English Poetry from Chaucer to Ted Hughes

Because the specific origins of poetry have been lost to history and can never be known for certain, the widely-accepted theory is that poetry began in early societies, where it was spoken or chanted as a spell to promote good harvests. We know it was a part of religious rites and ceremonies in ancient Greece and Rome, and was used for handing down the stories of people's struggles and triumphs.

Unit 1 - The Elements of Poetry

Unit 2 - History of Poetry

Unit 3 - Chaucer

Unit 4 - Renaissance Poetry

Unit 5 - Late 17^th Century Poets

Unit 6 - 18th Century Poets

Unit 7 - 19th Century Poets (The Victorians)

Unit 8 - 20th Century Poetry