Modern Poetry

4th stage
English Department 2023-2024
The Definition and Characteristics of Modern Poetry
(English poetry) is a literary tradition characterized by its poetic form using the
meter, rhyme, figurative language, and creative expression to convey emotions,
ideas, and experiences.

(The poetic language) is used to evoke emotion, paint vivid imagery, and
communicate complex ideas through structured and rhythmic arrangements of words.
It employs various techniques and forms to engage readers and listeners on both
intellectual and emotional levels.

(The works of modern poetry) are characterized by their innovative use of

language, their exploration of the human psyche, and their efforts to capture the
complexities of modern existence.

(Modern poetry) is marked by a significant departure from the Romantic and

Victorian traditions that preceded it. It embraced experimentation, fragmentation,
and a sense of disillusionment with the established order, reflecting the tumultuous
and rapidly changing world of the early 20th century.

(Elements of English Poetry)

1. Meter: It refers to the rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a

line of poetry. English poetry often utilizes various meters, such as iambic
pentameter (five pairs of alternating stressed and unstressed syllables per line), to
create a musical and structured quality.
2. Rhyme: It is the repetition of sounds, typically at the end of words or within lines
of poetry. Common rhyme schemes include AABB, ABAB, and ABCB, and rhyme
can contribute to the musicality and cohesion of a poem.
3. Stanza: It is a grouping of lines in a poem, similar to a paragraph in prose. The
arrangement of stanzas can vary widely, and different stanza structures can impact
the poem's meaning and rhythm.
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4. Figurative Language: English poetry frequently employs figurative language,

such as metaphors, similes, personification, and symbolism, to convey abstract ideas
or emotions vividly by comparing them to concrete images or experiences.
5. Imagery: Imagery involves the use of descriptive and sensory language to create
mental pictures or sensory experiences for the reader. Effective imagery can make a
poem more evocative and emotionally resonant.
6. Theme: The theme of a poem is its central idea or message. Poets often explore
themes related to love, nature, identity, mortality, and the human condition, among
others. Themes provide depth and coherence to a poem.
7. Tone: The tone of a poem reflects the poet's attitude or emotional stance toward
the subject matter. It can range from joyful and celebratory to somber and
melancholic, influencing the reader's emotional response.
8. Diction: It refers to the choice of words and vocabulary in a poem. Poets carefully
select words to convey precise meanings and create specific effects, whether through
formal language, slang, archaic terms, or other linguistic choices.
9. Alliteration and Assonance: Alliteration involves the repetition of initial
consonant sounds within lines or words, while assonance involves the repetition of
vowel sounds. These devices can enhance the musical quality of poetry.
10. Rhythm and Sound Devices: Poets use various sound devices, such as
onomatopoeia (words that imitate sounds), consonance (repetition of consonant
sounds), and cacophony (harsh or discordant sounds), to create auditory effects and
enhance meaning.
11. Poetic Forms: English poetry encompasses a wide range of poetic forms,
including sonnets, haikus, ballads, odes, and more. Each form has its own specific
rules and structures, influencing the poem's organization and style.

Common features often associated with modern poetry:

1. Free Verse: Modern poetry frequently abandons traditional rhyme and meter in
favor of free verse. Poets experiment with irregular rhythms, line breaks, and
sentence structures, allowing for greater flexibility and innovation in their work.
2. Fragmentation: Many modern poets use fragmented and disjointed language to
reflect the fragmented nature of contemporary life and consciousness. This
fragmentation can manifest in the form of abrupt shifts in tone, imagery, or syntax.
3. Symbolism and Imagery: Symbolism and vivid imagery are central to modern
poetry. Poets use evocative and often abstract images to convey complex emotions,
ideas, or experiences. These images may be open to multiple interpretations.
4. Ambiguity: Modern poetry often embraces ambiguity and open-endedness. Poets
may leave meanings unresolved, allowing readers to engage actively with the text
and interpret it in various ways.

5. Experimentation: Modern poets are known for their experimental approaches to

language and form. They may play with typography, use unconventional
punctuation, or incorporate multimedia elements into their poetry.
6. Themes of Alienation and Disillusionment: Many modern poems explore themes
of alienation, disillusionment, and a sense of fragmentation in the face of rapid
societal changes. This can reflect the upheavals of the modern era, including war,
industrialization, and urbanization.
7. Social and Political Critique: Modern poets often engage with social and
political issues, critiquing power structures, inequalities, and injustices. They may
use their poetry as a platform for activism and social change.
 8. Stream of Consciousness: modern poets employ a stream-of-consciousness
narrative style, allowing readers to glimpse the inner thoughts and feelings of the
speaker. This technique can create a sense of immediacy and intimacy.
9. Urban and Industrial Themes: With the rise of urbanization and industrialization
in the modern era, many poets explore the impact of these changes on human
experience. Urban and industrial settings often feature prominently in modern poetry.
10. Rejection of Romanticism: Modern poetry often rejects the idealized and
sentimental themes of Romantic poetry in favor of a more realistic and sometimes
cynical view of the world.
11. Cultural and Identity Exploration: Many modern poets explore questions of
cultural identity, heritage, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.
This exploration may involve drawing from various cultural traditions and voices.
12. Postmodern Playfulness: In later stages of modern poetry, particularly in
postmodernism, poets often engage in playful and self-reflexive writing. They may
challenge conventions, question authorship, and blur the lines between fiction and
reality.

