Origins

Most people are familiar with the term "bard" in reference to William Shakespeare as "The Bard of Avon" (in England, simply "The Bard"). Others might be familiar with the term in its more modern usage as a character type in Dungeons and Dragons. In the truest sense of the word, a bard was originally a professional poet. Kings of old would hire bards to write poems touting their achievements and greatness during medieval times.

Misconceptions

Bards are sometimes referred to as or confused with minstrels. But bards do not necessarily sing or perform their work--they compose. In oral cultures, bards used poetic meter and rhyme as a mnemonic--a device to aid memory.

Famous Bards

During the Romantic period, "The Bard" was used as a title for famous poets such as "The Bard of Avon" for William Shakespeare of England and "The Bard of Ayrshire" for Robert Burns of Scotland.

Modern Usage

In modern times the term can refer, though rather archaically, to any professional poet or singer. The term is also used for a character type or class in the game Dungeons & Dragons. This class of character is not only a minstrel but is endowed with the qualities of a priest, magician or seer. Bards also entered the fantasy genre of fiction in the 1960s and now appear in video games that take place in fantasy settings, such as The Bard's Tale (1985).

Summary

Essentially, bards are poets that wax eloquently of the deeds of a noble so that the poem may be spread as a form of propaganda.

Source:

Shakespeare Resource Center

Bards in Dungeons and Dragons