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Definition of lyricin English:

LyricLine breaks: lyric

Pronunciation:/lrk

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ADJECTIVE

1(Of poetry) expressing the writers emotions, usually briefly and in stanzas or recognized forms:lyric poems of extraordinary beauty

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1.1Denoting a writer of lyric poetry:the lyric poets of Ancient Greece

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2(Of a singing voice) using a light register:a lyric soprano with a light, clear timbre

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NOUN

(usually lyrics)Back to top

1A lyric poem or verse:an edition of Horaces Lyrics

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1.1[MASS NOUN]Lyric poetry as a literary genre:stylistic categories fundamental to literary aestheticsepic, lyric, drama, comedy, tragedy

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2The words of a popular song:she has published both music and lyrics for a number of songs

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Origin

Late 16th century: from French lyriqueor Latin lyricus, from Greek lurikos, from lura'lyre'.

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Types of Poetry

When studying poetry, it is useful first of all to consider the themeand the overalldevelopmentof thethemein the poem. Obviously, the sortof development that takes place depends to a considerable extent on the type of poem one is dealing with. It is useful to keep two generaldistinctions in mind (for more detailed definitions consult Abrams 1999 and Preminger et al 1993): lyric poetry and narrative poetry.

Lyric Poetry

A lyric poemis a comparatively short, non-narrative poem in which a single speaker presents a state of mind or an emotional state. Lyric poetryretains some of the elements of song which is said to be its origin: For Greek writers the lyric was a song accompanied by the lyre.

Subcategories of the lyric are, for example elegy, ode, sonnet and dramatic monologue and most occasional poetry:

In modern usage, elegy is a formal lament for the death of a particular person (for exampleTennysonsIn Memoriam A.H.H.). More broadlydefined, the term elegy is also used for solemn meditations, often on questions of death, such asGray'sElegy Written in a Country Churchyard.

An odeis a long lyric poem with a serious subject written in an elevated style. Famous examples are WordsworthsHymn to Duty orKeatsOdeto a Grecian Urn.

The sonnetwas originally a love poem which dealt with the lovers sufferings and hopes. It originated in Italy and became popular in England inthe Renaissance, whenThomas Wyattand theEarl of Surreytranslated and imitated the sonnets written byPetrarch(Petrarchan sonnet).From the seventeenth century onwards the sonnet was also used for other topics than love, for instance for religious experience(byDonneandMilton), reflections on art (byKeatsorShelley)or even the war experience (byBrookeorOwen). The sonnet uses a single stanza

of (usually) fourteen lines and an intricate rhyme pattern (seestanza forms). Many poets wrote a series of sonnets linked by the same theme, so-called sonnet cycles(for instance Petrarch,Spenser, Shakespeare,Drayton, Barret-Browning, Meredith) which depict the various stages of alove relationship.

In a dramatic monologuea speaker, who is explicitly someone other than the author, makes a speech to a silent auditor in a specific situationand at a critical moment. Without intending to do so, the speaker reveals aspects of his temperament and character. In Browning'sMy Last

Duchessfor instance, the Duke shows the picture of his last wife to the emissary from his prospective new wife and reveals his excessive pride inhis position and his jealous temperament.

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Occasional poetryis written for a specific occasion: a wedding (then it is called an epithalamion, for instanceSpensersEpithalamion), thereturn of a king from exile (for instanceDrydensAnnus Mirabilis) or a death (for exampleMiltonsLycidas), etc.

Narrative Poetry

Narrative poetrygives a verbal representation, in verse, of a sequence of connected events, it propels characters through a plot. It is alwaystold by a narrator. Narrative poems might tell of a love story (likeTennyson'sMaud), the story of a father and son (likeWordsworth'sMichael) orthe deeds of a hero or heroine (likeWalter Scott'sLay of the Last Minstrel).

