Poetic Terms Dictionary
Poetic Form

Idyll

From Greek eidyllion: a little picture. Theocritus's Idylls established the genre; the term implies small-scale, intimate vision rather than epic sweep.

Definition

A short poem or passage evoking a picturesque, idealised scene of rural or pastoral life.

Example

Tennyson's Idylls of the King (1859–85) blend Arthurian legend with meditative pastoral.

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