Here are some characteristics and types of extended poems:
1. Epic Poems: Epic poems are long narrative poems that recount heroic deeds and encompass various adventures and characters. Examples include Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey," Virgil's "Aeneid," and Milton's "Paradise Lost."
2. Narrative Poems: Narrative poems tell stories, often with clear plot lines and character development. Examples include Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," and Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "The Idylls of the King."
3. Romantic Poems: Extended poems from the Romantic period often explore themes of nature, emotion, imagination, and the individual. William Wordsworth's "The Prelude," John Keats' "Endymion," and Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Epipsychidion" are examples of romantic poetry.
4. Modernist and Contemporary Extended Poems: In the 20th century and beyond, many poets experimented with form, structure, and language in their extended works. Examples include T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land," Elizabeth Bishop's "The Complete Poems," and Allen Ginsberg's "Howl."
5. Verse Novels: Some extended poems can be considered verse novels, telling stories in poetic form with an extensive number of lines and characters. They merge aspects of poetry and narrative fiction.
6. Dramatic Poems: These extended poems feature characters, speeches, and actions, but typically aren't performed on stage. Examples include Lord Byron's "Manfred" and Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess."
Extended poems provide poets with the freedom to explore complex themes, create rich symbolism, and craft memorable poetic journeys that take readers on a profound and immersive reading experience.