Midterm Flashcards
vowels
are only voiced syllables, every accent is on a vowel
scansion
art of recognizing and marking accented and unaccented syllables
prosody
the study of peotic meter
compound words
made of two independent nouns that are usually accentually ambiguous (ex: barnyard)
two syllable words
usually have one accent (ex: tangle, direct)
three syllable words
have either two or one accent (ex: navigate, terrible)
four syllable words
have alternating accents (ex: intangible, invidious)
foot
each element of a line of poetry
iambic pentameter
series of two-syllable feet with an accent in the second syllable of each foot
anapestic meter
series of three syllable feet with accent in the third syllable of each foot
trochaic meter
series of two syllable feet with the accent on the first syllable of each foot
dactylic meter
series of three syllable feet with accent on the first syllable of each foot
rising meter
move up to the accent so iambic and anapestic
falling meter
begin with the accent and fall away so trochaic and dactylic
lines with two feet
dimeter
lines with three feet
trimester
lines with four feet
tetrameter
lines with five feet
pentameter
lines with six iambic feet
alexandrine
lines with six dactylic feet
hexameters
lines with seven feet
fourteeners
lines with eight feet
octameter
inversion
any foot (except rhyming foot) may be inverted
spondee
any iambic or trochaic foot may be replaced by two accented feet; might be spondaic substitution of one accented syllable for two unaccented syllables in anapestic and dactylic verse
headless foot
opening syllable (especially in iambic pentameter) is often dropped
catalectic line
last syllable of line is often dropped
hyper-metrical line
extra short syllable is often added to line of poetry
quantity
each vowel has certain length when pronouncedd
diphthongs
double vowels have greatest quantity
caesura
occurs in poetry when punctuation is placed in middle of foot; causes tensions between metrical continuity and grammatical continuity of poem
elison
dropping vowel sound to accelerate or maintain meter of line
masculine rhyme
single syllable rhymes
feminine rhyme
two syllable rhymes
slant rhyme / half rhyme
where words almost rhyme (ex: soul and all)
internal rhyme
occurs within single line
alliteration
repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or on the stressed syllables of a line
assonance
repetition of vowel sounds in a line of lines of poetry
stanza
refers to set of lines or rhymed sections that a poem is divided into
couplet
two line rhyming stanza with a single rhyme
enjambment
the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next
Hudibrastic couplet
tetrameter couplet that is particularly loose and employs awkward or humorous rhymes
quatrain
any rhyming four line stanza (most common is abab)
Rubaiyat quatrain
rhymes aaba or bbcb
ballad stanza
commong quatrain used often in anonymous ballads of early English poetry, employs abcb rhyming scheme
ode
a lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, often elevated in style or manner and written in varied meter
Horatian ode
regular but complex repetition of stanza form; consists of two- or four-line stanzas that share the same meter, rhyme scheme, and length. The Horatian ode traditionally explores intimate scenes of daily life
Pindaric ode
divided into 3 related parts: strophe, antistrophe, and epode; strophe should be answered by and often reversed by the statement of the antistrophe; final part of “epode” which may have balancing effect
irregular ode or greater ode
no particular organizational logic or rhyme scheme but has free use of complex rhyme scheme but has free use of complex rhyming stanzas of undetermined length
blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter verse
Petrarchan sonnet
divides the 14 lines into two sections: an eight-line stanza (octave) rhyming ABBAABBA, and a six-line stanza (sestet) rhyming CDCDCD or CDECDE; has volta in line 9
volta
turn of thought or argument
syntax
organization of words, grammar is effect of syntax; important in poetry because of meter and rhyming
Fern Hill
author: Dylan Thomas
type of poem: lyric poem
about: themes of innocence, youth, the passage of time, and the inevitability of change; fleeting happiness and time
identifying characteristics: transitions from happy care free mood; childhood innocence, nostalgia, personification; artsy and rhythmic, descriptive; stanza 4 has shift in tone with Adam and Eve reference
Mending Wall
author: Robert Frost
rhyme structure: blank verse (5 iambs)
about: boundaries (physically with the wall and metaphorically); narrator questions fixing it but neighbor emphasizes importance of boundaries
identifying characteristics: theme of boundaries, repetition of good fences make good neighbors
overall language of poem: much more conversational, imagery of wall, most questioning purpose of rebuilding wall
A little learning is a dangerous thing
author: Alexander Pope
rhyme structure: made of couplets
about: small amount of knowledge can lead to misguided judgements; superficial understanding, advises haste and full learning
identifying characteristics: about learning, has metaphors about nature and climbing these hills and mountains
overall language of poem: giving advise to reader
from “An Essay on Criticism”, II, 15-32
A Satirical Elegy on the Death of the Late Famous General
author: Jonathan Swift
rhyme structure: couplet and iambic meter; satirical elegy
about: satirical elegy of general; satirical annihilation; mourning juxtaposed with bad characteristics of general and everything bad he did; last stanza talks directly to reader about who you are
