Assignment #1 - Close-Reading Paper
Goal: Write a 3-5 page double-spaced paper which discusses a poem written by one of the poets you have been assigned to read so far this semester but which we have not discussed in class (this poem may have been assigned or unassigned). Note that the prompts given on the class blog for the poems assigned in class would be good starting points for coming up with a thesis regarding a specific poem.
Grading: This paper is worth 50 points of your total score for the semester (10% of the final grade). Here is the point break-down:
· Thesis Statement - 5 points
· Analysis of Poem – 25 points
· Introduction & Conclusion - 5 points
· Use of claim/evidence/analysis model – 10 points
· Writing Style and MLA – 5 points
Helpful Tips: Your paper should present a central argument regarding how the poem is to be read or interpreted and should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages!
Outside Sources: These papers are to be the product of your own insights into the poem. You may not use any outside sources. The only exception to this rule is the use of dictionaries like the Oxford English Dictionary.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the University defines the act of plagiarism as “To take and use another’s words or ideas as one’s own.” Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: citing a source without using proper citation (e.g., quotation marks, author, title, and page numbers or internet URL); cutting and pasting material from the internet without attribution of your source; and paraphrasing, condensing, or otherwise altering material from another source without proper attribution. PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT. A SECOND INSTANCE OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE COURSE.
Deadline: A hard-copy of a rough draft is due in-class on Wednesday, May 21. You will be conducting a peer-review workshop on that day. If you do not have a rough draft on that day, you will be counted as “absent” even though you are present in class. Final drafts of essays are due by midnight on May 27 (at the end of the day on that Tuesday).
NOTE: Please let me know if you have any questions about your paper. I am available during my office hours, after class, or by email! If you would like to run your thesis by me or have me take a look at a draft to make sure you are on the right track, please do this before May 24!
Grading: This paper is worth 50 points of your total score for the semester (10% of the final grade). Here is the point break-down:
· Thesis Statement - 5 points
· Analysis of Poem – 25 points
· Introduction & Conclusion - 5 points
· Use of claim/evidence/analysis model – 10 points
· Writing Style and MLA – 5 points
Helpful Tips: Your paper should present a central argument regarding how the poem is to be read or interpreted and should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages!
Outside Sources: These papers are to be the product of your own insights into the poem. You may not use any outside sources. The only exception to this rule is the use of dictionaries like the Oxford English Dictionary.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the University defines the act of plagiarism as “To take and use another’s words or ideas as one’s own.” Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: citing a source without using proper citation (e.g., quotation marks, author, title, and page numbers or internet URL); cutting and pasting material from the internet without attribution of your source; and paraphrasing, condensing, or otherwise altering material from another source without proper attribution. PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT. A SECOND INSTANCE OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE COURSE.
Deadline: A hard-copy of a rough draft is due in-class on Wednesday, May 21. You will be conducting a peer-review workshop on that day. If you do not have a rough draft on that day, you will be counted as “absent” even though you are present in class. Final drafts of essays are due by midnight on May 27 (at the end of the day on that Tuesday).
NOTE: Please let me know if you have any questions about your paper. I am available during my office hours, after class, or by email! If you would like to run your thesis by me or have me take a look at a draft to make sure you are on the right track, please do this before May 24!
Assignment #2 - Comparison Essay
Topic: Write a five to seven-page double-spaced essay in MLA format which compares two poems we've covered in class.
You may either choose to write about two poems not discussed in class, or choose one poem discussed in class and one NOT discussed in class. You may NOT choose two poems which we discussed in class.
Here are some other guidelines for choosing poems:
· Choose two poems by the same author
· Choose two poems by different authors with similar themes
· Choose two poems by different authors within the same time period
Helpful Tips: Your paper should present a central argument about the two poems you are discussing. Your thesis should not be “Poem A and Poem B are alike in these ways” or “Poem A and Poem B are different in these ways,” but you should find a valid point of connection between the poems which helps you understand BOTH of them better. Your comparison of the poems should lead you to a specific analytic conclusion about them both.
Here are some sample theses to get you thinking:
· Though significantly different in form and separated by time, both “__________” and “___________” communicate their ideas about love chiefly through imagery which emphasizes the commonplace and every-day.
