Madoc (poem) facts for kids
Madoc is a very long poem written by Robert Southey. He was a famous English poet. This epic poem was first published in 1805. It took Southey ten years to write it! The poem tells the story of a legendary Welsh prince named Madog. He lived a long, long time ago, in the 1100s. According to the legend, Prince Madog sailed to America many years before Christopher Columbus.
Contents
About the Poem Madoc
Madoc is divided into two main parts. The first part is called Madoc in Wales. It tells about Prince Madog's life in his home country. The second part is named Madoc in Aztlan. This part describes his adventures in a new land, which is believed to be America.
Who Wrote Madoc?
The author of Madoc was Robert Southey. He was a well-known English poet. Southey was one of the famous "Lake Poets." This group of poets lived in the beautiful Lake District in England. Other famous Lake Poets included William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Southey worked on Madoc for a whole decade, from 1795 to 1805.
What is Madoc About?
The poem tells the exciting story of Prince Madog ab Owain Gwynedd. He was a real prince from Wales in the 12th century. The legend says that Prince Madog sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. He supposedly discovered America hundreds of years before other European explorers. The poem follows his journey and adventures in this new land.
How is the Poem Written?
Madoc is written in a special style called Blank verse. This means the lines do not rhyme with each other. However, they still have a rhythm. The rhythm is called iambic pentameter. This means each line has ten syllables, with a pattern of unstressed and stressed sounds. It makes the poem sound natural, like spoken language.
When Was Madoc Published?
Robert Southey's epic poem Madoc was first released in 1805. It was a big project for Southey. He spent ten years writing and perfecting it. When it came out, people read it and shared their thoughts in magazines like The Poetical Register, and Repository of Fugitive Poetry.
Madoc's Influence
Even many years later, Robert Southey's poem inspired other writers. For example, an Irish poet named Paul Muldoon wrote a book in 1990. He called his book Madoc: A Mystery. He named it after Southey's famous poem. This shows how stories and ideas can live on and inspire new works over time.
