Rymningar

Rymningar is a term used in poetry criticism to describe a set of rhyming endings or rhyming sequences in verse. The word is used in Swedish and Norwegian literary studies to discuss how rhymes link lines, stanzas, or even across line breaks. Rymningar can be categorized by type: end rhymes, where the final words of two or more lines rhyme; internal rhymes, where words within a line rhyme with each other or with words in other lines; and cross-line or dispersed rhymes, where rhymes appear in a non-consecutive pattern. A related concept is feminine rhyme (two-syllable rhymes ending with unstressed syllables) and masculine rhyme (single-syllable rhymes). Slant rhymes, or near rhymes, also fall under the scope of rymningar when the match is imperfect.

Historically, rymningar have been a feature of Nordic poetry, notably in medieval ballads and later forms, where rhyme schemes helped mnemonic recitation and oral transmission. In modern criticism, the term is used more flexibly to describe any intentional rhyming pattern, including irregular or experimental schemes in free verse.

In analysis, scholars examine how rymningar contribute to rhythm, emphasis, and mood, and how they interact with meter, alliteration, and assonance. The presence or absence of rhymes can influence readability and interpretation, guiding a reader’s attention to stressed syllables or pivotal phrases.

See also: rhyme, meter, alliteration, assonance, poetics.