Poetry

Poetry

Poetry

A form of literary art that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings beyond the prosaic ostensible meaning.

Ancient Poetry

Early forms of poetry that were part of oral traditions, utilizing repetitive structures and rhythmic patterns for memorization.

Sumerian Poetry

Includes the 'Epic of Gilgamesh,' a lengthy narrative poem addressing themes of heroism, friendship, and the human condition.

Ancient Greek Poetry

Epic poems like the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey' by Homer, central to Greek culture, highlighting themes of honor, bravery, and the wrath of gods.

Classical Poetry

Poetry from the classical era, featuring sophisticated poetic forms and meters, with significant poets like Sappho, Virgil, and Ovid.

Sappho

A Greek lyric poetess known for emotional and personal poetry, often focusing on love and desire.

Virgil

A Roman poet renowned for his epic 'The Aeneid,' blending Roman history with mythology.

Ovid

Known for 'Metamorphoses,' a narrative poem weaving myths and legends through the theme of transformation.

Medieval Poetry

Poetry from the medieval period, including courtly love poetry and religious hymns.

Dante Alighieri

'The Divine Comedy' describes Dante's journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, serving as an allegory of the soul's journey towards God.

Geoffrey Chaucer

'The Canterbury Tales' offers a rich tapestry of medieval society, blending humor, pathos, and moral reflection.

Renaissance Poetry

Marked by a revival of classical themes and the creation of new poetic forms, with notable poets like Shakespeare, Petrarch, and Milton.

William Shakespeare

Renowned for sonnets and plays exploring themes of love, time, beauty, and mortality.

Petrarch

An Italian scholar and poet known as the 'father of humanism,' greatly influencing Renaissance poetry.

John Milton

Best known for 'Paradise Lost,' recounting the biblical story of the Fall of Man.

Modern Poetry

Poetry from the 19th and 20th centuries reflecting rapid societal and cultural changes, with key figures like Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot, and Langston Hughes.

Emily Dickinson

An American poet known for unconventional style, exploring themes of death, immortality, and the inner self.

Walt Whitman

Celebrated for free verse poetry, embracing a broad, inclusive vision of America.

T.S. Eliot

A leading figure in modernist poetry, known for 'The Waste Land' and 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.'

Langston Hughes

A central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, capturing the experiences and struggles of African Americans in his poetry.

Form

Refers to the structure of a poem, including stanza arrangement, line length, and overall pattern.

Sonnet

A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and meter, such as the Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnet.

Haiku

A three-line poem originating from Japan with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5, often focusing on nature.

Free Verse

Poetry without a specific meter or rhyme scheme, allowing greater flexibility in expression.

Sound

Contributes to the overall effect of a poem, including elements like rhyme that enhance meaning and emotional impact.

Rhyme

The correspondence of sounds at the ends or within lines of a poem, creating a musical quality.

Slant Rhyme

Approximate rhyme where the sounds are similar but not identical (e.g., 'shape' and 'keep').

Meter

The rhythmic pattern of a poem, determined by the number and type of stresses, or beats, in each line.

Iambic Meter

Consists of pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables (e.g., 'To be or not to be').

Trochaic Meter

Consists of pairs of stressed and unstressed syllables (e.g., 'Tyger Tyger, burning bright').

Anapestic Meter

Consists of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (e.g., 'In the blink of an eye').

Dactylic Meter

Consists of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (e.g., 'Eve, with her basket, was').

Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words (e.g., 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers').

Imagery

Involves the use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental images and sensory experiences for the reader.

Visual Imagery

Descriptions of what something looks like (e.g., 'The golden sunset bathed the landscape in a warm glow').

Auditory Imagery

Descriptions of sounds (e.g., 'The whispering wind rustled the leaves').

Olfactory Imagery

Descriptions of smells (e.g., 'The aroma of fresh-baked bread filled the air').

Gustatory Imagery

Descriptions of taste (e.g., 'The tangy, sweet taste of the ripe mango').

Tactile Imagery

Descriptions of touch (e.g., 'The rough bark of the ancient tree').

Theme

The underlying message or main idea of a poem.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts beyond their literal meaning.

Lyric Poetry

A category of poetry that expresses personal emotions, thoughts, and feelings.

Narrative Poetry

Poetry that tells a story and includes elements such as plot, characters, and setting.

Dramatic Poetry

Poetry that presents characters in action and uses dialogue to convey the story.

Expression of Emotion

One of the functions of poetry, conveying feelings and emotions in a condensed form.

Storytelling

The function of narrative poetry, capturing historical and personal events through storytelling.

Narrative poetry

Poetry that tells stories, captures historical and personal events, and often includes a plot, characters, and setting.

Reflection and Contemplation

The use of poetry for reflecting on life, nature, and human experiences, allowing introspection and philosophical inquiry.

Cultural Preservation

The role of poetry in preserving cultural traditions, stories, values, and celebrating cultural identity.

Social Commentary

The practice of using poetry to comment on social, political, and cultural issues, challenging norms and advocating for change.

Robert Frost

Known for depictions of rural life, exploration of social and philosophical themes, and use of colloquial language.

Maya Angelou

An influential figure in literature and civil rights, exploring themes of identity, racism, and liberation.

Experimental Forms

Modern poetry experimentation with form, structure, free verse, visual poetry, and unconventional language use.

Diverse Voices

Contemporary poetry reflecting a wide range of voices and experiences, including marginalized communities.

Digital Age

The impact of the internet on poetry, allowing for greater publication, dissemination, and accessibility.