The 'how to' of responding to poetry questions - Part 1

Hi ladies,


I think we need to talk about the 'in what ways' questions.

There are three implied areas of investigation here.

1. Attitudes toward / of topic
2. Similarities / echoes of topic (atmosphere)
3. Implications of intended reader response

In the first one, we're looking at how the poet is trying to express the feeling / theme / topic itself.  This should involve noting the effects of multiple language features expressing the mood of the content.

In the second, you should explore how the concrete aspects of the poem's structure echo or mimic the message / content.

Finally, we look at historical context and speaker voice - are they being sarcastic?  Zealous?  Somber and reflective?  Does this tone of voice contrast or support the message of the text?

Obviously we do not repeat points.  If you find more than one aspect of the poem that makes the same point, group them into a single paragraph.  Use the BEST points, not EVERY point - and provide evidence.

Let me know if you have any questions on this.


- T. Marcus

Home stretch!

Hi ladies,


Wow, 32 poems down!  Woohoo!!!

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, then at the bottom of this post I've included the 2nd half of Whitney's A Farewell to the Reader.  Could yield interesting study notes and help you enjoy the poem more.

Otherwise, this post is generally filled with a variety of helpful information links on some of the last several poems we've explored.  If you'd like help on specific topics for any particular poem, please let me know so I can flesh out this blog!

Here is a helpful biography for A Farewell to the Reader's author, Isabella Whitney.  Additionally, I found an insightful essay surrounding the historical context of Whitney and flower printings.  I particularly liked this quote:

"...needlework slips [sewing prints & patterns of flowers] were imprinted with the memory, even the politics of those who once worked [created / used] them."

Interesting, considering that Whitney's A Farewell to the Reader is set in a metaphorical flower garden.

Sparknotes also saw fit to make a writeup on this poem.  If you haven't already checked, they may be a good source for the others on our list; I just find they're often a bit too focused on making it 'easy to engage with' and thus sacrifice quite a bit of depth.  But they're getting better.

This link is the one we found with all the other links to information on Thomas Dekker.  Could be very interesting.

But the one I think you'd all be interested in is the question that we came up with respect to Celia: was she Carew's or Jonson's love interest... or both?!?  Well, I think I can say with complete confidence that I still have no idea whatsoever.

However.

Having said that, I did run across a few interesting sites in the search.  This one was especially interesting to me (once you wade past all the visual ads).

Part 2 of A Farewell to the Reader:

And eke that he who ought the Plot,
     wherein they same did grow:
Fume not to see them borne about,
     and wish he did me know.
And say in rage were she a man,
     that with my Flowers doth brag,
She well should pay the price, I wolde
     not leave her worth a rag.
If as I say, no harms do hap,
     but that this well may speed:
My mind is fully satisfied,
     I crave none other mead.
So wishing thee no worse than those,
     of whom I think none ill:
I make an end and thee commend,
     the living Lord until.

• borne - carried; in this case particularly with the sense of being carried openly, publicly
• doth - archaism for 'do'; wasn't sure if changing it would help or not.
• wolde - archaism for 'would'; as it appears at the end of the line, I figured it was best to leave it.
• hap - happen, transpire / occur
• speed - 1) possibly referring to old phrase 'God-speed', or 2) archaism for 'prove successful'
• living Lord until - Return of Christ

- T. Marcus

Shakespeare and Spenser

Hi ladies,


So - by now your heads are bubbling with trying to figure out Shakespeare's sonnets.  He loves to use imagery and any available puns by playing on words and their possible meanings, so watch out for that.  His images usually progress as we saw with sonnet 73.

Meanwhile, Spenser is back!  Here's a link to a great investigation of "The Faerie Queene" - Book 7, Canto 6 and Canto 7.

The first Romantic epic since... Chaucer, I think it was.  At any rate, a huge accomplishment.  Once again Mr. Sir will be very helpful, though he didn't do a lot of background checking into The Faerie Queene itself in terms of its contextual contribution towards this extract.  Still, worth reading his notes.

This is a splendidly written summary of the entire work, which even does a single-sentence breakdown of what each book discusses or represents.


Finally, you could always find it helpful to have further background on Spenser and the poems he wrote (including Faerie Queene).

Enjoy.  :)


- T. Marcus