Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Two Poetry Movements


Renaissance
           
The Renaissance poetry movement occurred in Europe roughly from the 1400s to the 17th century. The whole movement was characterized by the idea of humanism. Humanism is a way of looking at society, literature, and life in general with humans, not the supernatural, at the core of importance. In this time the ‘Pagan’ and classical stories and cultures (Greece & Rome) were also being rediscovered and examined.
            This time period hosts many writers, artists, and other people. A few high-profile ones are: Shakespeare and Francesco Petrarch. Although the time period and artists are numerous, there are many things similar is a general way. For instance, rhyme and poem construction were explored and tested. Sonnets are an example of a form that rose to popularity within this time period.
 

Modernism
            From WWI to around WWII, the modernist poetry was in full bloom. The huge wars in the west were very rattling to many artists and society in general. The chaos that was perceived during the time is reflected in many author’s and poet’s writings.
            The modernist form is primarily non-traditional, meaning free verse and altered realities within the writings. These characteristics reflect the chaos that the authors thought the world was experiencing. Much of the writings deal with suffering, a lack of religion (for better or worse), and war. Some major poets and writers that have come to embody this time are: T.S. Eliot, Franz Kafka, Ezra Pound, Wilfred Owen, and William Carlos Williams.

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