English Final - Poetry

William Wordsworth

Wrote I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud which is pastoral/lyrical poetry

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Wrote A Dead Rose, which is lyrical poetry

Lord Byron

Wrote She walks in Beauty, which is romantic/lyrical poetry

John Keats

Wrote Ode on Melancholy, which is an ode poem

John Donne

Wrote The Flea, which is metaphysical poetry

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Wrote Ozymandias, which is a Petrarchan/Italian sonnet. Could also be seen as Romantic poetry

Andrew Marvell

Wrote To His Coy Mistress, which is metaphysical poetry

Robert Herrick

Wrote To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time, which is cavalier poetry

Matthew Arnold

Wrote Dover Beach, which is lyrical poetry

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth

A Romantic poem in which the speaker reflects on the uplifting power of nature. While wandering alone, he encounters a field of daffodils whose beauty fills him with joy and later comforts him in solitude

“A Dead Rose” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

This poem contrasts the lifeless form of a dead rose with the enduring beauty of love and memory. Though the rose has withered, its symbolic power remains, suggesting that emotional truth can outlast physical decay

“She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron

A lyrical poem celebrating a woman’s serene and harmonious beauty. He praises not only her physical appearance but also the purity and goodness reflected in her calm demeanor

“Ode on Melancholy” by John Keats

Explores the idea that melancholy is intertwined with joy and beauty. Rather than avoiding sadness, he argues that one must fully experience beauty, love, and nature, even though they inevitably lead to sorrow.

“The Flea” by John Donne

A witty metaphysical poem where the speaker uses a flea, which has bitten both him and a woman, as a metaphor for their physical union. He argues that since their blood is already mingled in the flea, she should not resist his advances.

“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

A reflection on the impermanence of power and human achievements. The poem describes a ruined statue in the desert, once a grand monument to a mighty king, now a broken relic, emphasizing how time erodes all glory.

“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell

A persuasive carpe diem poem where the speaker urges a woman to seize the moment and engage in a romantic relationship, arguing that time is fleeting and they should enjoy love while they can.

“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick

A carpe diem poem encouraging young people, especially women, to make the most of youth and beauty before it fades. The speaker warns against delaying love and marriage.

“Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold

A melancholic meditation on the loss of faith and certainty in the modern world. Standing by the sea, the speaker laments a retreating “Sea of Faith” and urges his beloved to remain true to each other in a confusing chaotic world

Metaphysical Poetry

Definition: Intellectual, witty poetry with complex metaphors

Themes: Love, death, religion, existence

Cavalier Poetry

Definition: Elegant, courtly poetry from royalist 17th-century poets
Themes: Love, beauty, honor, carpe diem

Victorian/Romantic Poetry

Definition: Emotionally expressive poetry focused on nature and the individual
Themes: Nature, emotion, imagination, freedom, social issues, morality, and emotional struggles

Pastoral Poetry

Definition: Poetry that idealizes rural life and nature
Themes: Simplicity, peace, innocence, harmony with nature.

Ode Poetry

Definition: Formal, praising poem on a serious subject
Themes: Beauty, truth, admiration, deep reflection

Lyrical Poetry

Definition: Short, emotional poem from a single speaker’s perspective
Themes: Love, loss, nature, personal feelings