Definition
The lyric is the commonest kind of poetry of self-expression. Man has always liked to pour out his intensely felt feelings and emotions, and hence the lyric is among the earliest forms of poetry to be written in the literary history of any people. When moved by some intense emotion, love, hatred, joy, sorrow, wonder, admiration, etc., man has always expressed himself in a poetic language, and this accounts for the early appearance of the lyric among all peoples.
In the beginning, the word ‘lyric’ was used for any song meant to be sung with the lyre, a stringed musical instrument known to the Greeks. In the course of time, this musical accompaniment of the lyric was dropped, and the word came to signify any short poem or song expressing the personal emotions and experiences of the poet.
A lyric may embody any kind of emotion. We have the convivial or bacchanalian lyric; The lyric which skims the lighter things of life, as in the so-called verse de Societe; the lyric of love in all its phases, and with all its attendant hopes and longings, joys and sorrows; the lyric of patriotism; of religious emotion; and countless other kinds of lyrics. There is also the reflective lyric in which the element of thought becomes prominent, and the poet philosophizes on human life and human experiences.
Characteristics of Lyric Poetry
The chief qualities of a good lyric are as follows:
1. It is a short poem, characterized by simplicity in language and treatment.
2. It deals with a single emotion which is generally stated in the first few lines. Then the poet gives us the thoughts suggested by that particular emotion. The last and concluding part is in the nature of a summary, or it embodies the conclusion reached by the poet. Such is the development of a lyric in general. In moments of intense emotional excitement, the poet may be carried away by his emotions and the lyric may develop along entirely different lines.
3. It is musical. Verbal music is an important element in its appeal and charm. Various devices are used by poets to enhance the music of their lyrics.
4. A lyric is always an expression of the moods and emotions of a poet. The best lyrics are emotional in tone; a poet may not express merely his emotions; he may also analyze them intellectually. This gives the lyric a hard intellectual tone. Such an intellectual analysis of emotion is an important characteristic of the metaphysical lyrics of the early 17th century. Such lyrics are also more elaborate than the ordinary lyric.
5. It is characterized by intensity and poignancy. The best lyrics are the expressions of intensely felt emotions. Like fire, the intensity of the poet’s emotion burns out the non-essentials; all attention is concentrated, and the basic emotion and the gain in poignancy are enormous. It comes directly out of the heart of the poet, and so goes directly to the heart of the readers. The lyric at its best is poignant, pathetic and intense,
6. Spontaneity is another important quality of a lyric. The lyric poet sings in strains of unpremeditated art. He sings effortlessly because he must, because of the inner urge for self-expression. Any conscious effort on his part makes the lyrics look unnatural and artificial.
Examples of Lyric Poetry in English Literature
One of the most familiar examples is William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, beginning with “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” In this sonnet, Shakespeare expresses his admiration for the beauty of the beloved and suggests that poetry can preserve that beauty beyond the passage of time. Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116, which is about the nature of true and enduring love, is another important example of lyrical expression.
The Romantic poets produced some of the finest examples of lyric poetry in English literature. William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” expresses the poet’s personal response to nature. The sight of the daffodils creates a lasting emotional impression that later brings him joy through memory. Similarly, “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey” presents Wordsworth’s reflections on nature, memory, childhood, and spiritual growth.
John Keats is another major poet associated with lyric poetry. His “Ode to a Nightingale” expresses his longing to escape from human suffering and mortality through imagination and the beauty of the nightingale’s song. His “Ode on a Grecian Urn” reflects upon beauty, art, time, and permanence. Although these poems are formally odes, they are also lyric poems because they primarily convey the poet’s personal thoughts, emotions, and reflections. P. B. Shelley’s “To a Skylark” similarly uses the song of a skylark as a source of poetic inspiration and explores the relationship between natural joy, human emotion, and artistic expression. His “Ode to the West Wind” is another famous example in which the poet connects the power of nature with his own hopes for change and renewal.
Lord Byron’s “She Walks in Beauty” is a short lyrical poem expressing admiration for a woman’s physical and spiritual beauty. John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” expresses the speaker’s feelings about separation from his beloved and presents an intellectually sophisticated conception of love. William Blake’s “The Tyger”, although more philosophical and symbolic, has a strong lyrical quality because it conveys the speaker’s sense of wonder and uncertainty about creation and the nature of the Creator.
Modern English poetry also contains many important examples of lyric poetry. W. B. Yeats’s “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” expresses the speaker’s longing for peace and escape from the noise of modern life. “When You Are Old” explores love, ageing, memory, and regret through a deeply personal voice. T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” presents the inner thoughts and anxieties of its speaker and therefore provides an important modern example of subjective and psychological lyricism. Christina Rossetti’s “Remember”, which deals with love, death, separation, and remembrance, is another notable example.
Also read: Definition of Syllables: Meaning, Types and Examples
