THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POETRY OF SORROW IN RATTANAKOSIN PERIOD

Abstract

This article aims to study the Poetry of Sorrow during the Ratanakosin Period, particularly in terms of its history and development of this genre. Studies and research have found that the Poetry of Sorrow is a type of poetry that lament the loss of the passing away of loved ones, composed for special occasions, such as the passing of a king or royal family members. As such, it is a new literature genre developed during the reign of King Rama I of the Ratakosin Period and still lives on today. Besides expressing sorrows and sadness, the poetry will also eulogize the King and members of the royal family for their good deeds to the country and its people, as well as recording important events and various ceremonies involving the royal funeral processes. The poet can emphasize any one particular aspect as he pleases, however; the majority of them will focus on emotions and feelings. The Poetry of Sorrow was at its height and became very popular during the reign of King Rama VI, due to vast development of education and the printing industry. However, after the revolution of 1932 during the reign of King Rama VII, this type of literature was in declined for a time because of unstable political situations. Having said that, the Poetry of Sorrow has been resurrected during the reign of the present H.M. the King. As for forms, the most popular one to compose the Poetry of Sorrow being octameter, quatrain, and Kap Yanee which consists of 11 syllables, respectively. The length of such poems can vary, depending on their objectives and means of distribution. For example, in the past it was aimed to record life and events, so they tended to be long, but if it was meant to be posted with funeral wreathes or printed in magazines and newspapers which offer limited spaces, they will be shorter.