Theme/ Poetry Review

May 13, 2015

E.Q: What is theme, in a literary context?
Analyze a poem by John Donne

Obj: I can identify themes in pieces of literature.
I can analyze a poem and create meaning. 

 

Starter:

What is the one area that you struggle most with when analyzing poetry? 
Why do think that is?

Activity:

1.  Understanding Themes

Read the Teaching Theme article.

As you read, create a step sheet for how to find themes.

2.  The Case of Lady Saddox

You will use the Arthur Conan Doyle story, linked above, to complete the following activity:

1.  Trace the elements of the story

 (Remember)

2.  Identify the Big Idea

3.  Infer the Theme

4.  Evidence that justifies theme.

31.  John Donne Poem Analysis

The Sun Rising

Busy old fool, unruly Sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains, call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?
Saucy pedantic wretch, go chide
Late schoolboys, and sour prentices,
Go tell court-huntsmen that the king will ride,
Call country ants to harvest offices,
Love, all alike, no season knows, nor clime,
Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.

Thy beams, so reverend and strong
Why shouldst thou think?
I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink,
But that I would not lose her sight so long:
If her eyes have not blinded thine,
Look, and tomorrow late, tell me
Whether both the’Indias of spice and mine
Be where thou leftst them, or lie here with me.
Ask for those kings whom thou saw’st yesterday,
And thou shalt hear: “All here in one bed lay.”

She’is all states, and all princes I,
Nothing else is.
Princes do but play us; compar’d to this,
All honour’s mimic, all wealth alchemy.
Thou, sun, art half as happy’as we,
In that the world’s contracted thus;
Thine age asks ease, and since thy duties be
To warm the world, that’s done in warming us.
Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere;
This bed thy centre is, these walls, thy sphere.

 INSTRUCTIONS:
  Annotate each stanza.
Use this time to generate meaning.
Then, respond to the following questions:

A.  What is the objective summary of the poem?

B.  Which line best captures the main idea and why?

C.  What is the speaker's attitude towards the sun?

D.  How does the speaker value love?

E.  What is meant by the hyperbole, "She is all states, and all princes I?"





F.  What is the overall theme of the poem?

Please show me when you are done.

.

Closure:

Using the learning target, how confident are you in identifying themes and analyzing poems 1, 2, 3, or 4?

Explain.