Sub-categories of narrative poetry:

Epicsusually operate on a large scale, both in length and topic, such as the founding of a nation (VirgilsAeneid) or the beginning of worldhistory (Milton'sParadise Lost), they tend to use an elevated style of language and supernatural beings take part in the action.

The mock-epicmakes use of epic conventions, like the elevated style and the assumption that the topic is of great importance, to deal withcompletely insignificant occurrences. A famous example isPope's The Rape of the Lock, which tells the story of a young beauty whose suitorsecretly cuts off a lock of her hair.

Aballadis a song, originally transmitted orally, which tells a story. It is an important form of folk poetry which was adapted for literary usesfrom the sixteenth century onwards. The ballad stanza is usually a four-line stanza, alternating tetrameter and trimeter.

Descriptive and Didactic Poetry

Both lyric and narrative poetry can contain lengthy and detailed descriptions (descriptive poetry) or scenes in direct speech (dramaticpoetry).

The purpose of a didactic poemis primarily to teach something. This can take the form of very specific instructions, such as how to catch a fish,as inJames ThomsonsThe Seasons(Spring379-442) or how to write good poetry as in Alexander PopesEssay on Criticism. But it can also be

meant as instructive in a general way. Until the twentieth century all literature was expected to have a didactic purpose in a general sense, that is,to impart moral, theoretical or even practical knowledge;Horacefamously demanded that poetry should combine prodesse(learning)anddelectare(pleasure). The twentieth century was more reluctant to proclaim literature openly as a teaching tool.

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Lyric PoetryDefinition of Lyric Poetry

How do you define Lyric Poetry? What is the definition of Lyric Poetry?

The definition of Lyric Poetry is as follows:

Definition of Lyric Poetry

Lyric Poetry consists of a poem, such as a sonnet or an ode, that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. The term lyric is now commonly

referred to as the words to a song. Lyric poetry does not tell a story which portrays characters and actions. The lyric poet addresses the reader

directly, portraying his or her own feeling, state of mind, and perceptions.

Example of Lyric PoetryThere are many examples of different types of poetry. An example of Lyric Poetry can be found in the poetic work of zzzz.

Example of Lyric Poetry

Dying

(aka I heard a fly buzz when I died )

byEmily Dickinson

I heard a fly buzz when I died;The stillness round my form

Was like the stillness in the airBetween the heaves of storm.

Click the following link for the full version ofDying

http://www.poeticterminology.net/dying.htmhttp://www.poeticterminology.net/dying.htmhttp://www.poeticterminology.net/dying.htmhttp://www.poeticterminology.net/dying.htm

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Forms of Poetry and Literary TermsHow do you define a couplet or a Falling Meter? And what exactly is an Iambic pentameter? We have provided a definition of poetry and literary terms together with themeaning and examples, such as the above definition of Lyric Poetry. A helpful educational resource for those taking an English test or a University student studyingEnglish and American Literature. Each definition, such as the above definition and example of Lyric Poetry will provide a glossary of literary terms or a dictionary with themeaning, samples, examples and the rules of specialising in each different type of poem and poetry.An example of Lyric Poetry.

Definition of PoetryPoetry is piece of literature written by a poet in meter or verse expressing various emotions which are expressed by the use of variety of techniques including metaphors,similes and onomatopoeia. The emphasis on the aesthetics of language and the use of techniques such as repetition, meter and rhyme are what are commonly used todistinguish poetry from prose. Poems often make heavy use of imagery and word association to quickly convey emotions. An example of Lyric Poetry is detailed above.

Structure of PoetryThe structure used in poems varies with different types of poetry and can be seen in the above example o f Lyric Poetry. The structural elements include the line, couplet,strophe and stanza. Poets combine the use of language and a specific structure to create imaginative and expressive work. The structure used in some Poetry types arealso used when considering the visual effect of a finished poem. The structure of many types of poetry result in groups of lines on the page which enhance the poem'scomposition. An example of Lyric Poetry.