Poetry Analysis assignment

Poetry Analysis paper: due April 4, 2008
For your second analysis paper, you will be performing a reading of a poem, analyzing how the poem's meaning is constructed through its structure, form and use of literary devices. You are not simply summarizing the poem, but rather constructing an argument about it's meaning and how the work achieves its effects.

You may also analyze a song, in which case you will need to give attention to the music as well as the lyrics. Consider how the song works musically in relation to the words, how the music progresses, and, as with a traditional poem, the points of ambiguity and tension within the song.
Some questions to consider in analyzing your text:- how do the meter and rhyme scheme inform and structure the text?- how do the syntax and diction work within the poem?- who is speaking in the poem, and who seems to be the intended reader/listener- is the argument and meaning of the poem explicit or implicit, and how is that meaning communicated.

Format:3-4 pages, double-spacedTimes New Roman/12pt Font1 inch marginsMLA format
These are the elements that I consider important in grading a paper:

Thesis/Argument I do not mean the first sentence of your introduction. I do mean your general argument. I look for an argument that is insightful (not just a summary of the material), appropriate to the assignment, reasonable, and analytical. I do not grade on whether or not I agree with the thesis.

****Evidence and Analysis****You need to provide evidence from the text to support your assertions. You will generally need to provide some analysis of the evidence so that it is clearly related to the conclusions you want to draw.

OrganizationYour paper should have an appropriate order of ideas (so that a reader can follow your argument), and they should be well proportioned (so that you spend the most time on the most important material). Your organization will change as the writing situation changes.

Reasoning and ContentFor this assignment, you must show that you have a clear understanding of the poem and how to perform a close reading and critical analysis. Your conclusions should be valid and supported with evidence from the text. Your reasoning should be clear, well supported and in line with the assignment.

Introduction and ConclusionThere are many different kinds of introductions. Your introduction should set up the problem that your paper will discuss. Your introduction does not have to have a clear statement of your thesis, but it should have a clear statement of the questions your paper is exploring. Your conclusion should have a clear statement of your thesis.

Expression/EthosI use these terms as catch-alls for the various things that affect your credibility as an author: clarity, reliability of sources, format, grammar and usage, tone, style, etc. Your paper should be written in a way that makes it clear that you are an intelligent person who has carefully read the text/sources and thoughtfully put together an argument.