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

The Characteristics of Thomas Hardy's poetry

Thomas Hardy was born in Dorset, England, in 1840. He is a novelist, poet, and short story
writer. He belongs to the Literary movement named Naturalism. He began his writing career
as a novelist but he won his fame as an English poet . The characteristics of his poetry are :

1- Hardy is a local or regional literary writer because , in his writing, he always talks
about his region , native homeland Wessex, Dorset, in the south of England, where he
grows up.

2- He was a pessimistic and melancholic poet which his poems reflect the tragic point of
view of life. Therefore he didn't find any relief in life and because of this his writings
end in tragedy and suffering.
 3- He is interested in the rural life , peasants ,woods, countryside, and natural
environment. He finds out that life of the countryside is better than the urban life.
Therefore, in his poems, he attacks those who leave their villages to go and live in the
city.

4- He mostly writes tragedies in which he pays attention to the unities of time, place, and
action. Therefore, fate and chance are very important elements in portraying the
characters and lead to their suffering. He gradually developed that disillusioned and
tragic view of life which reflect the cruelties of city life, disappointment in love, and
man's struggle hopelessly with life.

5- The romantic , Victorian ,and supernatural elements have a great influence upon
Hardy's poetry.

6- Hardy formed a highly technical original style, combining rhythms and colloquial
diction with an extraordinary variety of meters, delightful music, and stanza forms.

 An August Midnight(1901) by Thomas Hardy 1840 –1928


A shaded lamp and a waving blind,
And the beat of a clock from a distant floor:
On this scene enter—winged, horned, and spined—
A longlegs, a moth, and a dumbledore;
While 'mid my page there idly stands
A sleepy fly, that rubs its hands...

Thus meet we five, in this still place,

At this point of time, at this point in space.
—My guests besmear my new-penned line,
Or bang at the lamp and fall supine.
"God's humblest, they!" I muse. Yet why?
They know Earth-secrets that know not I.

Thomas Hardy (1840 – 1928)

Hardy was an English poet. His works are considered part of Victorian Realism and greatly
influenced by Romanticism. He was critical of Victorian society, especially on the declining
status of rural Britain.

‘An August Midnight’ (1901)

The poem shows the relationship established between men and nature to reflect Hardy's
interest in ‘natural history’’ The poem describes the meeting of a man with five insects.
However, the man and the insects are described as equals, generating empathy with these
small creatures. (winged, horned, and spined - A longlegs, a moth, and a dumbledore; a
sleepy fly)

(Structure and Poetic Form)

‘An August Midnight’ has two stanzas with six lines each:

The poem presents two dissimilar rhyme schemes:

the first stanza has an ABABC rhyme scheme and the second stanza has an AABBCC
rhyme scheme. Something similar occurs within the stanzas with the meter. For example, the
first line of the first stanza has iambic pentameter, whereas the second line has anapaests.
With this mixture of rhyme and meter, Hardy creates a particular and interesting rhythm that
consists of alteration rather than stability. This sporadic rhythm can be read as the movement
of insects.

Thomas Hardy's style in "An August Midnight

In "An August Midnight", Hardy's style combines these elements to create a sense of
enchantment, contemplation, and a deep connection with the natural world, which is
characteristic of his overall poetic style.

Imagery

In "An August Midnight," Hardy uses vivid and descriptive imagery to create a sensory
experience for the reader, describing the moonlit garden and the natural elements in detail
(the moonlight, the fragrance of flowers, and the glowing tree).

Metaphor and Symbolism

The poem uses metaphors and symbolism to convey deeper meanings and abstract concepts.
For example, the moonlight is described as a "glow-worm lamp," and the tree's glow is a
"star-shaped portal for the moon." These metaphors add depth and figurative meaning to the
descriptions.
Ambiguity and Wonder

Hardy often incorporates ambiguity and wonde to allow readers to engage with the text and
to convey a sense of awe and reverence for the beauty and mystery of the natural world. In
this poem, the ambiguity surrounding the nature of the glow and the presence in the garden
encourages contemplation.

Nature and Mysticism

Nature is a recurring theme in Hardy's work, and "An August Midnight" explores the
mystical and mysterious aspects of nature, suggesting a deeper, hidden world that exists
alongside the visible one.

