19th Century British Poetry

There are basically three types or forms of poetry; i.e. Lyrical Poetry, Narrative Poetry and Dramatic Poetry.

Lyrical Poetry

"Lyric", derives from the word "lyre" which is a type of stringed instrument. It therefore refers to music. Lyrical Poetry used to be sung. They tend to be relatively short and often convey the feelings and thoughts of a single speaker.

William Wordsworth's poem, "Daffodils", is an example of a Lyrical Poem. In the YouTube-video below, a rapper performs an adapted version of Wordsworth's "Daffodils".



Narrative Poetry

You should know two types of narrative poetry; the first is the epic. An epic is a type of story. Epic Poetry are basically "storrytelling poems". They tend to be quite long, often several hundred lines and are often divided into several sections.

Another type of narrative poetry is the ballad. A ballad also tells a story, but is similar to Lyrical Poetry, in that it also used to be sung. Lord Alfred Tennyson's "The Lady of Shallot" is an example of a ballad. In the YouTube-video below, Loreena McKennit performs this poem in a Celtic style.



Dramatic Poetry

Dramatic Poetry is poetry that includes drama, i.e. it is theatrical. This means that it can be performed like a play. Sometimes there are many "characters" that are in dialogue. If only one "character" is speaking, it is called a monologue.

Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" is an example of Dramatic Poetry. In the YouTube-video, Vincent Price recites "The Raven". Note the dramatized style.