Defining the Lyric Genre and Its Poetic Forms

Characteristics of the Lyric Genre

1. The disposition of the lyrical author is characterized by emotional expression. This emotional emphasis is a primary feature, and the works are generally short.
2. Unlike dramatic and epic works, the lyric genre does not tell a story. Any anecdotal elements or objects that appear serve to evoke excitement rather than form the knots of a plot.
3. In contrast to the explanatory nature of other texts, lyric poetry specializes in delving deeply into a single aspect or emotion.
4. The linguistic structure of lyric poetry typically empowers the text to be autonomous. It draws attention to itself through recurrences, all kinds of parallels, and semantic games.
5. Although versification is not an essential condition, it has become an unmistakable sign of lyricism. With the exception of the prose poem, 'lyric' and 'versification' are terms that are closely linked in modern generic classification.
6. Linked with verse, we find two more properties: rhythm and musicality. These are achieved through the periodic repetition of certain groups of stressed and unstressed syllables and the selection of combined, melodious sounds.
7. Rhythm and musicality are not only achieved through a regular number of syllables, accents, and rhyme. In contrast to traditional verse, modern poetry has seen the emergence of free verse.

Key Poetic Forms

1. Ode and Anthem

   The ode is related to feelings of admiration and enthusiasm. It tends to be solemn with grand, admiring language. The word hymn applies to liturgical music and songs that have a national significance.

2. Bucolic Poetry

   This form of poetry celebrates the serenity and beauty of the countryside and the lives of shepherds, which are often idealized rather than realistic.

3. Elegy

   The elegy is a composition that denotes lamentation for various reasons. The primary types are for love and for funerals.

4. Song, Madrigal, and Nuptial Song

   These subgenres share the expression of loving feelings, whether sad or happy, expressed in a song with music. The nuptial song is a poem intended to be sung at a wedding.

5. Satire

   This form ridicules the faults or defects of others. It can sometimes have a playful and burlesque character, while at other times, it acquires a more serious and educational tone.

6. Letrilla, Copla, Pastorale, and Serranilla

   These are grouped by their common grassroots origins. A copla is any short poem that forms the lyrics of a popular song. A pastorale is a poetic composition of Provençal troubadour origins, in which the poet describes an encounter between a knight and a shepherdess. The serranilla (mountain song) is a lyric song whose subject is the meeting of a traveler with a girl who helps him find his way in the mountains.

7. The Epistle

   A composition in which the author addresses a particular receiver, either real or fictitious, who is considered absent. It is used to refer to personal circumstances as if writing to an absent friend.