· In both “____________” and “____________”, women are viewed merely as objects of love instead of real people with real feelings.
· While both “_________” and “_________” deal with issues of infidelity in relationships, ________ comes to positive conclusions while ___________ sees it negatively.
As you can see, each of these thesis statements makes a claim about the poems instead of just noting that there are differences and similarities. Make sure you state what is SIGNIFICANT about pairing these poems together in your thesis.
Although your paper should present a central argument, you should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages.
Grading:
This paper is worth 75 points, or 15% of your final grade for this class.
Thesis Statement – 10 points
Analysis of Poems – 35 points
Introduction and Conclusion – 10 points
Use of Claim/Evidence/Analysis model – 10 points
Organization, Style, MLA – 10 points
Outside Sources: These papers are to be the product of your own insights into the poem. You may not use any outside sources. The only exception to this rule is the use of dictionaries like the Oxford English Dictionary.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the University defines the act of plagiarism as “To take and use another’s words or ideas as one’s own.” Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: citing a source without using proper citation (e.g., quotation marks, author, title, and page numbers or internet URL); cutting and pasting material from the internet without attribution of your source; and paraphrasing, condensing, or otherwise altering material from another source without proper attribution. PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT. A SECOND INSTANCE OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE COURSE.
Deadline: A hard-copy rough-draft of this paper is due in-class on June 11 for a peer review workshop. Final drafts of essays are due to SafeAssign on Blackboard by midnight on June 16.
Poem Pair Suggestions:
· Another poem from “Songs of Innocence” paired with its counterpart from “Songs of Experience.” OR compare two from the same volume.
· Compare two poems by any of the Romanticists dealing with the same theme (can include Percy Shelley and John Keats here, too; see the Anthology)
· Compare one poem from this current unit to one poem from last unit which dwell on the same theme.
· Compare an early modern sonnet with a sonnet from this unit.
· Compare two of Wordsworth’s “Lucy” poems
· Compare an early modern woman’s poem with a poem by a woman from this unit, seeing how they address a similar subject similarly or differently.
· Compare sections from Tennyson’s In Memoriam
You may either choose to write about two poems not discussed in class, or choose one poem discussed in class and one NOT discussed in class. You may NOT choose two poems which we discussed in class.
Here are some other guidelines for choosing poems:
· Choose two poems by the same author
· Choose two poems by different authors with similar themes
· Choose two poems by different authors within the same time period
Helpful Tips: Your paper should present a central argument about the two poems you are discussing. Your thesis should not be “Poem A and Poem B are alike in these ways” or “Poem A and Poem B are different in these ways,” but you should find a valid point of connection between the poems which helps you understand BOTH of them better. Your comparison of the poems should lead you to a specific analytic conclusion about them both.
Here are some sample theses to get you thinking:
· Though significantly different in form and separated by time, both “__________” and “___________” communicate their ideas about love chiefly through imagery which emphasizes the commonplace and every-day.
· In both “____________” and “____________”, women are viewed merely as objects of love instead of real people with real feelings.
· While both “_________” and “_________” deal with issues of infidelity in relationships, ________ comes to positive conclusions while ___________ sees it negatively.
As you can see, each of these thesis statements makes a claim about the poems instead of just noting that there are differences and similarities. Make sure you state what is SIGNIFICANT about pairing these poems together in your thesis.
Although your paper should present a central argument, you should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages.
Grading:
This paper is worth 75 points, or 15% of your final grade for this class.
Thesis Statement – 10 points
Analysis of Poems – 35 points
Introduction and Conclusion – 10 points
Use of Claim/Evidence/Analysis model – 10 points
Organization, Style, MLA – 10 points
Outside Sources: These papers are to be the product of your own insights into the poem. You may not use any outside sources. The only exception to this rule is the use of dictionaries like the Oxford English Dictionary.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the University defines the act of plagiarism as “To take and use another’s words or ideas as one’s own.” Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: citing a source without using proper citation (e.g., quotation marks, author, title, and page numbers or internet URL); cutting and pasting material from the internet without attribution of your source; and paraphrasing, condensing, or otherwise altering material from another source without proper attribution. PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT. A SECOND INSTANCE OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE COURSE.
