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character lyric

Genre
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A lyric poem spoken from the perspective of a defined character or persona, distinct from the poet’s own voice, often used in dramatic monologues.

Detailed Definition
Character lyric: A poem that presents a specific persona or character's emotional state, thoughts, or perspective through lyrical expression. Unlike purely personal lyrics, character lyrics create a distinct speaker with their own voice, circumstances, and psychology, allowing the poet to explore human experience through dramatic characterization while maintaining the emotional intensity of lyric poetry.
Example
Example in poetry:
Tennyson's "Ulysses" expressing the hero's restless spirit; Browning's "Andrea del Sarto" revealing the painter's artistic frustrations; Plath's "Lady Lazarus" channeling a phoenix-like figure; Hughes's "The Thought-Fox" embodying a poet's creative process
Additional Notes
Combines lyrical expression with dramatic characterization; the speaker is clearly a fictional or historical persona rather than the poet; overlaps with dramatic monologue but emphasizes musical and emotional qualities over dramatic situation
Also Known As
Persona-based poem Dramatic voice poem Speaker-centered verse Dramatic lyric
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