Refrain | Literary Term | English Literature | Major English | Plus Two Level
In
a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat,
usually at the end of a stanza in a poem or at the end of a verse in a song. In
a speech or other prose writing, a refrain can refer to any phrase that repeats
a number of times within the text. Refrains can be one or more lines, though in
some cases they can be as short as a few words or even a single word. Although
refrains generally use the same language every time they're repeated in a poem,
the language may vary slightly between repetitions. A poem may have more than
one refrain. Some poems, however, may repeat the refrain more sporadically. It
may contain minor changes in wording or sequence. It contributes to the rhyme and
throws light on the ideas which a poet wants to emphasize. The refrains make
the poem easier to learn and remember. Most poets use it for
the sake of asserting its importance while enhancing the meter or rhythm of
the literary work itself. It makes reading more choral and more musical.
For
example: 'Stopping By The Woods on a Snowy Evening' by Robert Frost
The
woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But
I have promises to keep,
And
miles to go before I sleep,
And
miles to go before I sleep.
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