Overview
Poetry is the most enduring and versatile literary form in English literature. From epic verse to modern free verse, poetry captures emotion, experience, and insight through meter, rhythm, imagery, and form. This section explores major poetic forms, techniques, and representative poets across periods.
Major Poetic Forms
- Sonnet: A 14-line poem, often in iambic pentameter. Includes Shakespearean and Petrarchan forms.
- Epic: A long narrative poem featuring heroic deeds (e.g., Beowulf, Paradise Lost).
- Lyric: Expresses personal emotion or thought; most Romantic poetry is lyric in nature.
- Ode: A formal address to a person, object, or concept, often elevated in tone.
- Elegy: A mournful poem reflecting on death or loss.
- Free Verse: Modern poetry with no fixed meter or rhyme, emphasizing cadence and imagery.
- Dramatic Monologue: A speaker reveals character through a dramatic situation (e.g., Browning’s My Last Duchess).
Key Poetic Techniques
- Meter: The rhythm of a poem’s lines, especially iambic pentameter.
- Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of end sounds (ABAB, AABB, etc.).
- Imagery: Descriptive language appealing to the senses.
- Alliteration & Assonance: Repetition of consonant or vowel sounds for musical effect.
- Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence beyond a line break.
- Symbolism: Use of objects or images to represent ideas.
- Tone and Mood: The poet’s attitude and the emotional response evoked.
Quick Tip
When analyzing poetry, always start with the speaker, tone, and theme. Then explore form and technique. Pay attention to how meaning is enhanced by structure and sound.