Debate Poetry

The Debate Poem

What is Debate Poetry?

     A Debate Poem, in short, is a poem that typically takes two diametrically opposing ideas with figures allegorically representing these ideas, and pits them against each other in debate. Common opposites that are shown in many of these poems are themes or ideas such as: Body vs. Soul, Frugality vs. Wastefulness, Selfishness vs. Selflessness, Natural vs. Unnatural, and so on. Many of these poems use allegorical figures to represent these ideals, such as the use of birds (Owl and the Nightingale) or something more abstract, like Seasons (Wynner and Wastoure). Many of these poems come out with a clear winner, whereas some do not, and are left to the reader's interpretation to figure out 'who won', or perhaps more accurately, to figure out what the point of the debate was. 

Origin of Debate Poetry

      Debate Poetry stemmed from an increased amount of literacy during the eleventh century, and the desire to stretch one's cunning and rhetorical skill in a written format, which was becoming more and more popular due to the aforementioned increased literacy. Rhetoric was something that was taught in schools during the medieval period, and the advent of debate poetry and writing it down became such a popular form of displaying one's rhetorical skill, that it became even more important than it already was. In conjunction with literacy being a factor in the rise of debate poetry, there was also the influence of "the growth and literacy and textuality, the ethos of polemics in education, and the focalizing of group consciousness in cities and courts". (Medieval Debate Poetry: Vernacular Works xvi). Through these variables Debate Poetry became huge in the Medieval period. ( I plan to extrapolate further on these other influences on Debate Poetry in my final draft)

Other Sections of my Research Paper I plan to address

     Unfortunately, while I have an outline I what I want to address in my research paper, I do not have the thorough research to begin actual paragraphs. Here's some of the topics I want to address though:

Oppositions:

One key element to many Debate Poems is the idea of opposites. I will explore this facet of debate poetry by asking questions such as:

Why focus on opposites? What did the authors plan to accomplish by focusing on such? Do they have different reasons for using opposites? Why must everything be diametrically opposed? Is this always the case?

Irresolution:

Another key element of many Debate Poems is irresolution in the conclusion. Often times, the poem concludes with no clear winner. I will explore this facet of debate poetry by asking questions such as:

Why not give a concrete conclusion? Is this for the reader's sake? Does this weaken the author's rhetorical ability? Or does it strengthen it? Why give an abstract ending to something you thought would have clear winner?