Sappho and Emily Dickinson: A Literary Analysis Melinda Fakuade College

All mediums of poetry are specific and unique among each other. They have different attributes that can be mastered in order to deliver a perfect execution. However, when it comes to the ancient genre of lyrical poetry, these attributes are based around a certain form of meter and emotional content. Like the lyrics of regular music, the words of a lyrical poem were often made to go along with a musical instrument. Back then, the poems were set to an old instrument called a lyre, but more currently lyrics have evolved to be set to popular, modern music. It is most interesting to note that the history of this style of poetry is one that goes back to times of ancient Greece. Before the age of documentation, inspired writers were composing the first works of the artistic word. Although poetry from this particular time period was often lost in translation, an interesting woman has survived the rubble - Sappho. As a Greek poetess, or female poet, Sappho’s success was unprecedented by anyone before her. She is considered one of the nine lyric poets to have shaped the genre, which was heavily dominated by men in its beginning stages. Lyric poetry launched itself as a starting point for the importance of meter and beauty in writing....