Looking into the Lives and Works of the Romantic Poets

For this project, you will have an opportunity to study the life and works of a selected English or American Romantic period poet. Your research, reading and writing should include the following:

  1. Locate in books or on-line works by your poet, and read, read, read.
  1. Select four or five favorite poems;
  2. Write responses for two of your favorite poems in which you analyze the thematic meaning and the ways the speaker develops these ideas. Include discussion of:

- speaker, audience and dramatic situation (experience) or subject;

- tone of the poem;

- important images and figurative language devices used to develop meaning;

-significant diction (word) choices that contribute to the meaning and tone;

-how the poem reflects the beliefs and ideals of the Romantic period;

-personal response.

-each response should be approximately 11/2 pages in length.

Poem responses will be typed and turned in for writing credit. Responses will also be included in your presentation in the appropriate form.

  1. Find and read biographical information, and create a timeline/graphic representation of the major events in his life; include an illustration of the poet;
  1. Select a piece of Romantic period art work and music that reflect some aspect of your poet's work. Analyze the painting and music in relation to your impressions of the poet's work and your understanding of the characteristics and purposes of Romantic writing, art and music.
  1. Create a Powerpoint or Prezi presentation that introduces viewers to your poet, his life,three of your favorite poems, and your selected art or music from the Romantic period. For your presentation, include copies of the poems you select and your analysis and personal response for two poems (if you work with a partner on the presentation, include two poems from each of you for a total of four poems). For the art and music include the titles of the pieces, names of the artists, a picture of the art work and an audio link to the music and your explanation of the connection of selected art and music to your writer’s poetry. Be sure to include a formal bibliography in MLA style of all sources, including art/music, you use. Presentations should be about 12 slides, including title slide and bibliography.

Major English Romantic Poets Include:

William Wordsworth

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

George Gordon, Lord Byron

Percy Bysshe Shelley

John Keats

Pre-Romantic Poets:

William Blake

Thomas Gray

Robert Burns

Victorian Era English Poets

Christina Rossetti

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Robert Browning

French Romantic Poets

Victor Hugo

American Romantic Poets

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Edgar Allan Poe

John Greenleaf Whittier

Walt Whitman

Due Dates:Poem analysis #1- Completed rough draft: 4/15; Final draft for editing: 4/17; Final draft for evaluation: 4/21

Poem analysis #2-Completed rough draft: 4/27; Final draft for editing: 4/29; Final draft for evaluation: 4/30

Poet biographical timeline/graphic-5/4

Romantic art/music writing- Selection: 4/20; Completed rough draft: 4/22; final draft for editing: 4/24; Final draft for evaluation: 4/28

Bibliography-5/4

Presentation-5/4

Hedges/Adv Eng 2 Sem/Rev. 2014