The Differences Between Assonant And Consonant Rhyme

Poetry is one of the most prolific arts throughout history and in which greater transmission of emotions and feelings are reflected through words. In fact, it means putting into words what a person is feeling or feels regarding a specific topic. Lorca, Unamuno, Rubén Darío, Machado, Neruda, Rosalía de Castro and Bécquer are just some of the relatively modern Spanish exponents of this art. Within poetry a large multitude of literary resources can be used. One of which is rhyme, which, although not essential, is often used in both poetry and music.

But not all rhymes are the same, and they can be classified according to different classifications. Among the two best known categories we find the assonant rhyme and the consonant rhyme, whose differences we will talk about throughout this article.

The concept of rhyme

Before distinguishing between assonant and consonant rhyme, it is advisable to briefly review the concept of rhyme. Rhyming is understood as using a series of sounds or words with repeated or similar elements in two separate phrases, in such a way that a certain resonance is generated between them. This resonance occurs purely on an aesthetic level not having to have any relationship at the level of grammar or lexicon.

As we have mentioned, it is a technique widely used in poetry and the use of language in verse, as well as in music. It is part of every elaboration created in verse, configuring the lyrical genre Even the absence of rhyme is considered a type of rhyme, the white or free rhyme. Its main purpose is to produce a cadence or rhythm that contributes to making the message sent more beautiful and melodic.

As we have said, there are many types of rhyme depending on characteristics such as the rhymed or repeated elements, their presence or absence or the way in which the different verses are linked. But of all of them, two are the main ones: assonant and consonant rhyme.

assonant rhyme

Assonant rhyme is understood to occur between words from different verses in which the vowels of the last word of both verses are repeated, starting from the stressed syllable (specifically its last vowel). The consonants present in them can vary enormously , not requiring any relationship between those present in both words and assuming the use of different phonemes and sounds. In this way, the words in both verses do not have to end exactly the same, but their similarity and resonance is due to the repetition of the vowels.

This kind of rhythm allows greater flexibility when constructing a poem or poetry They are considered imperfect rhymes, being mainly the sound of the words that generate them.

An example of assonant rhyme can be seen in the following fragment of a poem, by Bécquer, in which the even rhymes are assonant (sea and glass, death and eternally, crape and love):

The sun may cloud forever The sea may dry up in an instant The axis of the earth may break Like a weak glass, everything will happen! Death may Cover me with its funereal crepe But the flame of your love will never be extinguished in me.

Rhyme

Formerly considered perfect rhymes , consonant rhymes with those that occur when the last word of two (or more) verses contain the same phonemes from the stressed syllable. The sounds are identical, both at the vowel level and at the consonant level. Thus, the last word of the rhyming verses has an identical ending.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that a rhyme can be consonant without the need for consonants to exist in the word in question: it is only a matter of the sound being completely identical. Furthermore, it should be noted that we have said that we are talking about sounds and not letters and the exact same letter may not exist in both verses as long as it sounds the same way.

An example of consonant rhyme can be seen in the following fragment of a poem, in this case by Federico García Lorca (in which we can see how the endings -igo and -ores are repeated):

*I want to cry my sorrow and I tell you so that you love me and cry for me in a nightingale nightfall with a dagger, with kisses and with you

I want to kill the only witness for the murder of my flowers and turn my tears and my sweat into an eternal pile of hard wheat.*

Similarities and differences

The similarities and differences between assonant rhyme and consonant rhyme They are quite evident. In both cases we are faced with a literary resource used with great frequency in the lyrical genre and even in other genres and arts. In both cases, vowels are also used as an element to generate rhythmicity and melody within the work.

On the other hand, the main difference is that in the case of assonant rhyme there is no complete overlap of the sounds emitted between the rhyming verses, while this does happen with consonant rhyme. It may also be more difficult to generate a consonant type rhyme due to the need for the same sounds to adapt, although on the other hand the assonant rhyme requires being clear about which specific sounds have to be repeated.