The Man He Killed BY THOMAS HARDY

"Had he and I but met

By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!
"But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.

"I shot him dead because —

Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although

"He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,

Off-hand like — just as I —
Was out of work — had sold his traps —
No other reason why.
"Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown."

The Man He Killed

* The poem is written in the first person ( stand view-point of one of the soldiers).
* The poem focuses on the senselessness and futility of war where a man has killed another -
- quite simply for they were fighting on opposite sides in a war. The poet ironically
criticizes his tragic and dark outlook on life during the circumstances of war.
The Man He Killed

First Stanza The poem shows us how futile war is. The speaker says that if they had met in
an inn they would of shared many drinks. But since they met at war and shot each other
ending killing the other man. ( If met in other circumstances, they will enjoy drinking several
nipper = drinks)

Second Stanza They met as infantry ( food soldiers) on opposing sides in a battle. The two
men stared face to face ( strange looking). The friends will shot at each other, therefore, one
has to die. The speaker supposedly shots at his friend and kills him at once meanwhile the
other person (foe) wants to kill him.

Third Stanza The speaker then tried to find a reason to justify the killing but fails to find
one. That reflects the struggling to find a reason for killing the man. The repetition of the
word ' because' reflects the man's hesitation ( not convincing) . Eventually, he concludes that
he did that because it was his foe or enemy. He is still consciously that this reason in not
good enough and does not excuse him for what he did.

Fourth Stanza Once again the poet comments on the word of "war" is attractive and curious
one to describe the friends' meeting in a bar or help each other by lending money .

W. B. Yeats (1865-1939)
The poetry of W B Yeats -- an Irish Poet
1- W. B. Yeats can be considered a poet of vision. He is a moral poet. The
moral lesson is very important in his poems since his moral vision brings from
his religious viewpoints (mystic poet). Yeats is a mystic and symbolist
where verse ranges from pure romantic melody. In his poems, Mysticism
is a mixture of symbolism and occultism (belief in the supposed
supernatural). It comes as an influence of Islamic Sufism and Indian
mysticism. In his writing, Yeats searches for a mystical order to master
the whole world.
2- Yeats believes in power and art. He thinks that art and poetry can enable
the poet to create another reality, or a bitter reality in order to escape from
the difficulties of harsh life.
3- The language used in Yeats' poems is very interested, simple, and direct
language. And this is resulted from the romantic spirit in his poem.
However, his poetry reflects a valuation of form, meter, and rhythm.
4- Irish nationalism, Irish folklore, Irish Revolution, happiness, death, life,
the meaning of love, and the power of art—are the most important themes
in his poems.

"Sailing to Byzantium" BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

I 1
That is no country for old men. The young
In one another's arms, birds in the trees,
—Those dying generations—at their song, Yeats
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect.
II
An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but studying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.
III
O sages standing in God's holy fire
As in the gold mosaic of a wall,
Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,
And be the singing-masters of my soul.
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal
It knows not what it is; and gather me
Into the artifice of eternity.

IV
Once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing,
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make
Of hammered gold and gold enamelling
To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;
Or set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.
Sailing to Byzantium" is a poem by W.B. Yeats

-It explores themes of aging, mortality, and the quest for transcendence.
The speaker expresses a sense of weariness with the physical world and the
inevitable decline of the body with age. He sees the natural world as
insufficient for the needs of the soul.

-The speaker seeks a way to escape the limitations of the material world.
He imagines a journey to Byzantium as a metaphor for a spiritual or artistic
transformation, a departure from the constraints of mortality. Yeats emphasizes
the idea of creating lasting art as a means of transcending the limitations of the
physical body .

-Byzantium represents a place of timeless art and culture. The speaker

desires to be part of a world where art and intellect are revered, seeking a
spiritual rebirth in this idealized, transcendent realm.

-The poem contrasts the decaying natural world with the idea of a golden,
immortal realm of art. It reflects Yeats's belief in the transformative power of
artistic creation. The poem is a poignant exploration of the human condition,
the desire for immortality through artistic creation.

The poem is written in a traditional Poetic Form of poetry known as ottava

rima which is a stanzaic form, consisting of eight lines, typically written in
iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme is usually abababcc. This poetic form
contributes to the poem's musicality and rhythmic quality, aligning with the
elevated and contemplative tone of the speaker as he reflects on themes of
aging, art, and transcendence.

