Versenypárbeszéd

Versenypárbeszéd (literally “verse dialogue”) is a poetic format in which a dialogue is presented in verse, typically featuring two or more speakers whose lines alternate. The form can employ rhymes and metrical patterns, or be written in flexible free verse, with line breaks and stanzaic structures marking speaker changes.

In a versenypárbeszéd voices are distinguished by labels or by distinct diction, registers, or rhetorical styles. The aim is to dramatize a debate, negotiation, or exchange of ideas, sometimes advancing a moral, philosophical, or satirical argument.

The form is closely related to dramatic poetry and to lyric poetry that includes dialogue. It can function as a standalone piece, as part of a longer poem, or as a device within narrative verse.

Historically and across cultures, versenypárbeszéd has appeared in classical and folk contexts as a way to present contrasting viewpoints in a compact, performative mode. In Hungarian literature, the tradition includes early modern and later poetry where the verse dialogue serves social critique, romantic dialogue, or ethical inquiry. Modern poets sometimes experiment with the form to explore voice, power dynamics, and formal possibilities.

Related concepts include dramatic poetry and dialogue in poetry.