Biography and Poetical Career of Horace - Research Paper Example

These mainly include the civil war in Rome due to the sudden change of government and also poetries that flatter and praise the leadership of Augustus. However, he also included in his writings the unfair treatment of the Roman Empire as the society is divided into three: elite, middle class and slaves. These two contrary instances showed how Horace strongly established equality and fairness in his artworks. Horace further disclosed his personal life to his readers by giving descriptions of his birthplace, exciting and romantic adventures in his childhood years, education in Rome and how his father strived hard to give him quality education in Athens in which he studied Greek and Philosophy (Milman, 4; Horace), residence, experiences in military service, passion in literary works and poetical career, and his journey in Rome. With the incorporation of his personal life into all his artworks, Horace was able to capture the hearts and emotions of his readers. Therefore, Horatian poetry is “more than historical, it is the living age of itself in all its varied reality” (Milman, 4). Horace was mainly influenced by the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of individuals who were able to conquer all their adversities and trials in life (Milman, 2). The four major themes usually used by Horace in all his artworks are “love, simple life, pleasures of friendship and the art of poetry” (“Horace”).

The first two authors who had influenced Horace to write poets were Varius and Virgil who later on became his closest friends. Upon seeing the masterpieces of his close friends and observing how passionate they were in creating their art pieces, Horace was enticed and encouraged to do the same or to even do better. He also was able to meet Maecenas who helped him to have a better source of income and enough time to practice and to fully develop his writing prowess. Ovid further influenced him to develop his skills and talent in poetry and literature (“Horace”).

The intense passion and desire of Horace in writing started as he became close with Varius and Virgil who inspired him to engage in literature and poetry. As years passed by, Horace was able to successfully develop his writing prowess. His poems were filled with various feelings and emotions in his childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood which later became his writing style and edge among other poets. These literary pieces of Horace strongly influenced several writers and playwrights which include the names of “Lope de Vega, Pierre Corneille, Ben Jonson, Samuel Johnson, Alexander Pope, Robert Frost etc” (“Horace”).

The extraordinary talent and skills of Horace and his adventurous and exciting personal life experiences had brought him to the highest peak of his poetical career in his generation and even up to the present. He was able to make several art pieces which marked a difference in the field of arts and literature. Three of the greatest artworks of Horace generally include the Epodes, Odes, and Ars Poetica (“Horace”). Ars Poetica was made known to several writers and poets as it served as their guides in writing/composing poetic literary pieces until romanticism ended (“Horace”).

Horace marked a difference in the history of arts and literature. He is considered to be one of the best-known poets of his generation and up to the present because of his simple yet extraordinary poetic writing style. He undoubtedly disclosed to his readers the different colours of his personal life story, unlike other writers who aimed to create a mysterious approach. With this kind of writing style, Horace was able to influence various writers and playwrights.