* Epic Poems: These are long, narrative poems that recount the heroic deeds of a legendary figure or figures, often involving gods, monsters, and significant historical or mythical events. Examples include Homer's *Iliad* and *Odyssey*, and Virgil's *Aeneid*. They typically feature elevated language and style.
* Ballads: These are shorter narrative poems, often anonymous and passed down orally, that tell a dramatic story, usually involving love, tragedy, or adventure. They frequently employ simple language, repetition, and a strong rhythm to aid memorization and oral transmission. They often have a refrain.
* Metrical Tales: These are narrative poems that tell a story in verse, but without the specific characteristics of epics or ballads. They can range widely in length, style, and subject matter, offering more flexibility than the more rigidly defined forms.
* Idylls: These poems describe idyllic scenes or events, often focusing on pastoral life or romantic love. While they tell a story, the focus is often more on the atmosphere and mood than on plot complexity.
* Romance: This term has a broader meaning than the modern understanding of romantic love. In the context of narrative poetry, it refers to poems focusing on adventure, chivalry, and courtly love, often involving knights, kings, and supernatural elements.
* Narrative Verse: This is a very broad category encompassing any poem that tells a story in verse. It is often used as a catch-all term when the poem doesn't fit neatly into other categories.
It's important to note that these categories aren't always mutually exclusive. A poem might exhibit characteristics of multiple types. For example, a ballad might incorporate elements of romance, and a metrical tale could share similarities with an idyll. The lines between these forms are often blurred.