Understanding Narrative Poetry

Summary
In this literature lesson, students will analyze narrative poetry and create their own narrative poem.

Objectives
• Learn about the meaning and nature of narrative poetry

• Given a narrative poem, recall details relevant to the deeper meaning

• Given a narrative poem, analyze poetic elements contributing to the meaning

• To write a narrative poem containing the poetic elements

Suggested Grades
9th Grade

Excerpt
What is Narrative Poetry?

Narrative Poems are poems that tell stories. There is a beginning, which introduces the background to the story, a middle, which tells the action of the event, and an end, which concludes and summarizes the story.

What are the origins of Narrative Poetry?

Narratives are the oldest form of poetry. Long before there was paper to write on or ink to write with, long before the invention of the printing press, people often shared stories as a form of entertainment. These stories were also often used to relate historical events. In the same way that we spread news through newspapers today, oral stories were used to spread news of historical events long ago. In order to help recall details of the events, people began to use rhyme and rhythm to give their stories a musical quality that would allow the story to be remembered and recalled much more easily.

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