Reference no: EM131581901
Assignment: English Poetry Essay
POEM CHOICES BELOW: Chose one to use
Theodore Roethke "My Papa's Waltz" p. 393-394
Robert Frost "The Road Not Taken" p.534
Antonio Machado "Proverbios y Cantares" p. 533
Robert Frost "Out, Out-" p. 371
Robert Browning "My Last Duchess" p. 373-374
Wilfred Owen "Anthem for Doomed Youth" p. 605,
"Dulce et Decorum Est" p. 398
Elizabeth Bishop "Sestina" p. 507-508
Shakespeare Sonnet 18 "Shall I Compare Thee" p. 448,
Sonnet 130 "My Mistress's Eyes" p. 614,
Howard Moss "Shall I Compare" p.449
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate how the uses of particular elements in a poem help to develop a specific theme in the poem. Our book defines explication as "the patient unfolding of meanings in a work of literature." Explication is an act of interpreting "details a casual reader might miss and illustrating how a work's smaller parts contribute to the whole" (1114).
Task: The poem must be in Backpack Literature. Haiku are not allowed for this essay.
1) Do a close reading of the poem. Annotating the poem is recommended.
2) Focus on particular elements such as: diction, images, shifts, tone, figurative language or sound devices (Focus on things in the poem that need explaining!)
3) Your paper needs to lead to a discussion of theme.
Length: This paper should be at least 500 words.
Format: This paper should be in MLA Format. There will be a Works Cited page with the poem and any other sources used. This does not count in the 500 word minimum. Outside sources are not required for this essay.
Relevant
Resources:
-See Table of Contents for chapters on poetry (chapters 9-22, pages xiii-xxiv)
-See page 1119 for a sample explication essay.
-TPCAST worksheet to help break down the poem.