identifying characteristics: reflection of mortality, humor/irony, blend of satire/elegy
overall language of poem: sarcastic and witty, end is thought-provoking
Loveliest of Trees the Cherry Now
author: A.E. Houseman
rhyme structure: LYRIC POEM
about: life is short, don’t have enough time to cherish it; recognize beauty in nature like cherry trees, transient nature
identifying characteristics: about these cherry trees, has math in the middle adding up that he’s 20
overall language of poem: cherry trees, math, reflection on fleeting time to recognize beauty of nature
So We’ll Go No More Roving
author: Lord Byron
rhyme structure: 3 stanzas, ABAB structure; LYRIC POEM
about: growing up and letting go of youth’s adventures and pleasures; reflection of time, acceptance that night time adventures are over; introspective
identifying characteristics: theme of maturity, passage of time and growing up out of childish habits, reference to moon
overall language of poem: reference to night time, reflective, seems exhausted
Old yew that graspest at the stones
author: Alfred, Lord Tennyson
rhyme structure: 4 stanzas, with ABBA structure
message: LYRIC POEM; central of these tree that wraps roots around dead, narrator seems to be mourning, wants to become part of the tree; tree’s longevity and resilience
identifying characteristics: lot about tree, time beating person, seems to be morning, reflection of time and nature
overall language of poem: lyrical, questioning, mourning
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
author: Robert Frost
rhyme structure: Rubaiyat stanza, aaba / bbcb …
about: this man that stops in the middle of the woods to admire beauty, sees house thats not his, doesn’t seem to want to leave; reveals conflict between freedom to do that and admire nature and societal obligations/ responsibilities
identifying characteristics: horse that wants to leave, nature and beauty of the forest, conflict b/w admiring nature and staying or going back to society
overall language of poem: contemplative tone, peaceful with nature, solitude
Ode on a Grecian Urn
author: John Keats
rhyme structure: ode
about: ode has been around for long time + going to stay for long time, teaching different messages to different generations with different issues; talks about scenes on it: one of people never kissing, one of boy under tree, and cow scarifying scene; ends that’s beauty is truth
identifying characteristics: all about this urn, talks about time and what’s on this urn; mentions Arcady multiple times
overall language of poem: rich, describing this urn, lots of punctuation
Astrophil and Stella IX
author: Sir Philip Sidney
rhyme structure: Italian Sonnet
about: describes that Stella is perfect, lots of comparisons and metaphors; again theme of unrequited love, he is drawn to her like magnets
identifying characteristics: comparisons of her beauty, unrequited love, longing, vivid imagery
overall language of poem: beauty and pain, longing
Astrophil and Stella I
author: Sir Philip Sidney
rhyme structure: Italian sonnet with octave and sestet (volta), ends with couplet
about: he is in love with this women, hoping to get her to pity him to love him; he studied other works to impress her but is having writers block; theme of unrequited love
identifying characteristics: getting Stella to pity Astrophil and trying to show her his feelings but cannot write; unrequited love, longing
overall language of poem: expressive, poetic, inner turmoil
Whoso List to hunt, I know where is a hind
author: Sir Thomas Wyatt
rhyme structure: Petrarchan Sonnet
message: suggesting similarity between hunting deer and pursuing women; is difficult and fruitless
identifying characteristics: about hunting and deer, diamonds on neck of the deer (represent beauty or wealth of women) but man could not get deer as couldn’t get women
overall language of poem: advising the audience not to hunt “deers” or chase after women
Sonnet 73
author: William Shakespeare
rhyme structure: english sonnet
message: person seems to be dying (comparisons to autumn, twilight with the black night coming, and his youth lying as ashes on the death bed) but people are going to love him more (couplet); transient nature of human life
identifying characteristics: 3 metaphors (season, sky, and fire ashes); theme of mortality
overall language of poem: melancholy tone, seems to accept mortality
Sonnet 94
author: William Shakespeare
rhyme structure: English Sonnet
about: these people that have power to hurt other people, but are stoic, unmoved, don’t give into temptation but when they turn bad, they are worst then weeds or normal people (couplet)
identifying characteristics: theme of trusting people, betrayal
overall language of poem: very pessimistic, turmoil, seems mad someone did him wrong
Sonnet 106
author: William Shakespeare
rhyme structure: english sonnet
about: poets in the past did not do his lover justice, nothing written could equal her beauty; can only admire her beauty, can’t put it into words
identifying characteristics: words don’t do justice, no praise is enough; is critiquing these past authors but he also can’t do it (couplet)
overall language of poem: beauty, writing compared to real life
Sonnet 130
author: William Shakespeare
rhyme structure:
message: about comparing her to these bad things, unlike Petrarchan poems but still loving her in the end (couplet)
identifying characteristics: seems ironic but makes sense at the end; compares her hair to black wires and her lips not being red; highlight unconventional beauty standards
overall language of poem: confusing, comparing her to bad things but all to say the women he loves is unique and not built up by false Petrarchan over-exaggerations; humor
