ENGLISH POETRY ENGLISH POETRY

Historical Overview Historical Overview

ANGLO-SAXON (OLD ENGLISH) ANGLO-SAXON (OLD ENGLISH) ERAERA

450 - 1066450 - 1066► much of poetry was intended to be much of poetry was intended to be chantedchanted

by the scopby the scop► bold, strong, elegiac in spirit, emphasizes bold, strong, elegiac in spirit, emphasizes

sorrow and ultimate futility of life and sorrow and ultimate futility of life and helplessness of humans before the power of helplessness of humans before the power of fatefate

► composed without rhymecomposed without rhyme► verse has four stressed syllables alternating verse has four stressed syllables alternating

with an indeterminate number of unstressed with an indeterminate number of unstressed syllablessyllables

► Structural alliteration Structural alliteration

BEOWULF (8BEOWULF (8thth-10-10thth century) century)► Begins and ends with the funeral of a great Begins and ends with the funeral of a great

kingking► Composed against background of impending Composed against background of impending

disasterdisaster►Describes exploits of Scandinavian cultural Describes exploits of Scandinavian cultural

hero in destroying the monster Grendel, hero in destroying the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother and a fire-breathing dragonGrendel’s mother and a fire-breathing dragon

► Beowulf is shown both as glorious hero and Beowulf is shown both as glorious hero and savior of the peoplesavior of the people

►Old Germanic virtue of mutual loyalty between Old Germanic virtue of mutual loyalty between leader and followersleader and followers

►Weakening of the sense of the ultimate power Weakening of the sense of the ultimate power of arbitrary fateof arbitrary fate

► Injection of Christian idea of dependence on a Injection of Christian idea of dependence on a just Godjust God

A PERILOUSA PERILOUS path, it proved, he trod path, it proved, he trodwho heinously hid, that hall within,who heinously hid, that hall within,wealth under wall! Its watcher had killedwealth under wall! Its watcher had killedone of a few, and the feud was avengedone of a few, and the feud was avengedin woful fashion. Wondrous seems it,in woful fashion. Wondrous seems it,what manner a man of might and valorwhat manner a man of might and valoroft ends his life, when the earl no longeroft ends his life, when the earl no longerin mead-hall may live with loving friends.in mead-hall may live with loving friends.So Beowulf, when that barrow's wardenSo Beowulf, when that barrow's wardenhe sought, and the struggle; himself knew nothe sought, and the struggle; himself knew notin what wise he should wend from the world in what wise he should wend from the world at last. at last.

Excerpt from Chapter XLII, BeowulfExcerpt from Chapter XLII, Beowulf

MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIODMIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD1066-14851066-1485

►Poems continued to be written in forms Poems continued to be written in forms like the Old English alliterative, four-like the Old English alliterative, four-stress lines.stress lines.

►Poetry expressing a mystical longing Poetry expressing a mystical longing for, and union with, the deity for, and union with, the deity

►Allegory; tales of chivalry and Allegory; tales of chivalry and adventure, chivalric idealization of love adventure, chivalric idealization of love in medieval romancein medieval romance

►Chaucer’s nonalliterative verseChaucer’s nonalliterative verse

The Knight’s Tale (lines 1-16)The Knight’s Tale (lines 1-16)Once on a time, as old stories tell to us,Once on a time, as old stories tell to us,There was a duke whose name was There was a duke whose name was Theseus:Theseus:Of Athens he was lord and governor,Of Athens he was lord and governor,And in his time was such a conquerorAnd in his time was such a conquerorThat greater was there not beneath the That greater was there not beneath the sun.sun.Very many rich countries had he won;Very many rich countries had he won;What with his wisdom and his chivalryWhat with his wisdom and his chivalryHe gained the realm of Femininity,He gained the realm of Femininity,That was of old time known as Scythia.That was of old time known as Scythia.There he married the queen, Hippolyta,There he married the queen, Hippolyta,And brought her home with him to his And brought her home with him to his country.country.In glory great and with great ceremony,In glory great and with great ceremony,And, too, her younger sister, Emily.And, too, her younger sister, Emily.And thus, in victory and with melody,And thus, in victory and with melody,

Let I this noble duke to Athens rideLet I this noble duke to Athens ride With all his armed host marching at his With all his armed host marching at his

side.side.

         Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, Ther was a duc that highte Theseus; Ther was a duc that highte Theseus; Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,And in his tyme swich a conquerour,And in his tyme swich a conquerour,

55 That gretter was ther noon under the That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.sonne.Ful many a riche contree hadde he Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne,wonne,What with his wysdom and his chivalrie;What with his wysdom and his chivalrie;He conquered al the regne of Femenye,He conquered al the regne of Femenye,That whilom was ycleped Scithia,That whilom was ycleped Scithia,

1010 And weddede the queene Ypolita,And weddede the queene Ypolita,And broghte hir hoom with hym in his And broghte hir hoom with hym in his contree,contree,With muchel glorie and greet With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,solempnytee,And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.And thus with victorie and with melodyeAnd thus with victorie and with melodye

1515 Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,And al his hoost, in armes hym bisyde.And al his hoost, in armes hym bisyde.

THE RENAISSANCETHE RENAISSANCE1485-16601485-1660

►Poetry was generally less important Poetry was generally less important (earlier part of 16(earlier part of 16thth century) century)

►Sir Philip Sidney inaugurated the Sir Philip Sidney inaugurated the vogue of the sonnetvogue of the sonnet

►Motif of poetry: the idealization of the Motif of poetry: the idealization of the belovedbeloved

►2 poetic tendencies toward end of 162 poetic tendencies toward end of 16thth and in early part of 17and in early part of 17thth centuries: centuries:

a. Metaphysical poets a. Metaphysical poets

b. Cavalier poetsb. Cavalier poets

Metaphysical poetsMetaphysical poets►wit, inventiveness, and a love of elaborate wit, inventiveness, and a love of elaborate

stylistic maneuvers, subtle argumentations, stylistic maneuvers, subtle argumentations, paradoxical styleparadoxical style

►Metaphysical concerns are the common Metaphysical concerns are the common subject of their poetry, which investigates subject of their poetry, which investigates the world by rational discussion of its the world by rational discussion of its phenomena rather than by intuition or phenomena rather than by intuition or mysticism. mysticism.

► rigorous verse appeals to the reader’s rigorous verse appeals to the reader’s intellect rather than emotions intellect rather than emotions

Cavalier poetsCavalier poets►much of their poetry is light in style, and much of their poetry is light in style, and

generally secular in subject; avoid the subject of generally secular in subject; avoid the subject of religionreligion

► attempt no plumbing of the depths of the soulattempt no plumbing of the depths of the soul► treat life cavalierly and sometimes they treat treat life cavalierly and sometimes they treat

poetic convention cavalierly toopoetic convention cavalierly too► life is far too enjoyable for much of it to be spent life is far too enjoyable for much of it to be spent

sweating over verses in a study sweating over verses in a study ► They use direct and colloquial language They use direct and colloquial language

expressive of a highly individual personality, and expressive of a highly individual personality, and they enjoy the casual, the amateur, the they enjoy the casual, the amateur, the affectionate poem.affectionate poem.

RESTORATION & 18RESTORATION & 18THTH CENTURY CENTURY1660-17891660-1789

►Writers reacted against the imaginative Writers reacted against the imaginative flights and the ornate or startling styles flights and the ornate or startling styles and forms of previous era and forms of previous era

►Admiration for Ben Jonson and his Admiration for Ben Jonson and his disciplesdisciples

►Literature in general was characterized Literature in general was characterized by by reason, moderation, good taste, reason, moderation, good taste, simplicitysimplicity

►Literary period was divided into three: Literary period was divided into three: ages of Dryden, Pope, Johnsonages of Dryden, Pope, Johnson

Age of DrydenAge of Dryden

► Poetry was characterized by easy, sociable Poetry was characterized by easy, sociable style.style.

► John Dryden’s poetry set the tone of the new John Dryden’s poetry set the tone of the new age in achieving new clarity and establishing a age in achieving new clarity and establishing a self-limiting, somewhat impersonal canon of self-limiting, somewhat impersonal canon of moderation and good taste.moderation and good taste.

► Satire became the dominant poetic genre of the Satire became the dominant poetic genre of the ageage

► His polished His polished heroic couplet heroic couplet became the became the dominant form in longer poems dominant form in longer poems

* * Heroic couplet - refers to poems Heroic couplet - refers to poems constructed from a sequence of rhyming pairs constructed from a sequence of rhyming pairs of iambic pentameter lines. The rhyme is of iambic pentameter lines. The rhyme is always masculine. always masculine.

