Module 2

This content outlines a comprehensive guide on poetry analysis and literary devices, which would be essential for understanding and interpreting poetry in an exam setting. Here's a breakdown of each module:

Module 2.1: Why We Read and Write Poetry

• Considerations in Poetry: Focus on sound, meaning, and appearance.

• Purpose: Poetry is meant to heighten awareness, provoke emotions, and provide a different perspective.

Module 2.2: Analyzing Poetry

• Key Elements to Look For:

  • Rhyme

  • Punctuation

  • Grammar

  • Word Selection

  • Rhetorical Techniques

  • Multiple Meanings

Module 2.3: Tone in Poetry

• Tone: Just as in speech, the tone in poetry can change with a few words, influencing the overall feeling.

Module 2.4: Verse and Rhyme

• Components:

  • Verse: The main building block of a poem.

  • Stanza: A grouped set of lines in a poem.

  • Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line.

  • End Rhyme/Internal Rhyme: Rhymes occurring at the end of lines or within a line.

  • Slant Rhyme: Near or imperfect rhyme.

  • Masculine/Feminine Rhyme:

    • Masculine Rhyme: A single stressed syllable rhyme.

    • Feminine Rhyme: A rhyme involving multiple syllables with the final syllable(s) unstressed.

• Free Verse: Poetry without a regular meter or rhythm, resembling conversation.

• Blank Verse: Unrhymed iambic pentameter, often used in character monologues.

Module 2.5: Meter in Poetry

• Meter: The rhythmic structure of a verse, determined by the pattern of stressed syllables.

• Types of Meter:

  • Iambic Pentameter: 5 stresses, 10 syllables.

  • Other Meters: Hexameter (6), Diameter (2), Heptameter (7), Octameter (8), Tetrameter (4), Monometer (1), Trimeter (3).

  • Iambic Meter and Foot: A specific type of rhythmic pattern.

  • Anapest: Two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable.

  • Trochee: A stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.

Module 2.6.1: Form in Poetry

• Poetic Form: The structural design of a poem.

  • Closed Form: Fixed structure (e.g., sonnets).

  • Open Form: Less structured, often resembling free verse.

  • Concrete Poetry: Poetry that visually represents its subject

Module 2.6.2: Types of Poetry

• Sonnet: 14 lines, often in iambic pentameter, with two main types (Petrarchan and Shakespearean).

• Octave/Sestet/Quatrains/Couplets:

  • Octave: 8-line stanza.

  • Sestet: 6-line stanza.

  • Quatrain: 4-line stanza.

  • Couplet: 2-line stanza with matching rhyme and meter.

• Heroic Couplet: Paired lines in iambic pentameter, traditionally used in epic poetry.

·  Alexandrine: A line of 12 syllables divided into two hemistich’s.

·  Mock-Heroic: Parody of heroic couplets.

·  Epic: Long narrative poem about heroic deeds.

·  Ballads: Narrative poetry, often about personal stories, usually in a song-like structure.

·  Lyrical Poetry: Expresses personal emotions, typically in first person.

• Elegy: A mournful, sad poem.

• Eulogy: A speech praising someone, often at funerals.

• Ode: A poem of praise.

·  Villanelle: 19-line poem with a specific pattern and refrains.

·  Sestina: A complex poem with six 6-line stanzas followed by a 3-line stanza.

·  Epigram: A short, witty poem with a twist at the end.

·  Doggerel: Poorly constructed verse with irregular rhythm.

·  Limerick: A humorous form of doggerel with a specific rhyme scheme.

·  Aubade/Serenade: Poems about love, with the former set in the morning and the latter in the evening.

Module 2.7: Meaning in Poetry

• Denotation: The literal meaning of a word.

• Connotation: The implied or suggested meaning.

• Symbol: An object or concept representing something else.

Module 2.8: Construction in Poetry

• Figurative Language: Words used in a non-literal way to convey meaning.

• Diction and Syntax: Word choice and grammatical structure are crucial in poetry.

• Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds within lines.

• Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds.

Module 2.9: Rhetorical Techniques in Poetry

• Common Techniques:

  • Metaphor: A direct comparison between two things.

  • Simile: A comparison using "like" or "as."

  • Allusion: A reference to an external event, person, or place.

  • Personification: Attributing human qualities to non-human entities.

  • Alliteration: Repetition of initial consonant sounds.

  • Apostrophe: Addressing an absent or imaginary person or entity.

  • Hyperbole: Exaggeration for emphasis.

  • Irony: A discrepancy between the intended and actual meaning.

  • Metonymy: A word or phrase used to stand in for another concept.

  • Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate sounds.

  • Oxymoron: A combination of contradictory terms.

  • Paradox: A statement that appears self-contradictory but may reveal a truth.

  • Sarcasm: Use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

  • Synecdoche: A part representing the whole or vice versa.

This breakdown should give you a solid foundation for analyzing and understanding poetry, which is key for any literature exam. If you need further clarification or have specific questions, feel free to ask!