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Long Poem

Lyric and Short Poetic Forms

The long poem is a broad literary genre for poetry of considerable length, its definition intentionally vague and inclusive of some of the most significant poetry ever written. It functions as an umbrella term encompassing subgenres such as the epic, the verse novel, the verse narrative and the lyric sequence, ranging from Beowulf and Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde to the Epic of Manas, whose more than 500,000 lines make it the longest epic in the world.

Facts
Notable Example
Beowulf and Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde 1
Defining Trait
A poem whose length itself carries meaning, an umbrella term spanning many subgenres 1
Sources
1. Long poem - Wikipedia
  • Definitions section
    In English, Beowulf and Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde are among the first important long poems.
  • Length and meaning section
    a long poem is long enough that its bulk carries meaning.
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