Introduction to Poetry: Structure and Types

Definition and Types of Poetry

• Poetry is a type of literature that conveys a thought, describes a scene, or tells a story in a lyrical arrangement of words.
• Poems can be structured with rhyming lines and meter, the rhythm and emphasis of a line based on syllabic beats.
• The Greek verb poiesis means "the act of creation".

Lyric Poetry

• Lyric poetry is a short poem that expresses the speaker's personal emotions and feelings.
• Types of lyric poetry include:
  • Sonnet: a 14-line poem with a strict pattern of rhyme, derived from the Italian word "sonneto" meaning "little song".
  • Elegy: a poem that expresses lament and mourning for the dead, with a theme of death.
  • Ode: a poem of noble feeling, expressed with dignity and praise for people, objects, events, or ideas, with an exalted tone and formal structure.
  • Folksongs: short poems intended to be sung, with common themes of love, despair, grief, doubt, joy, and sorrow.
  • Psalms: songs praising God or the Virgin Mary, containing a philosophy of life.
  • Song: poems with 12 syllables (dodecasyllabic) and sung to the accompaniment of a guitar or banduria.
  • Corridos: poems with 8 syllables (octosyllabic) and recited to a martial beat.

Narrative Poetry

• Narrative poetry is a form of poetry used to tell a story, combining elements of storytelling, plot, setting, and characters.
• Types of narrative poetry include:
  • Epic: an extended narrative about heroic exploits often under supernatural control.
  • Metrical Tales: narratives written in verse, classified as ballads or metrical romances.
  • Ballads: poems that tell a story, usually in four-line stanzas (quatrains), with diverse rhyme schemes and meters.

Dramatic Poetry

• Dramatic poetry is written in verse and meant to be recited in public or acted out.
• Types of dramatic poetry include:
  • Comedy: a form of poetry that is light and written to amuse, often with a happy ending.
  • Melodrama: a form of poetry used in musical plays, arousing immediate and intense emotion, usually with a happy ending.
  • Tragedy: a form of poetry where the hero struggles against dynamic forces, often meeting death or ruin.
  • Farce: an exaggerated comedy that seeks to arouse mirth with laughable lines and ridiculous situations.
  • Social Poems: poetry that pictures life today, aiming to bring about changes in social conditions.
  • Dramatic Monologue: a combination of drama and poetry, presenting the speech of a single character in a complicated situation.
  • Soliloquy: a passage spoken by a character in a play, revealing their thoughts and emotions.
  • Oration: a formal address, elevated in tone, usually delivered on a notable occasion.
  • Character Sketch: a poem that presents the writer's observation and comments about a particular individual.