The standard work introduces new chapters on the topics of lyric and comedy, lyric and the Bible, lyric and emotion, the publishing and teaching of lyric, as well as contemporary lyric. This comparativist-oriented handbook presents the poetics of lyric since antiquity and the scientific genre theories. It outlines trends in recent lyric research and familiarizes readers with fundamental concepts of interpretation. The themes and techniques of lyric are addressed, as well as the relationship to other genres, including film and pop. Aspects of lyric communication are also discussed. At the end, there is an overview of the epochs from antiquity to the present.