An Introduction of English Peotry

Give the brief survey of English poetry.

 ✅      Ans.    Modern English poetry is about six hundred year old. it can be conveniently discussed under the following heads.

1. Age of Chaucer.  

An Introduction of English Poetry

 2. The Elizabethans Age.

3. The Puritan Period.

4.Restoration Period.

5.The Classical Period.                                        

6. The Romantic Revival.

7.The Victorian Age.

8.The Twentieth Century.

Below is attempted a brief estimate of all these periods.

1.       Age of Chaucer (1350- 1400):

Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) has rightly been called the Father of modern  English poetry.

He was many side genius. He know both town and court, peace and war, business and diplomacy, at first hand.

He was influenced at once by the French and Italian poetic tradition.

He adopted an eleven – syllable lines, as his favourite verse – from the Italian poet Boccaccio.

He wrote parliament novel I verse know as Troilus and Criseyde.

This poem consist of five books and is a master –price of construction.

Chaucer most enduring work is however. The Canterbury  Tales. The poem is the finest narrative in English literature, abounding as it does in story- interest, human and characterization.

Another great poet belonging to the Age of Chaucer was William Langland (1300-1400). He wrote a remarkable epic named “ The Vision of The Piers Plowman”.

This poem depicts the corruption the poor.

The Age 0f Chaucer is notable for the development of the popular balled, metrical romance, dream allegories and satire.

2.       The Elizabethan Age:

Broadly speaking the period (1580-1620) A.D may be regard as the Elizabethan Age .

It is one of the greatest period in English literature history.

Its two man characteristics were.

(A)   Growth of Nationalism.

(B)   The Influence of Renaissance learning.

(Both these tendencies are reflected in Contemporary literature. Amongst the foreign influences, Italian, French and Spanish  stand out.)    

New verse forms like the ” sonnet” and “ “Blank Verse “ were introduced and experimented with. Pros was greatly improved by the scholar influences of the early part 0of the sixteen century.

In poetry songs, pastoral poems, and sonnet were extremely popular. Spencer was easily the greatest Elizabethan poet. His Shep0herd ‘s and Shakespeare published (1579) was a notable landmark. Sidney, Spencer and Shakespeare published their series of sonnets.

Spencer ‘s Amoretti celebrating the wooing of Elizabethan boyle was published in 1559.

His master piece Faerie Queen was written during 1589-01596.

The Elizabethan Age was primarily the Age of drama. Shakespeare wrote all his famous  drama between 1591-and 1611 Among his predecessors and successors may be mentioned the name of Marlowe, Webster, Beaumont and Fletcher.

The Authorized Version of the Bible was completed in 1677.

The general tend of Elizabethan literature was “Romantic “ display of imagery and emotion were two marked traits of poetic diction.

3.       The Puritan Period

The period covers the years (1625-1660). The one great poet of this period was john Milton.

This age was characterized by the a reaction against earlier Elizabethan extravagant and imaginative enthusiasm. The poetic pendulum swung sober intellectuality and controlled emotion. Milton perfected blank verse as an instrument of poetic expression. “Relaxing in vigour, , this period was one of the gradual transitions from the exuberant gaiety and imaginative freedom of the Elizabethan to that of artificial cheer, philosophic melancholy, and puritan sobriety”..

A characteristic feature of this age was that Puritans closed theatres in 1642.

4.       Restoration Period

The period extend over the years 1660-1700. The greatest poet of the time was John Dryden.

Poetry in this period was marked by intellectual  vigour wit and polish.

Blank verse was replaced by the heroic couplet. Poetry was dominated by classic traits – balance exactness, police.

It lacked emotion and high imagination; and it was largely didactic (moralistic) or satirical intention. The ode was a favorite form.

Dryden’s two famous odes “Alexander’s Feast” and song for st . Cecilia’s Day were written during this period. Dryden also wrote his great political satire in verse – “Achitophel.”

Theatres which had been closed in 1642, re- opened in 1660.

Drama was distinguished by French and classical tastes. Heroic drama in couplets and prose comedy of manners were favorite dramatic forms.

