What are the general characteristics of Elizabethan poetry?

Elizabethan poetry, as the name suggests, comprises the
poetry written during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of
England. The Elizabethan age, which spanned from 1558 to 1603, was a golden period in
the history of English Literature. Fine Arts and Literature flourished like anything
during this time. Poetry was the chief form of literature along with Drama. William
Shakespeare, the most admired poet and playwright in English literature tradition, wrote
during this time. In fact, the Elizabethan age is also known as the “Age of
Shakespeare”. Some other important Elizabethan poets include Edmund Spencer, Philip
Sydney, Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe, etc.

The
sonnet form, which was championed by Shakespeare, was one
of the most dominant forms of poetry during this time.
Lyric and narrative poetry
were also very common. Poetry and verse plays were majorly written in
blank verse. The spirit of
Renaissance had conquered England and, inevitably, there
was a profound interest to borrow from the classical texts.
Themes of Nationalism, Humanism, and
patriotism dominated both poetry and drama. The poetry was
marked by Romantic luxuriance, creativity,
Imagination and experimentation. Use of
metaphors was very
common.

Shakespeare wrote over hundred sonnets. He
developed a new form of sonnet known as the Shakespearean
sonnet (or the English sonnet) that was different from the Petrarchan
sonnet. Some of the best works of poetry by Spencer are The Fairie Queen,
Epithalamion, Prothalamion, Amoretti, The Shepherd’s Calendar, etc. Sidney’s
Astrophel and Stella are also very
famous.