EN 1001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: John Donne, Epithalamium, Strophic Form
Document Summary
Earliest form of poetry is the long narrative: precursor to the novel, but in poetry. Share many features of fiction - plot, setting, conflict, etc. Only thing new about the novel is that it is written in prose and not in poetry. Poets begin to play with the form; bringing innovation to the genre. Narrative that is sung; going to have a very clear, almost unwavering metrical bass. A lot of early english ballads are strophic (in stanzas) and are very dark (about murder, adultery, suicide) usually warning against these things. Form a particular part of the anglo-celtic music, which becomes country and folk music. 9 times out of ten a love song. Levitin has a theory (author of this is your brain on music) I have you - love is a beautiful thing. I miss you or good riddance - it"s over. Ballad has a narrative, lyric does not. Comes from the italian sonnato, have a very specific form.
