Types of Poetry Contents Lyrical Poetry Narrative Poetry

Types of Poetry

Contents • • • Lyrical Poetry Narrative Poetry Didactic Poetry Dramatic Poetry Pastoral Poetry

1 - Lyrical Poetry • A lyric poem is a comparatively short, non-narrative poem in which a single speaker presents a state of mind or an emotional state (poetry that expresses personal feelings). Lyric poetry retains some of the elements of song (basically written to be sung) which is said to be its origin(to be sung): For Greek writers the lyric was a song accompanied by the lyre.

Subcategories of lyrical poetry Lyrical Poetry Elegy Ode Sonnet Mourns and laments for the death of a particular person Commemorates or celebrates national evens, persons or particular things. is originally a love poem which deals with the lover’s sufferings and hopes. It was originated in Italy and became popular in England in the Renaissance From the seventeenth century onwards the sonnet was also used for other topics than love. Dramatic Monologue a speaker, who is explicitly someone other than the poet, makes a speech to a silent auditor in a specific situation and at a critical moment. Without intending to do so, the speaker reveals aspects of his temperament and character Occasional poetry is written for a specific occasion: a wedding Hymn Religious poem praising God

2 - Narrative Poetry • Narrative poetry gives a verbal representation, in verse, of a sequence of connected events (basically it tells a story), it propels characters through a plot. It is always told by a narrator Narrative Poetry Epic usually operates on a large scale, both in length and topic, such as the founding of a nation or the beginning of world history, they tend to use an elevated (lofty) style of language and supernatural beings take part in the action. Ballad is a song, originally transmitted orally, which tells a story handed down by tradition. It is an important form of folk poetry which was adapted for literary uses from the sixteenth century onwards Other types Mock-epic Epic-ballad

3 - Didactic Poetry • Didactic poetry is written with deliberate purpose of instructing the reader/listener how to do something. Its purpose may vary from teaching simple things to instructing the ways of achieving hard tasks. • Until the twentieth century all literature was expected to have a didactic purpose in a general sense, that is, to impart moral, theoretical or even practical knowledge 4 - Dramatic Poetry • Dramatic poetry is intended for acting upon the stage. An example of this kind of poetry is Shakespeare's plays, which are written in blank verse, i. e unrhymed iambic pentameter

5 - Pastoral Poetry • Pastoral poetry is about an imaginary world of simple countryside life in which shepherds and shepherdess fall in love with each other. In this ideal world the lovers sing songs and enjoy the uncorrupted world.