MODERN POETRY
THE GEORGIAN POETS
Poetry preceding the First World War was characterised by the distinction
between the avantgarde groups and poets influenced by the Victorian Romantic
tradition (Georgian poets). Georgian poets expressed sympathy for countryside
and idyllic place. They remained indifferent to the revolution in sensibility and
technique introduced by the Symbolists.
THE WAR POETS
They wrote in an anti-rhetorical way and used an everyday language. In their
poems talk about the horrors of the war.
IMAGISM
A movement flourished between 1912 and 1917. The name “imagist” was
invented by the American poet Ezra Pound. The founder of the movement was
Hulme. The main principles of Imagism were to be found in the volume
Speculations: free choice of any subject matter; short poems; no moral comments;
use of hard, clear, and precise images; use of a rhythm freed from metrical
regularity; The aim of poetry was to achieve precision (objectivity).
SYMBOLISM
This movement was born in France with Baudelaire. The style of the symbolist
poets was marked by indirect statements; evocative language (and images); the
importance given to the sound of works; quotations from others works; the use of
free verse; the possibility for the readers to attribute their own meaning to the
poem. Eliot in his essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent” said “Poetry is not
expression of personality but an escape from it”. His works weren’t addressed to a
superficial reader. The poet became the explorer of experience and used language
to create rich patterns of meaning.
