Poetry from the 16th to 19th century

The 16^th century corresponds to the development of poetry since the reign of Elizabeth I marked a new interest for poetry and the arts. Thus, one of the main themes was the courtly world which was idealised, as in EDMUND SPENSER’s The Faerie Queene, a praise to the Queen. In Shepheardes Calender, Spenser introduces a classical pastoral aimed at an aristocratic audience.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564 – 1616) introduced significant changes to Petrarch’s sonnet and he was prolific as he wrote a collection of 154 sonnets dealing with love, beauty, the passing of time and mortality.

JOHN DONNE (1572 – 1631) was representative of the metaphysical poets using literary devices such as the paradox and the oxymoron to express his fears and anxieties to speak of a world shaken by modern discoveries of geography and science.

JOHN MILTON (1608 – 1674), studied to become a clergyman but he began early to read and write poetry in Latin, Italian and English. In 1637 he composed Lycidas, a great pastoral elegy expressing his Christian faith. His most celebrated work, the epic entitled Paradise Lost was published in 1667, describing the revolt of Satan against God. It was followed by Paradise regained, a more hopeful view of life.

As far as the romantic poets are concerned, we shall retain several names among which are WILLIAM BLAKE (1757 – 1827); his poetry was marked with mysticism and emotions through lofty imagination as he described the world around him.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH (1770 – 1850) had a strong affinity with nature, he looked for solace in the grandeur and beauty of his environment. In his poems, he illustrated the mystic relations between man and nature.

S. T. COLERIDGE (1772 – 1834) was a key figure in the Romantic Movement, he wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan; he was addicted to opium.

LORD BYRON (1782 – 1824): his characters were often rebellious and non conformist. He wrote Don Juan (an epic) and Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage (a lengthy narrative poem). In the latter, the main character, who devotes his life to pleasure, decides to go on a pilgrimage to foreign countries.

P. B. SHELLEY (1792 – 1822) was a gifted poet who used his skills to defend causes. His desire for social and political reform is often the main theme of his numerous pamphlets.

A praise : un éloge
Device : technique
Shaken : bouleversé
Faith : la foi
Lofty : noble
Solace : réconfort
A pilgrimage : un pèlerinage
Gifted : talentueux