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Write an essay [on any of the recent poems] in which you discuss some element[s] of the poem: compare two
poems, or write a comparison of the poem to a short story.
Theme: One place to start when writing about poetry is to look at any significant themes that emerge in the poetry. Does the poetry deal with themes
related to love, death, sickness, inspiration, beauty? Any other concepts? What other themes show up in the poem? Are there particular historical
events that are mentioned in the poem? Or “alluded” to [allusion]? What are the most important concepts that are addressed in the poem? Consider
“situation-” Discuss any one or more of the poems we’ve studied in relation to situation/setting- Why is it important to consider the situation? Does it
have anything to do with the larger idea behind the poem?
Classical versus Romantic in poems- Is the poem written more in a “classical” style or is it more in the “romantic” style? See “poetry elements”
handout on e-companion for more info on this-
Denotation/Connotation: What is the poem literally about [denotation] and what does it seem to symbolize? [connotation]-