Deadline: A hard-copy rough-draft of this paper is due in-class on June 11 for a peer review workshop. Final drafts of essays are due to SafeAssign on Blackboard by midnight on June 16.
Poem Pair Suggestions:
· Another poem from “Songs of Innocence” paired with its counterpart from “Songs of Experience.” OR compare two from the same volume.
· Compare two poems by any of the Romanticists dealing with the same theme (can include Percy Shelley and John Keats here, too; see the Anthology)
· Compare one poem from this current unit to one poem from last unit which dwell on the same theme.
· Compare an early modern sonnet with a sonnet from this unit.
· Compare two of Wordsworth’s “Lucy” poems
· Compare an early modern woman’s poem with a poem by a woman from this unit, seeing how they address a similar subject similarly or differently.
· Compare sections from Tennyson’s In Memoriam
Assignment #3 - Researched Literary Analysis
Goal: Write a 6-8 page double-spaced paper (formatted according to
MLA style) which discusses a poem written by one of the poets you have been
assigned to read so far this semester but which we have not discussed in class (this poem
may have been assigned or unassigned). If you are writing about one poem, it must be over 30 lines. Otherwise, you may write about two poems, and
the guidelines for choosing these are the same as for the comparison essay. You must utilize a minimum of 3 secondary
sources, at least two of which should be scholarly books or journal
articles. You may use no more than one reference
source. I encourage use of the Oxford
English Dictionary, though this does not factor into the source-count (though
you should include it on your works cited page).
Grading: This paper is worth 100 points of your total score for the semester (20% of the final grade). Here is the point break-down:
- Thesis Statement - 10 points
- Analysis of Poem(s) – 40 points
- Introduction & Conclusion - 10 points
- Use of claim/evidence/analysis model – 10 points
- Writing Style, Organization, & MLA – 10 points
- Appropriate Use of Secondary Sources – 10 points
- Parenthetical Citations, Attribution, and Works Cited Page – 10 points
Helpful Tips: Your paper should present a central argument regarding how the poem or poems should be read or interpreted and should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. In addition, you should use 3 secondary sources as support for your argument.
The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages! And since you are able to use outside sources for this paper, you may also take things like the poet’s biography, cultural and historical context, and other critics’ thoughts and ideas about the poem into account, alongside your explication and analysis of the poem.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the University defines the act of plagiarism as “To take and use another’s words or ideas as one’s own.” Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: citing a source without using proper citation (e.g., quotation marks, author, title, and page numbers or internet URL); cutting and pasting material from the internet without attribution of your source; and paraphrasing, condensing, or otherwise altering material from another source without proper attribution. PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT. A SECOND INSTANCE OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE COURSE.
Deadline: A hard-copy of a rough draft is due in-class on Wednesday, July 2. You will be conducting a peer-review workshop on that day. If you do not have a rough draft on that day, you will be counted as “absent” even though you are present in class. Final drafts of essays are due via SafeAssign on Blackboard by midnight Wednesday, July 9.
NOTE: Please let me know if you have any questions about your paper. I am available during my office hours, after class, or by email! If you would like to run your thesis by me or have me take a look at a draft to make sure you are on the right track, please do this before July 4!
Grading: This paper is worth 100 points of your total score for the semester (20% of the final grade). Here is the point break-down:
- Thesis Statement - 10 points
- Analysis of Poem(s) – 40 points
- Introduction & Conclusion - 10 points
- Use of claim/evidence/analysis model – 10 points
- Writing Style, Organization, & MLA – 10 points
- Appropriate Use of Secondary Sources – 10 points
- Parenthetical Citations, Attribution, and Works Cited Page – 10 points
Helpful Tips: Your paper should present a central argument regarding how the poem or poems should be read or interpreted and should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. In addition, you should use 3 secondary sources as support for your argument.
