Introduction to poetry by historical perspective

Poetry has been a significant part of human culture for thousands of years. From the ancient epics of
Homer to the sonnets of Shakespeare, poetry has been used to express a wide range of human emotions
and experiences. Here’s a brief introduction to poetry from a historical perspective:

Ancient Times
The earliest poetry is believed to have been recited or sung as a way of remembering oral
history, genealogy, and law. Poetry is often closely related to musical traditions, and the
earliest poetry exists in the form of hymns, such as the work of Sumerian priestess
Enheduanna), and various chants. In ancient Greece, lyric poetry was set to musical
accompaniment, and the style was a predecessor to song. As such, poetry in different cultures
evolved in different ways, with different languages, making it difficult to trace the exact
history.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages saw great change in the form and content of poetry. The Norman conquest
of England, in particular, brought Anglo-Saxon and French styles together to create a rich
tapestry of poetic forms. Meanwhile, in the Islamic world, poetry became highly developed in
the form of ghazals and other forms, which were used to express both spiritual and earthly
love. In China, poetry became a highly respected art form during the Tang Dynasty.
Renaissance
The Renaissance brought a new intensity to the study of poetry. In Italy, the sonnet form was
refined by Petrarch, while in England, Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey,
introduced the form, where it was further developed by Shakespeare. The Renaissance also
saw the development of new poetic forms, including the Spenserian stanza and the heroic
couplet.
Romantic Period
The Romantic period was a reaction against the Industrial Revolution and the aristocratic
social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment. It was a time when poets turned to
nature, the supernatural, and the power of the individual. English poets such as Wordsworth,
Coleridge, Shelley, Blake, and Keats, and American poets like Walt Whitman and Emily
Dickinson, are often associated with Romanticism.
Modern and Postmodern Periods
The modern and postmodern periods were times of great experimentation in poetry. Poets
like T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Robert Frost, and Wallace Stevens were writing in an
increasingly fragmented world. Free verse became more common, and there was a shift
towards irony and ambiguity. In the postmodern period, the use of increasingly fragmented
language and complex allusions predominated.
This is a broad overview of the history of poetry, and there are many more movements,
periods, and styles to explore. The beauty of poetry is that it continues to evolve, and each
new generation brings its own contributions to the art form.