Literary Forms

 LYRIC POETRY: AN INTRODUCTION

The word ‘lyric’ is derived from the Greek word lyre which is an instrument used

by the Greeks as an accompaniment to a poem. Poets who use lyrical form of

poetry exhibit particular temperaments and sentiments by means of words. Such

dispositions give out an array of emotions, from extreme to subtle, concerning

existence, love, death, or other such life experiences.

A poet writes lyric poetry with an aim to establish a direct contact with the

readers. Such kind of poetry expresses a poet’s sentiments as he or she expresses

his or her state of mind or emotions in it. Most of the lyrical poems are based on

sentimental and lofty themes which encourage readers to develop a deeper aspect

of looking at life. Readers of these poems are able to relate to the poems as they

are based on feelings and emotions and thus, these poems have a universal appeal

attached with them.

Characteristics of Lyric Poetry

The following are the main characteristics of lyric poetry:

 In lyric form of poetry, poets write short poems which are generally expressed

by one speaker, who articulates either his or her state of mind or thought

process of or emotions.

 Formerly, the lyric poetry was sung to the tune of a lyre. Lyric form of

poetry is known for its intense emotional content.

 Through such poems, the poet lets out his feelings such as happiness, grief

and wonder and so on. However, such intense emotions do not last for a

long period of time and which primarily may explain the fact that such poems

are of a short length.

 It is also known as an ‘untainted form of poetry’.

 Lyric poetry usually denotes a personal expression, which means that the

poet states his/her own feelings through it.

 It is also categorized as a formal type of poetry as it conveys to the reader

the poet’s personal emotions or frame of mind, usually vocalized in the first

person.

Construction of a Lyric Poem

A lyric poem is generally constructed in three parts which have been briefly

mentioned as follows:

1. The first part of the poem is the part in which the theme of the poem is

introduced. After analysing the first part, the reader is able to analyse and

form an idea of what he or she is going to witness in the preceding stanzas.

2. The second part of the poem dwells deeper upon the theme of the poem

which is introduced in the first part. The poet enlarges the theme and gives

the reader a better view of the basis of the poem.

3. The third part of a lyric poem reveals the climax of the theme and the poet

thus, draws his or idea to a conclusion.

Lyric poetry is marked with streaks of spontaneity which forms one of its

most important attributes. It is so because in such form not much of an effort is

required as it is an expression of his or her inner feelings.

History of Lyrical Poetry

Generally, lyric speakers are symbolized as poets who see themselves in a world

of loneliness. However, in dramatic lyrics, nevertheless, the speaker of a lyric

poem is denoted as speaking to another person in a particular condition or

circumstance. John Donne’s Canonization and William Wordsworth’s Tintern

Abbey are examples of such dramatic lyric poetry.

Although the lyric is spoken in first person, the ‘I’ in the poem does not

necessarily denote the poet of the poem. In some lyric poems, for example When

I consider how my light is spent a sonnet written by John Milton and Frost at

Midnight by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the mention of the known circumstances

of the poet’s life clarifies that the reader must give due attention to the personal

expression.

Even in personal lyrics such as these, however, both the character and

expression of the speaker may be solemnized and formed by the author in a way

that is favorable to the preferred creative influence. In many lyrics, the speaker is

a conventional period-figure, for example, the long-suffering suitor in the Petrarchan

sonnet or the courtly, witty lover of the Cavalier poems. Whereas in other kinds of

lyrics, the speaker might be an invented figure not much like the poet’s character

and circumstance.

The genre of lyric poetry understands a large variety of expressions. Some,

like Ben Jonson’s To the Memory of ... William Shakespeare and Walt Whitman’s

ode on the death of Abraham Lincoln, O Captain, My Captain are ceremonial

poems emphasizes on a communal expression. There are certain poems which

express personal feelings such as Shelley’s To Night, or Emily Dickinson’s

Wild Nights, Wild Nights.

Famous lyrical poets

Some of the renowned lyrical poets are as follows:

 Sappho: 630 BC – 580 BC

 Percy Bysshe Shelley: 1792 – 1822

 William Wordsworth: 1770 – 1850

 Pindar: 517 BC – 438 BC

Types of Lyric poetry

Poets use many types of lyrics while writing lyric poetry and a few of them have

been mentioned as follows:

 Elegy: An elegy is a sorrowful, gloomy or forlorn poem or song which

states sadness with regard to something lost or someone dead. Initially, it

used to be written based on a structure, where six foot and five foot lines

were used alternatively. However, modern lyric poets do not follow such a

pattern while framing elegies, but the mood of the poem nevertheless remains

unchanged.

 Ode: A lyric poem expressing intense feelings is called an ‘ode’. Feelings of

the heart for example; affection, admiration, or praise for a person or thing

are expressed in such form of poetry. Ode does not restrict itself to a structure

or an arrangement. Refrains or repeated lines are however, often used while

framing odes. This form of poetry is generally lengthy as compared to other

forms of lyrical poetry, and it is primarily focused on optimistic things in life.

 Sonnet: A sonnet is poem which is written in fourteen lines. This form of

lyrical poetry follows iambic pentameter with five pairs of accented and

unaccented syllables. A sonnet’s structure, having prearranged syllables and

rhyme scheme, makes it similar to a song.

 Dramatic Monologue: A dramatic monologue comprises theatrical

features; this means that the poem depicts a single speaker communicating

to the reader. Any other character usually does not have any dialogues in

such a monologue. It is the speaker who forms an important part in dramatic

monologue.

 Occasional Poetry: Poetry written for particular events for example

weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, victories, and dedications is known as

‘occasional poetry’. John Dryden’s Annus Mirabilis and Edmund Spencer’s

Epithalamion written are some examples of occasional poetry.