Narrative poetry
Narrative poetry is characterized in that in their action plays an important role and that it is largely written in verse. In Aristotle's Poetics, this area was covered only by the epic, today expect a large number of mixed forms to do so.
In the ballad often find elements from all three literary genres narrative, lyric and dramatic. Idylls and Lais often have primary narrative character. Verse romances differ from the modern novel not only by the use of meter, but also have content in common with the ancient epic ( Hero's Journey ). This also applies to the romances. In the Versnovelle are examples Meier Helmbrecht and in particular Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, on the other hand hardly any difference to the time- parallel prose can be found. In Chaucer's verse narrative prose and stand side by side.
In some forms of poetry the prose narrative is heavily infiltrated by verses, as in the Old Norse sagas and poetry Irish bards.
For terminology
The term Narrative Poetry Poetry is used in reference to the English and French usage in the old customary in Germany only until the 18th century sense.
The terms narrative and narrative poetry & poem are almost synonymous, but includes the poetry & prose largely held in sagas and much of the bard seal. Narrative poem includes, in addition also epics and verse romances and is often understood in a narrow sense as a ballad.
Origin of the oral tradition
Much of the narrative poetry has been transmitted orally. The ancient epics like heroic narrative poems and folk ballads were intended for recitation. In some cultures, there is still a living tradition of the presentation of narrative poems. David C. Rubin has argued that significant characteristics that distinguish bound language of prose, have been developed as reminders of the singers who recited. This applies for meter, alliteration and characteristic bands.