Kinds of Poetry: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic

Introduction:

Poetry is a form of literary expression that has captivated readers and listeners for centuries. It allows poets to convey their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a condensed and artistic manner. While there are countless poetic forms and styles, poetry can be broadly categorized into three main kinds: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic. Each of these kinds has distinct characteristics, purposes, and examples that showcase the rich diversity within the world of poetry.

Kinds of poetry:

 There are three great kinds of poetic writing: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic.

Narrative poetry:

Narrative poetry tells a story with a plot, characters, and a setting. It is one of the oldest and most straightforward forms of poetry. It tells a story, often in a chronological sequence, using poetic devices to create a vivid and engaging narrative. Some key points about narrative poetry include:

Storytelling: Narrative poetry focuses on storytelling, using poetic language to convey a plot, characters, and events. It can range from epic poems like Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to shorter narrative poems like Robert Frost's "The Death of the Hired Man."

Use of Characters: Narrative poems typically feature characters who drive the plot forward. These characters can be fictional or based on real individuals, adding depth and relatability to the narrative.

Time and Place: Narrative poems often establish a specific time and place, grounding the reader in the setting and era of the story.

 So, in its loftiest form is the epic, which deals with gods and heroes. Epic, majestic both in theme and style, is a long narrative poem about the feats of gods or heroes. Epics deal with legendary or historical events of national or universal significance, involving action of broad sweep and grandeur. Most epics deal with the exploits of a single individual, thereby giving unity to the composition. Typically, an epic includes several features: the introduction of supernatural forces that shape the action; conflict in the form of battles or other physical combat; and stylistic conventions such as an invocation to the Muse, a formal statement of the theme, long lists of the protagonists involved, and set speeches couched in elevated language. Commonplace details of everyday life may appear, but they serve as background for the story and are described in the same lofty style as the rest of the poem. The term epic is used in two senses. First, it is employed as a general name to cover all forms of narrative poetry except drama. But it is used more commonly to name that kind of narrative poetry of which Homer's "Iliad" is the noblest example. Of the many definitions, the following is among the simplest: ''A poem celebrating in stately verse the real or mythical achievements of great personages, heroes, or demigods. It is always long and dignified." (Albert) In English literature we find but one poem truly deserving the name epic, Milton's "Paradise Lost."

In its next elaborate form, with a suggestion of fairy lore, it appears as the theatrical romance. In still simpler form, it comprises the story of a life in ordinary circumstances and is generally termed metrical tale.

In briefest form, it is a single incident from a life and is called a ballad. It is a songlike narrative with stanzas and a refrain. Some of the most fascinating tales in all English literature are found in the form of ballads, which, as the name suggests, were originally short tales intended to be sung. In the eighteenth century when there was a revival of interest in earlier times, the ballads which had been composed and sung throughout England during the Middle Ages were collected and excited great interest because of their simplicity and wonderful dramatic power. They have received loving study ever since. Not a few of our modern poets have imitated these ancient models; but Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," best of these modern attempts, though a great poem, is inferior as a ballad to such originals as "Sir Patrick Spens," or "A Geste of Rohyn Hode." One of the best collections of English lyrics is Palgrave's "Golden Treasury of Songs and Lyrics," a copy of which everyone should own. In this wonderful treasury are found many varieties. There is the ballad, which though properly classed with narrative poetry, is sometimes so touched with the tender emotion of the narrator that it becomes truly lyrical.

Examples of these four great classes are:

a. Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey," the epic;

b. Spenser's "Faerie Queene," the metrical romance;

c. Tennyson's Enoch Arden,the metrical tale;

d. Longfellow's Wreck of the Hesperus,the ballad.

These four types rise in diverging lines from the ballad, an incident in the life of an individual, to the epic, an expression of the countless experiences and ideals of a race.

Lyric poetry:

Lyric poetry is characterized by its emotional intensity and personal expression. It is often reflective and introspective, delving into the poet's inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Key points about lyric poetry include:

Emotional Depth: Lyric poetry is known for its emotional depth and sincerity. It can convey a wide range of emotions, from love and joy to sadness and despair.

