Seeing as I am hoping to study English at Cambridge, I thought I would share a part of their site that I have come to find very intriguing. They offer a 'Virtual Classroom' to explore some of the approaches to literature that they offer. They ask you to read a poem without context, as I sometimes do here, and evaluate your own thoughts and feelings towards it. They then provide you with an exemplar reading to see how you faired.
This is the link to the first example poem they want you to examine: http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/classroom/class1/index.htm
I would like to stress that this activity is for absolutely anyone, whether you have studied poetry in great depth or not. It might be just nice for you to read a poem out of context, as you do not have to follow their instructions at all. The poem is not long or difficult to read and so is a great introduction to Practical Criticism.
From it I have learnt the term 'Rhyme Royal': ababbcc rhyme scheme. Also, that an unstressed syllable is 'feminine' (no, I do not like that term and shall not use it again).
It surprised me that when I did look into the context of the poem, it was as old as 1535 and by Thomas Wyatt (another poet I am yet to cover, noted). The language did not read as far divided as that in my mind. Which is what I love about poetry; it is universal and ageless in many cases.
I wonder how I sound to my readership sometimes. I talk about all this lovely, intelligent poetry, but unknown to you I sit here listening to Sk8er Boi.
This is the link to the first example poem they want you to examine: http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/classroom/class1/index.htm
I would like to stress that this activity is for absolutely anyone, whether you have studied poetry in great depth or not. It might be just nice for you to read a poem out of context, as you do not have to follow their instructions at all. The poem is not long or difficult to read and so is a great introduction to Practical Criticism.
From it I have learnt the term 'Rhyme Royal': ababbcc rhyme scheme. Also, that an unstressed syllable is 'feminine' (no, I do not like that term and shall not use it again).
It surprised me that when I did look into the context of the poem, it was as old as 1535 and by Thomas Wyatt (another poet I am yet to cover, noted). The language did not read as far divided as that in my mind. Which is what I love about poetry; it is universal and ageless in many cases.
I wonder how I sound to my readership sometimes. I talk about all this lovely, intelligent poetry, but unknown to you I sit here listening to Sk8er Boi.
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