Narrative Poetry
This lesson focuses only in narrative poetry, one of the genres of poetry. It will help students to identify the different sub-genres of narrative poetry. Most importantly it will help the students to appreciate and enjoy reading poems. Description
Objectives Define Narrative Poetry Identify the different sub-genres of narrative poetry Appreciate the sub-genres of narrative poetry Objectives
Narrative poetry comprises poems that tell a story in richly imaginative and rhythmical language. It has plot. Most commonly, the stories involve heroic events or are of cultural or national importance. Narrative Poetry
Subdivisions of Narrative Poetry Ballad is a short narrative poem which is often of folk origin. It has musical quality to it because it is intended to be sung. It consists of simple stanzas and usually has a refrain. The basic form for ballads is iambic heptameter (seven sets of unstressed and stressed syllables per line), In sets of four, with the second and fourth lines rhyming. Subdivisions of Narrative Poetry
Examples I’ll tell a tale, a thrilling tale of love beyond compare I knew a lad not long ago more gorgeous than any I’ve seen. And his eyes I found myself a falling in love with the swain. Oh, the glorious fellow I met by the ocean with eyes of deep-sea green. Lonnie Adrift Ballad
Epic is along narrative poem that deals with traditions, mythical or historical, of a nation. It is divided into distinct parts and episode that as whole celebrate the adventures and achievements of a hero. Epic
>Folk Epic- is one which was originally orally composed and without an identifiable author. Example of folk epic are Beowulf (Denmark and Sweden) and Epic of Gilgamesh (Ancient Mesopotamia) >Literary Epic- is one originally composed in a written form has an identifiable author. the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri and Paradise Lost of John Milton are examples of literary epics. Kinds of Epic
Metrical Romance is a narrative poem that tells about the stories of knights and religious pursuits. An example of this would be The Knight Tale. Metrical Romance
Idylls are either short narrative poem depicting a peaceful, idealized country scene, or long poems that tell a story about ancient heroes. It is a short poem about pastoral, rustic or rural country life. It may present a simple event or scene taking place in a pastoral setting. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love is an example of an Idyll. Idylls