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English 11

Romanticism

“Thanatopsis” by William Cullen Bryant

Reading Questions

  1. Two Greek words, Thanatos (death) and Opsis (seeing) were combined to make the title of this poem. How do the meanings of these words contribute to the meaning of the poem? (1 point)
  1. Define the following words (consider the context of the poem—1 point each):

Shroud:

Pall:

narrow house:

sepulcher:

How do these words and their meanings impact the meaning of the poem? (1 point)

  1. Is this a poem about life or is this a poem about death? Explain your answer and support your opinion with at least one textual reference (quote from the poem). (3 points)
  1. Tone refers to the author’s attitude regarding the subject. The tone of this poem shifts. The subject of the poem is our attitude about death…keep that in mind.
  2. What is the tone in the first part of the poem? (1 point)
  1. When does the tone shift? (line number) (1 point)
  1. What is the tone after the shift? (1 point)

Give an example from the text for the tone of the first part of the poem and another textual example to support your opinion for the tone of the second part of the poem. (2 points)

  1. This poem was written early in the nineteenth century. The type of landscape art during this time period favored sweeping panoramas, wild vistas, untamed landscapes, and views of the sky. Look at “Thanatopsis” as a visual description of a painting. What elements of the poem are like a painting? What images are created in the poem? What landscape is created? (3 points)
  1. “Thanatopsis” is a poem that can be interpreted in several ways. How is this a Romantic poem? What characteristics of Romanticism are evident in the poem? Look through the characteristics of Romanticism in your notes and find at least two Romantic characteristics that are evident in “Thanatopsis” and explain your choices. (4 points)
  2. Characteristic #1
  1. Characteristic #2
  1. “Thanatopsis” is considered an elegy, a poem of mourning. In what ways is this an elegy? (1 point)
  1. What is the overall theme or message of this poem? What do you get out of it? What do you think Bryant is trying to tell us about death? About life? (1 point)