Features of Narrative Poetry

Subject Matter Mysterious (sometimes connected with the supernatural Romantic Emotional

Story Plot The plot of a narrative poem may contain some or all of the following narrative features: Opening Rising action – build up Conflict or complication Crisis or climax Ending or resolution

Types of Conflict Character versus character – Two or more characters are at odds. For example, a detective trying to hunt down a serial killer. Character versus society– The character is, for some reason, frowned on by society or those in power. For example, a poor boy falling in love with a rich girl is in conflict with society’s unspoken rules. Character versus nature – The character must fight against natural forces to survive. For example, a plane crashes in a remote area and two survivors of wreck build raft and fight against a raging river to get back to civilization. Character versus self –This type of conflict takes place in a character’s own heart and mind as they try to decide what to do about a problem or situation. For example, a boy whose father is pushing him to take sports would rather take piano lessons, but he cannot bring himself to tell his father. This is always internal conflict.

Powerful Imagery Images: Some poems create strong pictures or images in the mind because the words and description used have other associations Simile: The poet describes something by comparing it to something else, using the words like or as Metaphor: The poet describes something by saying it is something else, or has the qualities of something else Personification: A type of metaphor when the poet describes something as if it were human or has human qualities

Sound Devices (add to imagery) Alliteration: Similar consonants in words that close together to produce a sound effect that adds to the picture or image the poet is creating Sibilance: A particular kind of alliteration, using the repetition of sibilants (‘s’, ‘z’, and ‘sh’) Assonance: Similar vowel sounds in words that are close together to produce a coherent pattern of sound – the vowel equivalent of alliteration. Onomatopoeia: Words whose sound echoes the sense they are conveying. This adds to the picture or image that the poet is trying to create