Age of PopeAge of Pope

►Deeply conservative but also playful; Deeply conservative but also playful; developed classicism and literary developed classicism and literary conservativismconservativism

►The works cast a strange light on modern The works cast a strange light on modern times by viewing them through the times by viewing them through the screen of classical myths and formsscreen of classical myths and forms

►Pope’s poetic lines reflect ease, harmony, Pope’s poetic lines reflect ease, harmony, grace and the quality of precise but never grace and the quality of precise but never labored expression of thoughtlabored expression of thought

Age of JohnsonAge of Johnson

►A respect for the good judgment of A respect for the good judgment of ordinary people and for standards of ordinary people and for standards of taste and behavior independent of taste and behavior independent of social statussocial status

►Poets most tried to see and represent Poets most tried to see and represent naturenature, understood as the universal , understood as the universal and permanent elements in human and permanent elements in human experience. experience. 

THE ROMANTIC AGETHE ROMANTIC AGE1789-18371789-1837

►Romantic age stressed Romantic age stressed emotionemotion over over reason; subordination of reason to reason; subordination of reason to intuition and passionintuition and passion, the primacy , the primacy of the of the individualindividual willwill over social over social norms of behavior; the preference for norms of behavior; the preference for the the illusion of immediate illusion of immediate experienceexperience as opposed to as opposed to generalized and typical experience generalized and typical experience

►Theme: world of simple, natural things, Theme: world of simple, natural things, in the countryside or among people; in the countryside or among people; preference for ordinary, everyday preference for ordinary, everyday language (Wordsworth)language (Wordsworth)

►Bent on the strange, the exotic, the Bent on the strange, the exotic, the mysterious (Coleridge)mysterious (Coleridge)

Second generation of Romantic poets was Second generation of Romantic poets was revolutionary:revolutionary:

► Satirical spirit and sense of social realism (Byron)Satirical spirit and sense of social realism (Byron)► Shelley’s poetry expresses his 2 main ideas: Shelley’s poetry expresses his 2 main ideas:

1. external tyranny of rulers, customs or 1. external tyranny of rulers, customs or superstitions is the main enemysuperstitions is the main enemy

2. inherent human goodness will, sooner or later, 2. inherent human goodness will, sooner or later, eliminate evil from the world and usher in an eliminate evil from the world and usher in an eternal reign of transcendent loveeternal reign of transcendent love

► Keats’ poetry is a response to sensuous Keats’ poetry is a response to sensuous impressions, an awareness of immediate impressions, an awareness of immediate sensation sensation

THE VICTORIAN ERATHE VICTORIAN ERA1837-19011837-1901

►Notable poets were absorbed in social Notable poets were absorbed in social issues issues

►Tennyson’s poetry: problems of Tennyson’s poetry: problems of religious faith, social change and religious faith, social change and political powerpolitical power

►Browning’s poetry: intellectuality and Browning’s poetry: intellectuality and bracing harshnessbracing harshness

►Arnold’s poetry: sorrowful, disillusioned Arnold’s poetry: sorrowful, disillusioned pessimism over the human plight in pessimism over the human plight in rapidly changing timesrapidly changing times

2020thth century to the present century to the present

Two notable poets of the modern period Two notable poets of the modern period combined tradition and experiment:combined tradition and experiment:

►Yeats - more traditional; developed an Yeats - more traditional; developed an honest, profound and rich poetic idiom.honest, profound and rich poetic idiom.

►Eliot – expressed despair over the Eliot – expressed despair over the sterility of modern life through a mass sterility of modern life through a mass of symbolic associations with legendary of symbolic associations with legendary and historical eventsand historical events

Successive generations of poets:Successive generations of poets:►Used private or esoteric symbolism Used private or esoteric symbolism

(poetry was barely intelligible to any but (poetry was barely intelligible to any but a small group of readers)a small group of readers)

►Characterized by experimentalismCharacterized by experimentalism►The Movement: poets sought to appeal The Movement: poets sought to appeal

to the common reader with a to the common reader with a nonsentimental poetry of the everyday, nonsentimental poetry of the everyday, written in colloquial language written in colloquial language