TASK: Select two complete poems, a pair that you think does something interesting together.
Write
an essay that analyzes the poems’ form and content to identify a significant question
they’re both asking about a topic and using their poems to answer. Put emphasis not merely on WHAT the poem is
saying about that topic but HOW and WHY.
PURPOSE: To
practice extensive brainstorming, sustained close-reading and analysis, and
argument-based essay writing.
CRITERIA: Papers
will be graded on the presence of a unified question and answer, the sharpness
of the observations, wisdom of the organization, precision of the writing/grammar/punctuation/use
of MLA format, the level of interest generated by comparisons & contrasts,
and the degree to which the observations have been crafted into a unified
argument.
Further instructions are added in the txt document.
This includes two examples of essays which both include an introductory paragraph, as well as topic sentences for the body paragraphs.
Attached is also the poetry packet where the poems are.
An example of something I might write about is connecting “The Song of Wandering Aengus” and “The Daffodils”
Some ideas or concepts that they share are:
Connection with the Natural World: Both poems highlight the importance of connecting with the natural world and finding solace and inspiration in its beauty. Whether it’s the sight of daffodils by the lake or the mystical allure of a wandering swan, nature plays a central role in shaping the experiences and emotions of the speakers in both poems.
Emotion and Imagination: Both poets emphasize the role of emotion and imagination in experiencing the world around them. In “The Daffodils,” the speaker’s encounter with the daffodils evokes feelings of joy, wonder, and awe, while in “The Song of Wandering Aengus,” Aengus is driven by his emotions and imagination in his pursuit of the elusive swan.
If you could use those two poems, that’d be great, if not, I’m open to other ways of approaching the essay.