First-Person Perspective: Lyric poems are typically written in the first person, allowing readers to connect intimately with the poet's thoughts and emotions.

Musicality: Lyric poetry often has a musical quality, with a focus on rhythm and sound. Poets use techniques like rhyme, meter, and metaphor to create a melodic and memorable experience.

In direct contrast to the story-telling forms of poetry thus far considered is the lyric, the nature of which it is quite necessary that the student understand clearly. We may read all of Shakespeare's plays without becoming a whit the wiser concerning the dramatist's personal joys and sorrows. Scott's "Lady of the Lake" acquaints the reader with Ellen Douglas, Roderick Dhu, James FitzJames, and other personages real or imaginary, but not, save through inference, with Sir Walter. Lyric poetry also falls into four classes: songs, elegies, odes, sonnets and express the feelings of a single speaker. Lyrics are the most common type of poem in modern literature.

Elegies and odes are elaborate in structure and weighty in object.

The former deal with death, death either in general or as applied to a particular individual; the latter are usually in praise of some person or thing.

The elegy, commonly defined as a "meditative poem of sorrowful theme, usually lamenting the dead,” is well represented by Milton’s Lycidas and Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard." The ode, also meditative, differs from other forms in that its structure is complicated or irregular, and the feeling expressed more exalted. Wordsworth's "Ode to Duty" serves as an example.

Sonnets are confined to fourteen lines, and the idea is developed according to a prescribed scheme. Many of the best Lyrics are written in sonnet form—fourteen Iambic pentameter lines with a definite rhyming scheme. This was a favorite form with Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, and Wordsworth. Songs follow a musical pattern and deal with such a range of topics as love, war, loyalty, patriotism, friendship, nature, and deity.

Sacred songs are called hymns.

Dramatic poetry:

Dramatic poetry combines elements of both narrative and dramatic literature. It presents a story or conflict through the voices of different characters, often in the form of monologues or dialogues. Dramatic poetry falls into the two great classes of tragedy and comedy, supplemented by the minor variations of farce, masque, morality play, miracle play, mystery play, interlude, and opera. Dramatic poetry tells a story using a character’s own thoughts or spoken statement. Key points about dramatic poetry include:

Character Dialogue: Dramatic poetry relies heavily on character dialogue to convey the narrative and develop themes. It can create tension and conflict through the interactions of its characters.

Multiple Perspectives: It often features multiple characters with distinct voices and perspectives, allowing for a nuanced exploration of themes and conflicts.

Theatrical Elements: Dramatic poetry can be closely related to the theater, as it shares elements with plays and scripts. It may include stage directions, setting descriptions, and other theatrical cues.

Example of Dramatic Poetry:

"Hamlet" by William Shakespeare: This tragedy is written in dramatic verse and features a complex plot with a range of characters. The soliloquies of Hamlet, such as "To be or not to be," are iconic examples of dramatic poetry within the play.

Conclusion

In the world of poetry, Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic are three fundamental kinds, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes. Narrative poetry transports us into the world of storytelling, Lyric poetry delves deep into the poet's emotions and thoughts, and Dramatic poetry presents narratives through the voices of distinct characters. These categories provide a framework for understanding and appreciating the diverse forms and styles that poetry can take, showcasing the enduring power of poetic expression across human history.

Ardhendu De

References

ALBERT. (2000). History of English Literature (Fifth Edition) [English]. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.

An outline history of English literature : Hudson, William Henry, 1862-1918 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/outlinehistoryof00hudsuoft

Full text of “A History Of English Literature Vol. 3 Ed.1st.” (n.d.). Full Text of “a History of English Literature Vol. 3 Ed.1st.” https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.100288/2015.100288.A-History-Of-English-Literature-Vol-3--Ed1st_djvu.txt

A history of English literature : Compton-Rickett, Arthur, 1869-1937 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/historyofenglish00comprich

A short history of English literature : Saintsbury, George, 1845-1933 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofen00sain

Legouis & Cazamian’s : History of English Literature - in 5 Vols. (n.d.). Legouis & Cazamian&Rsquo;S : History of English Literature - in 5 Vols. https://www.shreepublishers.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1190