5.       The Classical Period

The classical period covered the years 1700- 1750. The greatest poet of the period was Alexander  Pope. Classicism dominated English poetry almost thought  the greatest part of eighteen century, main characteristic of classicism were as follows;

A.      “Reason and comma sense “ were preferred to “emotion and imagination.”

B.      “Nature and supernaturalism” were seldom or never treated in poetry.

C.      Much verse was poetry if the town rather than that of the country side.

D.      Heroic couplet was the chief measure in which poetry was written.

E.       Poetry was largely satirical or didactic in intention .

F.       Diction and imagery were conventional.

G.     Poetry abide by ruled which practiced by the age of Dryden and the contemporary French poetic .

H.      Metrical regular was strictly adhered to.

I.        Epigammatic quality and didactic spirit were widely cultivate by poets.

J.        Elizabethan quality of rhetoric, eloquence, conceits and bombast were discharged ( given up) in their place classical qualities of balance, exactness and polish were encouraged.

6.       Romantic Revival :

The period is spread over the years 1798- 1832.

It was preceded by a period of transition (1750-1798). During the period of transition, poets revolted against the classicism of Pope. Interest in Spencer, Shakespeare and Milton was revived.

Instead of heroic couplet different metrical form like the blank verse, the Spenserian stanza, the romantic couplet were used , Lyrics and popular ballads were re- introduced into poetry.

Increased interest was shown in romantic themes like the past, nature and Poor.

The poet belonging to this period were Collins, Gray Black and Burn. They may be regarded as heralds as Romantic revival.

The romantic revival so called because romantic qualities which were suppressed by the age of Pope , were revived during this period, it dates from 1798 when “Lyrical Ballads” By Wordsworth and Coleridge was published.

The main characteristic of Romantic revival.

A.      Emotion and imagination were once again preferred to reason and common sense.

B.      “Individualism” as opposed to obedience to authority was revived. The poet was not bound to follow “ Ancient “ or fixed rules” he was free to write as he pleased.

C.      Interest in Nature was revived .

D.      Supernaturalism was treated in poetry .

E.       Interest I the past the middle ages, was marked features of romantic revived.

F.       Interest In Greek art, Myth and literature was another characteristic feature .

G.     Lyricism was revived with a vengeance.

H.      New verse forms like the blank verse, the Spenserian stanza, the romantic couplet the stanza  rima etc were used .

7.        The Victorian Age

The period between years 1852-1870 as know as the Victorian age .

Romantic rather than classic spirits prevailed during this period.  “It was however modified to reflect current attitudes in science, religion politics ad philosophy.”

The two great poet of the period were Tennyson and Browining.

Poetry of this period was romantic in so far as :

A.      It was dominated by imaginative and emotional  elements.

B.      It experimented with new verse forms.

C.      It was dedicated to the worship of beauty.

The Victorian period different from the poetry of Romantic revived In three important respects:

1.       It was more intellectual in tone.

2.       It treated serious problems of society.

3.       It evinced higher degree if techincial perfection.

The Lyric remaind a favorite from during this period. Robert Browining developed a new type of lyric know as the” dramatic monologue.”

8.       Twentieth Century(1900-1940):

“ The period is a whole is marked by two great influences the shock brought by the war and developed of science.”

The period open with Edwardian poets chief among whom were Robert Bridges and Rudyard Kipling.

Both of these continued the traditional of Victorian poetry.

About a  few years before the first Great World War, a new movements set in English Poetry.

Poetry become more realistic and modern. Poets like Repert Brook and Givson broke with the Victorian traditions and struck a new note in English Poetry. A little later still s newer trend invaded poetry a movement named as the “imagist movements. “  was inaugurated by Richard Aldington.

New experiments were tried I English verse. Poetry become now more metaphysical and intellectual.

The most representative poet of modern poetry is however T.S Eliot, who was recently awarded the noble prize of Literature.

His master price is the best land.  The outstanding qualities of the verse are realism vigour, force and concreteness.  Among other poet of the twentieth century may be mentioned G.M.  Hopkins Ezra Pound , W.H Auden C.D Lewis ans Spender.