Poetry Throughout the Ages

This anthology is a published collection of poetry throughout the five major periods including- the Pre Elizabethan period, Elizabethan Period, Metaphysical Period, Romantic Period and the Victorian Period.

The Pre Elizabethan Period was first in Old English and then in Middle English. Old English was used after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries. The invaders from Germany who settled in England were called the Angles, the Saxon, and the Jutes. The names of these tribes come from the term Anglo Saxon. The most famous poetry from this period is Beowulf. Beowulf was written around 1000AD and be called a saga. At the time poems were performed and sung to audiences than were written or read out. This poem is about strange people and creatures with special powers. It tells a story of a hero and his adventures, noblemen and kings.

The Elizabethan Period began when Queen Elizabeth I became Queen of England. She had the throne for 45-years, which ended with her death in 1603. The Queen's tastes in fashion were high classed. Her love of music, drama, and poetry gave motivation and financial support to the England's greatest writers. When his father died when he was 18, and being the youngest son this left him penniless. He turned to the law and at 23 he was already in the House of Commons. Bacon saw himself as the inventor of a method which would encourage a light in nature.

The Metaphysical period began after James I took the throne. This period found many new developments in science including- optics, astronomy, sailing and navigation. Notable scientists like Newton and Galileo finding most of these scientific discoveries. Poets from this time used their knowledge of science to explain things they experience. One of the major poets is John Donne. He was born in London to a wealthy family. He was against the Catholic Church but allied with James I and his son Charles I with the Anglicans. He entered the priesthood life later and from then his poetry became more religious in nature. The Metaphysical period refers to things that are abstract like God, hatred, love, death. Poets from this time tried to explain the unexplainable by using scientific metaphors known as conceits. Donne is interesting because his poetry was first to do with love and then became about God as he got older.

Romantic poetry used simple language which described their everyday aspects of life and nature. They looked at poetry as a way of expressing their feelings. The poetry from the Romantics poets was creative and passionate. Most of the Romantic poets were nature-worshipping unbelievers.
This period was about Gothicism and the medieval period. At this time Orientalism was popular, with poets looking for motivation from the East. Dracula and Frankenstein were originated from this period. Many of the Romantic poets used opium. Byron was born in London and died in Greece. Most of the Romantic poets had scandals around them, particularly Byron. Byron's social life became scandal after scandal; one of the scandals was about how he had a child with his half sister. He was a comedian whose poetry and personality captured the imagination of Europe.

The Victorian Period was named after Queen Victoria and was quiet similar to the Romantic Period. At the time in England great changes were taking place including- the Industrial Revolution and Darwin's New Theory. Factories and Machinery were all in the making and religion and tradition were starting to fall in society. Victorian poems were normally in a form of dramatic monologue. Other Poets also wrote ballads from the medieval times. Browning was an extremely bright and a keen reader. He read through all fifty volumes of the Biographie Universelle. Browning learned Latin, Greek, French, and Italian by the time he was fourteen. He attended the University of London at the age of sixteen.

http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/rb/rbbio.html

http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/springfield/eliz/introelizperiod.html

http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/rb/rbov.html

http://www.shakespeare-oxford.com/baconpoe.htm

http://www.bartleby.com/101/600.html