Compare and Contrast two Poet Laureate from U.S. and England Research Paper

Compare and Contrast two Poet Laureate from U.S. and England - Research Paper Example Analyzing the reasons for the admiration and desirable positions of the poets, many are of the view it is a God given talent which is unfeasible for an ordinary one to attain. If such a one attempts poetry, it will turn absurd and cannot be treated as readable. The great epics like Iliad and Odyssey, written in poetic language undoubtedly unveil enchanting power of poetry. If one goes little further, one can see that the plays of Shakespeare still bewitch readers and audience with their tremendous poetic language. Therefore, one is obvious about the decisive role of poetry in influencing the majority and the appreciated positions of poets. Poet Laureate has been one such means to honor the great poets. It is an official position conferred to the respectable or the well talented poets for a particular period of time. The proposed paper aims to study the title ‘Poet Laureate,’ identifying the popular poet laureates of the past centuries and attempting a comparative study b etween Poet Laureates from two different countries, specifically, England and The United States and make comparisons or contrasts, about them. Origin of the word ‘laureate’ It would be interesting for one to analyze the history of Poet Laureate before attempting a grave ‘study on this topic. Researchers have identified the word ‘laureate has some historical importance. ... term â€Å"laureate† comes from the use of bay laurel leaves in ancient Greece to create wreaths or crowns for heroes and the victors in athletic and literary competitions† (Holman and Snyder). Thus, it is evident that the victor was given the wreath of laurel leaves and the word ‘laureate’ began to be used in the sense of ‘victorious.’ Therefore, one can infer that ‘Poet Laureate’ became the title given to the most successful poet during a particular time period. Bob Holman and Margery Snyder observe, â€Å"In the Middle Ages, â€Å"Poet laureate† came to mean the poet chosen to serve a king or other noble patron by writing poems honoring the monarch and the state embodied in that monarch† (Holman and Snyder). The History of the tradition of the Poet Laureate The history of the English poet laureate dates back to the 12th century and the English Royal House of Plantagenet (The poet laureate). History identifies that t he poets during that time were known as ‘versifiers’ and were privileged by the kings and awarded fees and pensions. Regarding the English tradition it is identifiable that the English Royal houses continued their patronage for centuries and later the Tudors and Stuarts followed it. The online article entitled, â€Å"Poet Laureate† traces the history of poet laureate when writes thus, â€Å"The position of Poet Laureate was informally created by Charles I for Ben Jonson in 1617, however, the title did not become an official royal office until it was conferred by letters patent on John Dryden in 1670† (The poet laureate). The article adds, â€Å"The position became the Poet Laureate of Great Britain in 1707, when The Act of Union created "Great Britain" as the political name of England, Scotland, and Wales.† Some of the historical evidences