Didactic Poetry

Didactic poetry definition

The word 'didactic' comes from the Greek word didaktikos which means 'skilled at teaching'.

Didactic poetry is poetry that aims to inform, instruct and improve its readers rather than just entertain them. This could be in the form of a valuable moral or life lesson, a rule or instruction, or even knowledge about religion, astrology, arts, sciences and other important subjects.

Didactic poems show the do's and don't of society. This sense of right versus wrong could be based on religious beliefs, political propaganda, history and literature, laws, ethics and morals that are considered 'good' in society. Hence, the message of a didactic poem is subjective to its social and political context.

Didactic poetry uses elegant language, metaphors, imagery and other poetic devices to convey a message. However, even though didactic poetry can be well-written and pleasing to read, its aesthetic function serves a disciplinary purpose¹. Didactic poems use creative writing techniques as it is the best way to provide lessons to readers in a way that is attractive and memorable without being academic.

Didactic works have been in circulation long before literature even existed! In mostly all cultures across the world, life lessons and knowledge were circulated in the form of stories that were passed down from one generation to another by word of mouth. This took the form of spoken myths, legends, fables and even fairytales. The first ever written didactic work is believed to be the fairytale 'The Smith and the Devil', which was written in 1300 BCE.

Fig. 1 - A 1916 illustration for the folk tale 'The Smith and the Devil.'

Types of didactic poetry

There are several types of didactic poetry based on the purpose they serve.

Moral

This type of didactic poem aims to convey a particular moral or life lesson to its readers that teaches them the 'right' way to behave in this world.

Typically didactic poems convey a moral lesson by using plot-driven narratives. They feature allegorical characters that symbolise a particular virtue or flaw for which they are either rewarded or punished. Through the experiences of the fictional characters, the readers are given an example of the difference between 'good' versus 'bad' or 'right' versus 'wrong' and the consequences of following both paths in life.

'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' (1951) by Dylan Thomas is a poem advising readers on how to face death. The speaker first acknowledges the inevitability of death but then encourages readers to not accept death as an end and give in to it without putting up a fight. The speaker emphasises the importance of human life and states that it is something worth fighting for. The first two stanzas of the poem are as follows:

Spiritual

This type of didactic poem preaches religion and spirituality. They provide readers with moral guidance and encourage them to have faith in their God.

Usually, the narrative of such poems features a character lacking faith or living a sinful life. However, after numerous cycles of struggles, doubts, and repenting, the character undergoes a spiritual awakening and understands God's message.

In Paradise Lost (1667), John Milton narrates two Biblical stories - one of Satan and his rebellion against God and the other of Adam and Eve's temptation by Satan. Both stories have a common theme - they present the repercussions of disobeying God. In the first narrative, Satan rebels against God and continues to do so even after he is banished to Hell. On the other hand, Adam and Eve experience extreme guilt and shame following their act of sin and seek God's forgiveness. This teaches the reader that even after disobeying God, there is a road to redemption.

Fig. 2 - Illustrated version of Paradise Lost (1866) showing Satan's banishment from Heaven.

Educational

These didactic poems aim to educate and provide knowledge to readers, almost like a poetic textbook! Poets have written didactic poetry on arts, sciences, agriculture, astronomy and many more.

'Works and Days' (700 BC) by Greek poet Hesiod is believed to be one of the first didactic poems ever written. Hesiod uses verse to educate his younger brother on the rules of agriculture. The poem is set against the backdrop of the agrarian crisis in mainland Greece.

Didactic poem structure

Didactic poems often come in the form of narrative poems that are plot-driven and structured.

Usually, the structure of such narrative didactic poems is straightforward, although longer epic poems tend to dwell slightly longer on certain phases and have a wider range of subplots and underlying messages.

Beginning

First, we are introduced to our protagonist. One of the defining traits of this protagonist is that they possess a certain virtue or flaw that they have in an almost inhuman abundance. For instance, a character could be extremely greedy, or they could be extremely courageous. Based on this character trait, the protagonist could either serve as a 'good example' or a 'bad example' for the readers.

In the case that the protagonist is a 'bad example', they are usually placed in a favourable position in society. They are either happy, successful, wealthy, respected or admired. This is done to further dramatise the consequences of the protagonist's actions. The more dramatic the protagonist's downfall or 'punishment' is, the more impactful is the message sent to the reader.

In contrast, where the protagonist is a 'good example', they begin with being in dire circumstances to dramatise their 'reward' when they jump in status in society.

Middle

At this stage, the protagonist is confronted by a moral dilemma that forced them to make a decision. Based on this decision, they will either be rewarded or punished.

In the case where the protagonist is a 'good example,' they are willing to sacrifice everything they have to make the morally 'right' decision. However, in poems where the protagonist is a 'bad example', they are shown to abandon their morals to protect themselves and their social status.

In some cases, we are introduced to an antagonist who is an allegory that represents a 'bad' or 'wrong' character trait, behaviour or moral.

Allegory: an allegory is when an abstract concept is expressed in the form of a character. An allegory uses a broader narrative, often in the form of a character, to express an idea or teach a lesson.

End

There are several ways a didactic poem can end:

1. The protagonist makes the morally 'right' decision and is rewarded at the end. They are better off than they were when the poem started.

2. The protagonist makes the morally 'wrong' decision and is punished. They lose everything they had at the beginning of the poem.

3. The protagonist makes the morally 'wrong' decision, loses everything but then learns from their lesson. They now know where they went wrong and what they can do to fix it. Once this has been rectified, then they are rewarded for their actions.

At the end of the poem, the readers, alongside the protagonist, realise the difference between what is 'right' and what is 'wrong' and are made aware of the consequences of either path. The protagonist's journey and experiences in the poem act as an example to show readers the 'correct' morals to live by.

Didactic poetry examples

Here are two notable examples of didactic poems that deliver a strong message to readers.

'If—' (1910) by Rudyard Kipling

'If—' is a motivational poem where Kipling advises the reader on how to succeed in life, despite the various obstacles they may encounter along the way. He presents the reader with multiple scenarios, both good and bad, and shows them how to navigate them. The poem has lessons on trust, patience, hate, success, failure, pain, perseverance and time. In doing so, he addresses the reader as 'you', making the poem direct and personal. Here is the first stanza of the poem:

'An Essay on Criticism' (1711) by Alexander Pope

This poem by Alexander Pope is the source of the famous quote:

To err is human; to forgive divine

This poem begins by providing a lesson on criticism, stating that poorly constructed criticism is far more dangerous than poorly-written work. Pope goes on to outline some of the common mistakes made by critics, one of which is praising cliche poems that are showy but do not demonstrate any real skill.