What are exact rhymes? Historical excursion

An exact rhyme is a match between the quality and quantity of the accented vowels and consonants. The more matching sounds, the higher the accuracy. So, for example, such options as “bowl low”, “street chicken”, “run - breathe”, etc. are accurate. A rhyme is considered sufficient if two or more sounds coincide. Matching one vowel is not sufficient. So, the pair “she is the soul” is not a rhyme, and “she is the moon” is.

An inaccurate rhyme occurs when one (sometimes two) sounds coincides. It is characterized by differences in sounding consonants found in unstressed syllables at the end of lines. Inaccurate rhymes in the poem can be much more than exact. This is not a flaw in the composition - rather, on the contrary, since inaccurate rhymes significantly decorate the syllable, make it more diverse: “on the roof - I hear”, “evening - shoulders”, etc.

Phonetic and graphic accuracy

Phonetically accurate rhyme implies coincidence with a stressed vowel until the end of the verse.

A graphically accurate rhyme is considered when, in addition to sounds, there is a coincidence of letters.

For example, the rhyme "breeze - rice" is only phonetically accurate, while the rhyme "breeze - prize" or "breeze - caprice" is accurate in both senses.

Rich rhyme

This form takes place if there is a coincidence of the pre-shock (reference) consonant sound. The rhymes of men are considered rich (emphasis on the last syllable): "water - mica", "you - Neva"; unlike women’s (emphasis on the penultimate syllable): “water - freedom”, “word - again”.

Exact rhymes in the poetry of Russian classicism

Russian literary classicism was developed in the XVIII-early. XIX centuries and was distinguished by high themes, austerity of style and the creation of certain ideal images. Bright representatives of this direction were G.R. Derzhavin, A.P. Sumarokov, M.V. Lomonosov and D.I. Fonvizin. What are exact rhymes in a classic poetic tradition? From poetry of A. D. Kantemir to the early works of G. R. Derzhavin (XVIII century), Russian poetry was distinguished by graphically accurate rhymes:

"As at present they will not be

Saints and heroes; that people are freezing

With good mankind and all the Busurmanian temper,

Do not go to the old fathers a tradition of law

(A. D. Kantemir "On the state of this world. Towards the sun").

Some liberties were sometimes allowed, but more as an exception. However, already late Derzhavin (early 19th century) violates the traditions of rhyming of the period of classicism:

“God! give the king your judgment

And the truth for the king’s son,

Yes, they will serve the people

And protection and reward.

(G. R. Derzhavin, “Introduction of Solomon to the Judgment Seat,” 1979).

Another example:

“The verb simpted the abysses,

Through the abyss of the underground

With a fiery bed of peace ”

(G.R.Derzhavin "The Healing of Saul", 1809).

What are exact rhymes in this example? We see the predominance of phonetically accurate rhyme over graphic, while there is also a lack of rhyme: "the abyss - underground" and "truth - the reward." Derzhavin is a definite innovator of the poetic syllable, departing from the classical understanding of rhyme. At the same time, the poet’s syllable, although it is distinguished by its peculiar cumbersomeness, nevertheless it becomes deeper and more distinctive than that of Derzhavin’s predecessors.

19th century poetic traditions

Russian poetry of the XIX century does not support Derzhavin’s liberties and continues to adhere to the traditions of classicism, clearly defining what exact rhymes are. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the century, V. A. Zhukovsky and A. S. Pushkin admitted a certain poetic freedom - some slight deviations from the exact final harmonies. For example, due to truncation of the final sound “y”: “Eugene - shadows”, “tributes - applause”; by rhyming the final sounds “gh”: “friend is spirit”, etc.

The second half of the 19th century is less stringent in rhyme accuracy. For example, consonances of the sounds “u” and “s” are allowed: “I will be bad,” “halls are scarlet” (N. A. Nekrasov, A. A. Fet); the harmony of homogeneous voiced and deaf sounds: “oversight - caution” (N. A. Nekrasov), etc.

20th century poetry

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new trend in poetry emerged - the rhyming of different parts of speech. There is also a change in the meter of versification over individual short-sized poetic fragments. In turn, inaccurate rhyme is becoming increasingly popular: “rays to tame” (A. A. Akhmatova), “wind - in the world” (A. A. Blok). What are exact rhymes for Silver Age poetry? During this period, numerous new forms of rhyme arise - variously stressed, diverse and dissonant.

Despite the fact that these innovations, on the one hand, significantly enriched Russian poetic thought, on the other hand, this could lead to serious literary chaos. A rich accurate rhyme for the word (in the spirit of the traditions of the Sumarokov school of poetry), which was revived in the 20th century, acted as organizing compensation.

In modern versification, any rhyme - accurate and inaccurate equally - may be appropriate for one or another poetic work. An unambiguous assessment of the preference of one of these forms in poetry no longer exists.