Paper #3: Comparison of Poems

Instructions:

Write a short (2-3 pages—750-1000 words—double-spaced, typed/wordprocessed) comparison of two poems with the same subject from your text. First, identify the two poems and their authors. Next, establish the basis for comparison (the common subject in this case), state the points of comparison, and explain what the comparison reveals (the point of the comparison—your thesis). Then prove your point. In making your case, be sure to discuss all aspects of the two poems, including specifying the common subject and (possibly different) theme, noting the similarities or differences in sound (rime, meter, etc.), voice (including persona, style of language, and tone/attitude), and imagery (including metaphors, similes, personification, symbols, and so on) as appropriate for your poem. Take care to use proper technique in quoting words, phrases, and lines from the poem (see text for proper techniques).

If you are taking this in the same term as Literary Theory, you can focus the comparison on how each poem reflects one of those approaches (for example, Feminism/Gender Theory, New Historicism, Myth Criticism, Marxism, Post-Colonialism, Psychological Approaches, etc.)

Due Dates:

See Course Schedule

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