Question

from “the house on the hill” by edwin arlington robinson 10 why is it then we stray 11 around that sunken sill? 12 they are all gone away. 13 and our poor fancy - play 14 for them is wasted skill: 15 there is nothing more to say. 1. which of the following features of the author’s style is a characteristic of the villanelle form? a. the use of quatrains b. the regular rhyme scheme c. the use of ten syllables per line d. the use of alliteration 2. notice that lines 12 - 15 are all one sentence. the sentence is split between stanzas to fit the villanelle form, but what meaning might that stanza break also indicate? a. the stanza break makes it seem like the speaker is glad that the people went away. b. the stanza break leads to a feeling of excitement for what will come next. c. the stanza break creates a fast pace, which shows that the speaker is in a hurry to get away from the house. d. the stanza break indicates a pause in the speaker’s thoughts that reflects his sadness.

Explanation:

1. For question 1: A villanelle is a fixed poetic form defined by using tercets (3-line stanzas) with a repeating rhyme scheme and refrains, not quatrains, ten-syllable lines, or alliteration as core defining features. The regular, repeating rhyme scheme is a key characteristic of the form.
2. For question 2: The split single sentence across stanzas in a villanelle creates intentional pauses in the speaker's flow, which mirrors the sad, lingering tone of the poem about abandonment; the pause reflects the speaker's sadness. The other options do not align with the poem's melancholic context.

Answer:

1. B. the regular rhyme scheme
2. D. The stanza break indicates a pause in the speaker's thoughts that reflects his sadness.