Monday, March 19, 2007

You are starting your Poetry unit today. I will be handing out an itinerary that barring changes, should be pretty accurate. Below are the notes and first assignment. This is due tomorrow.

Purpose
The purpose of poetry is to express fully the emotions and imagery that might not easily be captured in an essay or story. What often makes reading it so difficult is that many of us think in terms of black and white. Figurative language, with its use of symbolism, connotations, etc., can make the task of reading poetry accurately a bit of a challenge. It’s important then, that you take the time to read it accurately and look for the literal and underlying meaning in what is being presented.

English 30: Poetry Unit: Introductory Assignment

Define the following poetic terms. You may use a computer to do so and may work in pairs (if you are not being disruptive). Keep in mind that “cut and paste” will not work. I want you to re-word the definitions into your own words. By doing this, you’ll have a higher rate of retention.

Terms to define:
Terms to define:
· pastoral
accent
· personification
allegory
· pun
alliteration
· requiem
allusion
· paradox
analogy
· simile
apostrophe (make up an example as well)
· sonnet
ballad
· stanza
blank verse
· idyll
cacophony
· imagery
couplet
· imperfect rhyme (make up an example as well)
connotation
· irony
denotation
· juxtaposition (give me an example as well)
elegy
· metaphor
epic
· onomatopoeia
free verse
· oxymoron
haiku
· parody
hyperbole


Due Date: Tuesday, March 20

If you want to read ahead, read the poem “An Old Man’s Winter Night,” which will be handed out upon request.