The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages! And since you are able to use outside sources for this paper, you may also take things like the poet’s biography, cultural and historical context, and other critics’ thoughts and ideas about the poem into account, alongside your explication and analysis of the poem.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the University defines the act of plagiarism as “To take and use another’s words or ideas as one’s own.” Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: citing a source without using proper citation (e.g., quotation marks, author, title, and page numbers or internet URL); cutting and pasting material from the internet without attribution of your source; and paraphrasing, condensing, or otherwise altering material from another source without proper attribution. PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT. A SECOND INSTANCE OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE COURSE.
Deadline: A hard-copy of a rough draft is due in-class on Wednesday, July 2. You will be conducting a peer-review workshop on that day. If you do not have a rough draft on that day, you will be counted as “absent” even though you are present in class. Final drafts of essays are due via SafeAssign on Blackboard by midnight Wednesday, July 9.
NOTE: Please let me know if you have any questions about your paper. I am available during my office hours, after class, or by email! If you would like to run your thesis by me or have me take a look at a draft to make sure you are on the right track, please do this before July 4!
Assignment #4 - Poetry Composition and Analysis
After a term of analytically reading, engaging with, and writing about poetry, the aim of this project is to reinforce what you’ve learned in this course by adding the element of writing poetry. No, this is not a “creative writing” course, but the objective of composing your own “love” poem to end the semester is designed to accomplish the following things:
1.) To give you a deeper understanding of what poetry is and does by putting the poetic devices we’ve encountered this semester to use.
2.) To give you an opportunity to reflect and think critically about your work and artistic choices through the composition of a “rationale.”
3.) To give you free and open interpretive territory: you will have the opportunity to analyze a classmate’s poem with the knowledge that you may be the first and only other person ever critically reading it and writing about it. There are no sources to consult or summaries to read. Your assessment of poetic technique and meaning are brought to the fore-front.
4.) To demonstrate the idea of “multiplicity of interpretations.” The interpretation the poet has of the poem may differ sharply from the interpretation of the reader. Is the author’s version more authentic than the reader’s? Could the reader bring something to the poem which the poet had never thought of, but could certainly be a legitimate reading? These are questions you may be reflecting on after reading your classmate’s interpretation of your poem
5.) Going along with number 4, to experience having one’s work read and interpreted, and thinking more deeply about one’s work through the lens of the reader.
6.) To accommodate those who thought they had signed up for a poetry writing class. Oops!
This is a complex assignment with several different parts, so PLEASE pay attention to the information below, particularly what is expected in this project and when these things are due. The project requires 3 different parts, which will be explained comprehensively below.
Part 1: Write a Poem
Write an original poem which meets the following criteria:
- Has a title
- Is at least 14 lines (a sonnet) and no more than 30 lines
- Is loosely based around the concept of “love,” as conceptualized in one of the many different variations of love we’ve encountered this semester (eros, philos, agape, storge, etc), but has a sense of a more specific theme, meaning, or argument.
- Pays special attention to word-choice and poetic technique, realizing that no decision that goes into creating poetry is arbitrary. Everything has a purpose.
- Intentionally uses at LEAST 3 poetic devices that advance or work together with the theme of the poem (this will give you specific material to discuss in your rationale).
- This is not mandatory, but you MAY use some of the poetry we’ve read this semester as an inspiration. Were you particularly fascinated by the sonnets? Write a poem which utilizes sonnet conventions. Did you like Romantic poetry the best? Write a poem which uses the general themes and traits of the Romantic poets. Etc.
Keep in mind: this poem CAN certainly be a deep and personal expression of yourself, if you wish it to be. Just realize that someone else in this class will be reading it and interpreting it however they see fit. However, your poem WILL remain anonymous. But if you’d rather not pour out your soul on paper, or feel self-conscious about doing so, please realize that this can also be a purely intellectual exercise in which you intentionally utilize poetic devices to create an interesting poem. And remember, the poem does not have to be from your own personal point-of-view, either. You can create a speaker for this poem which does not reflect your personal beliefs, opinions, and feelings. You can even assume a fictional or historical persona. There are no limits here (except please do not assume the persona of someone else in this class)
Please submit this poem in a Microsoft Word document to Ruth via email (please attach it in an MS Word document) by Friday, July 18 at 10:00 PM at the latest. This is a FIRM deadline, as I will not have internet access over the weekend, and therefore, will not be able to distribute your poem to your anonymous partner. So make sure it is submitted on time!
