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Praise poetry

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

Verse composed to celebrate, honor, or glorify a person, deity, event, or achievement.

Detailed Definition
Poetry honoring and celebrating heroes, rulers, patrons, victors, or achievements, traditionally known as panegyric or encomium. Pindar's victory odes celebrating Olympic champions established classical tradition, while court poetry across cultures served encomiastic functions praising monarchs and nobility. Can range from genuine celebration of worthy accomplishment to excessive flattery bordering on propaganda. Differs from elegy by celebrating living subjects or their deeds rather than mourning the dead. Modern examples include Nobel Prize poems, laureate compositions, and various ceremonial verses honoring individuals or occasions deemed worthy of public poetic celebration.
Example
Example in poetry:
In ancient Egypt, praise poetry honored pharaohs with epithets like “Strong Bull, Beloved of Maat”; In Yoruba tradition, oriki (praise poetry) lists ancestral deeds and attributes; Ben Jonson’s “To Penshurst” praises aristocratic hospitality through estate description; Contemporary poet Elizabeth Alexander’s inaugural poem “Praise Song for the Day” blends personal and national gratitude; In “Ode to a Nightingale,” Keats praises the bird’s immortal song as escape from human suffering.
Additional Notes
Poetry honoring heroes, rulers, patrons, or victors. Pindar's victory odes celebrating Olympic champions established the tradition. Court poetry often served this function. Can become propaganda if overly flattering. Related to encomium and panegyric. Differs from elegy by celebrating living subjects.
Also Known As
panegyric encomium laudatory verse celebratory poetry Epidictic poetry
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