Classical Poetry: A Brief Overview

Poetry is ancient. 

While scholars believe that the most ancient poem (“Hymn to the Death of Tammuz”) was written between 4,500 to 5,000 years ago, the oldest familiar example is the book of Job. Job is much, much newer, but it is still ancient by any standard. Scholars think it was written between 2,300 and 2,700 years ago. 

Nor is the book of Job the only ancient poetry familiar to us. Poetry abounds in the Old Testament.

 When Jacob blessed his sons, he addressed them in poetry. When Moses admonished the Israelites and bade them not to forget the Lord, he taught them a song. The Song of Solomon is considered to be the second oldest love song in the world, and the entire book of Psalms is dedicated to poetry!

All through the pages of the Old Testament, poetry has made its mark. Nor is it in the Old Testament alone. 

Throughout the history of the world, poetry was composed and recorded. Whether it was written with ink on parchment, inscribed with a stylus on brick, or passed down by word of mouth, it was and is a central part of many cultures.  

English poetry itself is as old as the English language. Long before prose became a revered and cultivated literary form, poetry was practiced. Some of our most ancient legends were recorded in poetry. Our rich cultural heritage began with poetry. 

Over the years, English poetry began to coalesce into familiar forms. Poets agreed on what were the most beautiful and effective literary devices. Together, these formed the foundation of what we consider to be classical poetry. 

The three primary devices used in poetry were meter, rhyme and alliteration. It is not clear when syllabic meter was first invented,  but suffice it to say it is very, very old. It was popular in Greek and Latin poems and was well-established before the English language even existed. 

Rhyme, however, was not prevalent in Greek and Latin poetry. It was more widely used in Asia--the oldest known rhyming poem was written in Chinese around 700 B.C. However, the oldest known English rhyming poem was written around 990 A.D.  (This poem, however, is not intelligible to modern-English speakers. Although English is estimated to be around 1,400 years old, it has changed much over the years.)

Alliteration has been widely used in Western poetry. Beowulf, one of the most famous of old English epics, relies heavily on alliteration. Alliteration has nonetheless had its ups and downs through the years, and has overall held a less prevalent place than meter and rhyme.

Most of what we consider to be classical poetry uses these three literary devices. Syllabic meter is the most popular, with rhyme coming in second. Alliteration is more dispensable. 

Shakespeare, Tennyson, Chaucer, Byron, Shelley, Spencer, the most famous of classical poets, all used meter, alliteration, and rhyme. They wrote at very different times and for different audiences, but their skill has been revered through the years, and their works are still read today. 

In modern days, however, these classical forms are used less and less. Free-style poetry has become popular. Although older poetry is much admired, few people write it. I lament this fact, and I hope that whether you are a poet yourself, an avid reader of classical poetry, this article will awaken your interest in classical poetry and encourage you to delve into it more deeply for yourself.

Photo credit to Taylor Flowe on Unsplash