Part 2: Compose your Rationale
Though your poem is due by Friday, your rationale is not due until the final due date. This 3-4 page paper requires that you discuss in-depth the process of writing this poem, and reasoning behind the artistic choices you made. In short, what is the theme or thesis of this poem, and how do the individual elements of the poem (meter, rhyme, word choice, imagery, etc) contribute to this theme? There is no set format for this paper, you just need to spend some time explaining your poem and the choices you made.
This component of the project will allow you to reflect on your work and articulate its significant attributes while providing something about poetry that has been elusive this entire semester: authorial intent. However, please be aware that the person who is analyzing your poem will NOT have access to this document.
The rationale is due to Blackboard SafeAssign on Monday, July 28 by noon. There is no first draft/peer review for this portion of the project.
Part 3: Analyze a Classmate’s Poem
After I receive everyone’s poem on Friday, July 18, I will randomly distribute anonymous copies of the poems to the class. Everyone will receive one poem. This is the text you will be conducting a close-reading on as your last writing project.
The format for this paper will closely follow that of Project 1. You goal is to write a 3-5 page paper which presents a central argument regarding how the poem is to be read or interpreted and should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Additionally, since you have some first-hand knowledge of the time period in which the poem is written, you may also make relevant cultural connections if they seem appropriate. And as always, make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages!
A digital peer review of this paper will take place during the week of July 20. Please see below for detailed instructions. The final draft of this paper is due on Monday, July 28 by noon to SafeAssign on Blackboard.
An anonymous copy of this analysis will be sent back to the original composer of the poem.
Directions for Digital Peer Review
At some point between July 23 and July 25, you and your peer review partner should exchange drafts of your poem analysis (not your rationale or the poem you composed). You will exchange documents by email. The document should include the poem you are analyzing plus the 3-5 page analysis, itself (the poem does not factor into the page count).
By midnight on July 25, you should return a copy of the draft to your partner by email with your commentary and suggestions. Additionally, you should also send a copy of the draft you reviewed to ME so I can credit you with 5 points for completing this out-of-class exercise.
Here are prompts to consider as you read and comment on your partner’s draft:
- Does the paper contain a thesis statement which makes an interpretive claim about the poem? Identify it by highlighting it.
- Does the paper use the claim/evidence/analysis model to form body paragraphs which each play a specific role in supporting the thesis statement?
- Does the paper make an argument about the poem which seems logically derived from the poem it is examining? Is the argument coherent and consistent all the way through?
- Does the poem include an introduction and conclusion paragraph? How effective are these?
- What suggestions/recommendations do you have for the author?
NOTE: Your partner for peer review is NOT the originator of the poem you received to analyze.
Schedule
July 18: Midnight – Poem due to Ruth via email.
July 23 – Initiate peer review process with partner via email.
July 25: Midnight - Peer Review for Poem Analysis should be completed. Submit draft with comments back to author and to Ruth.
July 28: Noon – Rationale and final draft of Analysis due to Blackboard
Point Breakdown
Poem/Submission on-time – 10 points
Rationale – 40 points
Close-Reading Analysis – 50 points
· Thesis Statement - 5 points
· Analysis of Poem – 25 points
· Introduction & Conclusion - 5 points
· Use of claim/evidence/analysis model – 10 points
· Writing Style and MLA – 5 points
TOTAL: 100 points
NOTE: I will NOT be commenting on these projects, due to the fact that final grades will be due shortly after the due date. If you would like comments after the term is over, however, I will be happy to do so if you contact me by email. I will be emailing unmarked, anonymous analyses of the poems back to the poems’ authors, to give everyone the chance to see how their work was interpreted.
Parting thoughts for the semester: Once the poetry has left your hand and is on the paper, it really takes on a life of its own. You may read the analysis of your poem and think “I really like what they got out of it way more than my intention.” Whose reading of the poem is more genuine and authoritative? Yours or your readers? Is it yours because you wrote it? Or are all readings of a poem, which seriously take into account its parts, equally legitimate? These are big questions literary critics have been dealing with for a long time! While we certainly don’t try to prescribe “authorial intent” on texts we read, it doesn’t seem entirely fair to throw out the author when interpreting a poem. Yet this is what many literary critics have decided to do!
