Poetry Definition and Form

Study Notes

Poetry Definition and Forms

Poetry is a piece of verse writing that expresses feelings and ideas in a rhythmic way.
According to Wordsworth, poetry is "The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility."
According to Emily Dickinson, poetry is "If I read a book and it makes my body so cold no fire ever can warm me, I know that is poetry;"

Poetry Structure

A line is a group of words grouped together on one line of a poem.
A stanza is a group of lines arranged together.
Types of stanza include:
- Couplet (two-line stanza)
- Tercet (three-line stanza)
- Quatrain (four-line stanza)
- Quintet (five-line stanza)
- Sestet (six-line stanza)
- Septet (seven-line stanza)
- Octave (eight-line stanza)

Genres of Poetry

Epic poetry
Elegy
Narrative poetry
Prose poetry
Lyric poetry: a short poem that expresses the speaker's personal emotions and feelings, often with songlike qualities.

Forms of Poetry

Petrarchan Sonnet/Italian Sonnet: a 14-line poem divided into two parts (octave and sestet) with a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDECDE.
English Sonnet or Shakespearean Sonnet: a 14-line poem divided into four parts (three quatrains and a couplet) with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
Ballad: a narrative poem that tells a story and is meant to be sung like a song.

Poetic Terms

Symbol: a representation of an idea or concept that can have different meanings throughout a literary work.
Figures of Speech:
- Metaphor: a comparison between two things without using "like" or "as."
- Simile: a comparison between two things using "like" or "as."
- Verbal Irony: a speaker says one thing but means another, resulting in an ironic clash between their intended meaning and their literal meaning.
- Dramatic Irony: a situation where the reader or audience knows something that the characters do not.
- Satire: a form or style that uses elements of irony, ridicule, exaggeration, understatement, sarcasm, humor, or absurdity to criticize human behavior or a society.
Allegory: a simple story that represents a larger point about society or human nature.

Description

Test your understanding of poetry with this quiz! Learn about the definition of poetry, its forms, and how poets like Wordsworth and Emily Dickinson describe it. Explore the world of rhythmic verse and powerful feelings.