just challenge themselves. I think that this is what makes poets choose to write a heroic couplet, and I have to say that I admire any poet who can take such a restrictive form and make it their own. 1205354828

I am a fan of the heroic couplet. I really enjoy the idea of how the entire poem is based off of two rhyming lines. When you a read a poem that is a heroic couple, I like that you can hear where certain sounds from words came from. The whole poem jut flows together quite nicely. I think that because of this heroic couplet poems are easier to follow since you don't get caught up on your words when the flow seems to be off. The poem just runs much more smoothly. Also, heroic couplets get the creative juices flowing. One must find so many words that rhyme with those of the two template lines, so you really need to think and figure out what words can fit, if those words fit into what you are saying, and if they keep the flow of the poem going. Heroic couplets are really personalized to their author. Certain words will only fit certain poems as well as certain sounds. Heroic couplets are a form of their own.1205444060

I know! This freedom is something I notice in a couple of the other styles I like. Frankly, I think that below the superficial appearance, the couplet and the sonnet, and stanzas have quite a bit in common. They all preserve some structure and all, but they give so much freedom, because the poet not only has enough room to do what he wants, but is only forced to choose his words carefully, not choose entire phrases to repeat over and over. And the size of the free room available also lets them write in these forms about just about any situation, praise, or even tell stories. That's the freedom I like to see in poetry, and, given this much room in which to reign, it's where authors show their true genius, and can stand out for being original and downright creative. 1205467466