Hopefully this project gives you an insight into these issues, as you go through the process of composing a poem, thinking about what went into it, and seeing how someone other than you interprets it. Again, there is no “right” answer here, but hopefully this process sheds some light on both the creative and the interpretive processes, and where they start to mix.
1.) To give you a deeper understanding of what poetry is and does by putting the poetic devices we’ve encountered this semester to use.
2.) To give you an opportunity to reflect and think critically about your work and artistic choices through the composition of a “rationale.”
3.) To give you free and open interpretive territory: you will have the opportunity to analyze a classmate’s poem with the knowledge that you may be the first and only other person ever critically reading it and writing about it. There are no sources to consult or summaries to read. Your assessment of poetic technique and meaning are brought to the fore-front.
4.) To demonstrate the idea of “multiplicity of interpretations.” The interpretation the poet has of the poem may differ sharply from the interpretation of the reader. Is the author’s version more authentic than the reader’s? Could the reader bring something to the poem which the poet had never thought of, but could certainly be a legitimate reading? These are questions you may be reflecting on after reading your classmate’s interpretation of your poem
5.) Going along with number 4, to experience having one’s work read and interpreted, and thinking more deeply about one’s work through the lens of the reader.
6.) To accommodate those who thought they had signed up for a poetry writing class. Oops!
This is a complex assignment with several different parts, so PLEASE pay attention to the information below, particularly what is expected in this project and when these things are due. The project requires 3 different parts, which will be explained comprehensively below.
Part 1: Write a Poem
Write an original poem which meets the following criteria:
- Has a title
- Is at least 14 lines (a sonnet) and no more than 30 lines
- Is loosely based around the concept of “love,” as conceptualized in one of the many different variations of love we’ve encountered this semester (eros, philos, agape, storge, etc), but has a sense of a more specific theme, meaning, or argument.
- Pays special attention to word-choice and poetic technique, realizing that no decision that goes into creating poetry is arbitrary. Everything has a purpose.
- Intentionally uses at LEAST 3 poetic devices that advance or work together with the theme of the poem (this will give you specific material to discuss in your rationale).
- This is not mandatory, but you MAY use some of the poetry we’ve read this semester as an inspiration. Were you particularly fascinated by the sonnets? Write a poem which utilizes sonnet conventions. Did you like Romantic poetry the best? Write a poem which uses the general themes and traits of the Romantic poets. Etc.
Keep in mind: this poem CAN certainly be a deep and personal expression of yourself, if you wish it to be. Just realize that someone else in this class will be reading it and interpreting it however they see fit. However, your poem WILL remain anonymous. But if you’d rather not pour out your soul on paper, or feel self-conscious about doing so, please realize that this can also be a purely intellectual exercise in which you intentionally utilize poetic devices to create an interesting poem. And remember, the poem does not have to be from your own personal point-of-view, either. You can create a speaker for this poem which does not reflect your personal beliefs, opinions, and feelings. You can even assume a fictional or historical persona. There are no limits here (except please do not assume the persona of someone else in this class)
Please submit this poem in a Microsoft Word document to Ruth via email (please attach it in an MS Word document) by Friday, July 18 at 10:00 PM at the latest. This is a FIRM deadline, as I will not have internet access over the weekend, and therefore, will not be able to distribute your poem to your anonymous partner. So make sure it is submitted on time!
Part 2: Compose your Rationale
Though your poem is due by Friday, your rationale is not due until the final due date. This 3-4 page paper requires that you discuss in-depth the process of writing this poem, and reasoning behind the artistic choices you made. In short, what is the theme or thesis of this poem, and how do the individual elements of the poem (meter, rhyme, word choice, imagery, etc) contribute to this theme? There is no set format for this paper, you just need to spend some time explaining your poem and the choices you made.
This component of the project will allow you to reflect on your work and articulate its significant attributes while providing something about poetry that has been elusive this entire semester: authorial intent. However, please be aware that the person who is analyzing your poem will NOT have access to this document.
