Ms. Crandell
AP English Lit
2003 English Literature Exam (Form B)
Question 1
The following poem is taken from Modern Love, a poetic sequence by the English writer George Meredith. Read the poem carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the poet conveys a view of “modern love.”
By this he knew she wept with waking eyes:
That, at his hand's light quiver by her head,
The strange low sobs that shook their common bed
Were called into her with a sharp surprise,
5And strangled mute, like little gaping snakes,
Dreadfully venomous to him. She lay
Stone-still, and the long darkness flowed away
With muffled pulses. Then, as midnight makes
Her giant heart of Memory and Tears
10Drink the pale drug of silence, and so beat
Sleep's heavy measure, they from head to feet
Were moveless, looking through their dead black years,
By vain regret scrawled over the blank wall.
Like sculptured effigies* they might be seen
15Upon their marriage-tomb, the sword between;
Each wishing for the sword that severs all.
(1862)
*The stone figures of a husband and wife carved on medieval tombs.
Super fast reading check to see how closely you read the poem:
1. Who are the two characters in the poem?
2. Which one is crying?
3. Where are they?
4. What time is it?
5. What is their relationship?
6. What two things does the speaker say the wife’s heart is made of?
7. What are effigies?
Essays that scored an 8 or a 9 closely related technique and theme. Let’s work with theme first: Meredith conveys the idea that modern love is akin to ______.
Now let’s think about how the poet conveys this idea. Write down as many poetic devices as you can find in the poem.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Circle the three that most strongly convey the theme.
Read the prompt again to make sure your thesis will address the language of the prompt. You’re ready to create your working thesis.
Through the use of ______, ______, and ______, Meredith conveys the view that modern love is akin to ______.
Topic Sentences--use one poetic device per topic sentence.
TS 1: The poet employs ______to show that ...(restate second part of thesis)
TS 2: Meredith uses ______to reveal...
TS 3: Throughout the poem, ______conveys the idea that ...