Symbolism and Imagery: Yeats employs rich and symbolic imagery

throughout the poem. Byzantium serves as a symbol of eternal art and culture,
while the "sages" and "dying generations" symbolize the transience of human
life.
 The Lake Isle of Innisfree
BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS 1
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made; Yeats
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core

- Poetic form : Quatrain Stanzas: The poem consists of three quatrains (four-
line stanzas), contributing to its concise and rhythmic structure. Yeats uses
clear and straightforward language, contributing to the accessibility of the
poem. This simplicity enhances the overall sense of yearning for a more
uncomplicated life. The poem is a lyric one. It is a twelve-line poem divided
into three stanzas, each stanza consists of four lines .It is an attempt to create an
Irish form of poetry with some indirect mysticism . It represents an emotional
and spiritual escape rather than an actual life or physical world. The poem
shows how simple use of language can achieve musical effects. The images are
a mixture of poetic description of a beautiful place of realistic to life images (
actual life).

- The poem reflects Yeats's longing for a simple, natural life away from the
hustle and bustle of urban existence. The isle of Innisfree represents a place of
tranquility and solitude.

- Yeats expresses a desire to escape the noise and stress of city life, seeking
refuge in the peaceful and idyllic surroundings of Innisfree.
- The poem celebrates a connection to nature, emphasizing the desire to live
in harmony with the natural world. This theme aligns with the broader literary
movement of the time, including elements of Romanticism.

The Meaning of the Poem

1st stanza
The speaker imagines building a small cottage, having beans and honey,
escaping from the life of London city, and living alone in a solitary life in the
island of Innisfree (indirect mystical journey)

2nd Stanza
The speaker suggests to find the peace among the natural imagery
environment there, living a delightful climate life of the morning and noon
times with the listening to song-bird and insects. (Beautiful places and
wonderful light and colour)

3rd Stanza
The speaker celebrates the imaginary private place, comparing between
urban and rural life, claiming that he was the only one who can hear the sound
of beautiful lake water as it is the deep heart's core for his sense.
 Walt Whitman (1819-1892)
Walt Whitman 1819- 1892 American Poet
Whitman's poetry was collected in the "Leaves of Grass" which was first
published in 1855, and lastly revised in 1892.
His innovations
Whitman looked for a new poetry that would include all the human experiences for
the people in the new century. Therefore, he created his own poetic diction marked
by:
1- Far-ranging in subject matter, images, and symbols
2- Bold in language both highly rhetoric and by the familiar usages of speech (including slang,
coined words, and foreign borrowing). That will add the freshness and vigor + serve to
celebrate all the fields of life.
3- Rejection of rhyme and traditional stanzaic forms of his time.
He believes that the poetic quality is not marshaled in rhyme or uniformity, but gives the free
growth of material laws (to prevent the obstruction between the reader and the poet).
Instead of regular rhyme, Whitman substituted the verbal effects of oratory. He turned to
rhetorical devices such as repetition and parallelism in forming his new free verse in a widely
varying length.
2
When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
BY WALT WHITMAN
Whitman
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the
lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
Walt Whitman -- When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" is a brilliant example of Whitman's poem. It
is about romanticism, nature, and astronomy. It imagines an escape from a restricted
lecture room to the glory of the night sky. The poem contrasts the limited scientific
process with a personal and romantic interaction with the stars. A visionary poem
contains a broad and transcendental vision into a short romantic poem. The poet's
style serves as a contrast to the precise mathematical language of the learned
astronomer and his scientific lecture. It relates to the poet's desire to stress a common
and personal understanding of nature.
The poem explanation
In this poem, the speaker listens to an educated scientist. The speaker spelled out in
such different internal rhyme as an attempt to capture the way people actually spoke
instead of a high prose style. There is a distance between the speaker of the poem and
the educated astronomer to whom he is listening. That suggests that the speaker uses a
different or lower style of expression from the learned scientist.
The poem then presents materials related to astronomy and asked to manipulate
mathematical equations, is full of mathematical diction, or word choice such as
"proofs" and "figures".
It dramatizes the difference between a scientific knowledge of the cosmos and a
direct human experience of the stars. Whitman notices an essential difference
between intellectual knowledge of a subject and the sensory/emotive experience of it.
The first way of knowing (represented by the astronomer) excludes emotion, the
second (embodied in the speaker) invites it. The intellectualized experience of life
marks and organizes life into these scientific fields. And it affects the speaker
somatically: he is sick and tired of it. He isolated as an individual consciousness
confronting the object of the astronomer's lecture .

Theme of Romanticism and the Scientific Process

The particular strand of romanticism and transcendentalism that Whitman invokes in
"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" can be seen in poem's contrast between the
value of the sensory imagination and the logical method of the scientific process in
their approaches to the natural world.
The first stanza concentrates on the mathematical logic of the scientific process, and
the poem details the breakdown of data from the real world as it is arranged and
ordered by science.
Form of the poem
The poem uses a line length and poetic form in order to demonstrate its meaning, e.g,
the first stanza become increasingly longer to convey long and inelegant meaning. On
the contrary, the last stanza of the poem is in iambic pentameter, a traditional meter.
This stylistic technique may be a method of underscoring Whitman's theme of the
value of interacting with nature as a categorical scientist or as an independent and
creative observer.