The rationale is due to Blackboard SafeAssign on Monday, July 28 by noon. There is no first draft/peer review for this portion of the project.
Part 3: Analyze a Classmate’s Poem
After I receive everyone’s poem on Friday, July 18, I will randomly distribute anonymous copies of the poems to the class. Everyone will receive one poem. This is the text you will be conducting a close-reading on as your last writing project.
The format for this paper will closely follow that of Project 1. You goal is to write a 3-5 page paper which presents a central argument regarding how the poem is to be read or interpreted and should also support it with detailed readings of the poem in question. The best explications will include attention to one or more, but not necessarily all, of the following aspects of poetry: speaker, tone, imagery, meter, rhyme, sound devices (alliteration, repetition, etc.), form, and/or word choice. Additionally, since you have some first-hand knowledge of the time period in which the poem is written, you may also make relevant cultural connections if they seem appropriate. And as always, make sure to consult the Oxford English Dictionary for any unfamiliar words or usages!
A digital peer review of this paper will take place during the week of July 20. Please see below for detailed instructions. The final draft of this paper is due on Monday, July 28 by noon to SafeAssign on Blackboard.
An anonymous copy of this analysis will be sent back to the original composer of the poem.
Directions for Digital Peer Review
At some point between July 23 and July 25, you and your peer review partner should exchange drafts of your poem analysis (not your rationale or the poem you composed). You will exchange documents by email. The document should include the poem you are analyzing plus the 3-5 page analysis, itself (the poem does not factor into the page count).
By midnight on July 25, you should return a copy of the draft to your partner by email with your commentary and suggestions. Additionally, you should also send a copy of the draft you reviewed to ME so I can credit you with 5 points for completing this out-of-class exercise.
Here are prompts to consider as you read and comment on your partner’s draft:
- Does the paper contain a thesis statement which makes an interpretive claim about the poem? Identify it by highlighting it.
- Does the paper use the claim/evidence/analysis model to form body paragraphs which each play a specific role in supporting the thesis statement?
- Does the paper make an argument about the poem which seems logically derived from the poem it is examining? Is the argument coherent and consistent all the way through?
- Does the poem include an introduction and conclusion paragraph? How effective are these?
- What suggestions/recommendations do you have for the author?
NOTE: Your partner for peer review is NOT the originator of the poem you received to analyze.
Schedule
July 18: Midnight – Poem due to Ruth via email.
July 23 – Initiate peer review process with partner via email.
July 25: Midnight - Peer Review for Poem Analysis should be completed. Submit draft with comments back to author and to Ruth.
July 28: Noon – Rationale and final draft of Analysis due to Blackboard
Point Breakdown
Poem/Submission on-time – 10 points
Rationale – 40 points
Close-Reading Analysis – 50 points
· Thesis Statement - 5 points
· Analysis of Poem – 25 points
· Introduction & Conclusion - 5 points
· Use of claim/evidence/analysis model – 10 points
· Writing Style and MLA – 5 points
TOTAL: 100 points
NOTE: I will NOT be commenting on these projects, due to the fact that final grades will be due shortly after the due date. If you would like comments after the term is over, however, I will be happy to do so if you contact me by email. I will be emailing unmarked, anonymous analyses of the poems back to the poems’ authors, to give everyone the chance to see how their work was interpreted.
Parting thoughts for the semester: Once the poetry has left your hand and is on the paper, it really takes on a life of its own. You may read the analysis of your poem and think “I really like what they got out of it way more than my intention.” Whose reading of the poem is more genuine and authoritative? Yours or your readers? Is it yours because you wrote it? Or are all readings of a poem, which seriously take into account its parts, equally legitimate? These are big questions literary critics have been dealing with for a long time! While we certainly don’t try to prescribe “authorial intent” on texts we read, it doesn’t seem entirely fair to throw out the author when interpreting a poem. Yet this is what many literary critics have decided to do!
Hopefully this project gives you an insight into these issues, as you go through the process of composing a poem, thinking about what went into it, and seeing how someone other than you interprets it. Again, there is no “right” answer here, but hopefully this process sheds some light on both the creative and the interpretive processes, and where they start to mix.