Design
author: Robert Frost
rhyme structure: argument sonnet
about: this white, fat spider that has a white moth in its amount; poem is all about design, is there divine, design plan for little things all around the world; connection to evolution but hints at darkness and evil
identifying characteristics: spider, darkness, evolution, lots of rhetorical questions,
overall language of poem: ambiguity/uncertainty, vivid imagination, contrast evil and white
The World Is Too Much With Us
author: William Woodsworth
rhyme structure: argument sonnet
message: things people are too focused on materialistic world and not what is truly worthy which is nature; disconnect between humans and nature, criticizing industrialization
identifying characteristics: describes ocean, winds, flowers for specifics
overall language of poem: narrator feels passionate about it, feels like nature heals him in way, want other people to see value in it and not in material items
When I consider how my light is spent (Sonnet 19)
author: john milton
rhyme scheme: argument sonnet
about: grapples with being blind and message is that all God asks of him is to patient and follow him; character is struggling with his talent and feels useless
identifying characteristics: feeling lost, useless but persevering and continuing; God is mentioned a lot, serving him as well
overall language of the poem: questioning purpose, feels hopeless but gets more hopeful by the end of the poem
To Be or Not to Be
author: William Shakespeare
rhyme structure: blank verse, soliloquy
message: Hamlet is questioning life as his pain seems to be surmounting, questioning whether to end it; wonders that many people just accept life and suffering because scared of after death so people chicken out and don’t take action
identifying characteristics: poem from Hamlet, scene where looking in the mirror;
overall language of poem: forceful, contemplative, angry in a way; questions whether sleep is like death
Thanatopsis
author: William Cullen Bryant
rhyme structure: blank verse
about: nature comforting you / looking to nature when have bad day, when die earth takes you in like everyone else, dead is all around in the own world, advises people to live life to fullest so dying is not bad but like sweet dream
identifying characteristics: lot about earth and death being everyone for everyone; has reference of she has nature;
overall language of poem: landscapes, elements of nature, references tomb for everyone; finding comfort and that death isn’t bad thing but inevitable
When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed
author: Walt Whitman
rhyme structure: free verse
about: Abraham Lincoln; three main symbols in the poem: birds (mourning, sings song about grief and sings death but is resilient; represents Whitman himself), lilacs (beauty and fragility of life, uses them to find comfort), and star in the west (guide of hope and comfort in the light, spiritual consolation); narrator becomes companion with death, message of embracing death and reconciling with loss
identifying characteristics: 3 main characters of the bird, lilacs, and the start in the west; song sung in the middle by bird
overall language of poem: lyrical, symbolizes, tribute, about mourning and loss
A Noiseless Patient Spider
author: Walt Whitman
rhyme scheme: free verse
about: theme of isolation, seeking connection; spider just throwing out its web over and over, connected to human soul trying to branch out and make connections in vast world
identifying characteristics: comparison between spider web and soul searching
overall language of the poem: seems little depressing but honest, lonely
Shine, Perishing Republic
author: Robinson Jeffers
rhyme structure: free verse
about: commenting on the corrupt nature of America; uses metaphors like molten mass and rotten flower, protests are no use; America is expediting its decay with its global reach; mountains representing nature and the meteor as fleeting human society, can run to mountains when societies become too bad; says to children that its not compulsory to cheat and be corrupt, rather they be master than servant like Jesus
identifying characteristics: mountains vs meteor, Jesus Christ reference, molten and flower; all about America’s corrupt society
overall language of poem: warning these children, seems to be sad about loosing his country, directly addresses reader
Howl
author: Allen Ginsberg
rhyme structure: free verse
about: alienation, disillusionment, and search for meaning in modern society; celebrates individuality and creativity while critiques conformity + materialism; has themes of madness, alienation, and spiritual quest after the war
identifying characteristics: unfiltered, stream of consciousness; jazz; divided into 3 sections
overall language of poem: sense of urgency and intensity; provocative imagery, references to sex and jazz; serves as rallying cry for freedom of expression and personal liberation
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night
author: Dylan Thomas
rhyme structure: Villanelle (5 three-line stanzas and a final quatrain)
about: narrator trying to convince people to fight death and don’t just passively accept it; address wise men, good men, wild man, grave men all told to fight death, his father part all of these
identifying characteristics: talks about fighting death and don’t just accept it; 4 men and dedicated to his father
overall language of poem: urgency, trying to convince father to fight death, celebrates living life to the fullest and making most of it
One Art
author: Elizabeth Bishop
rhyme structure: Villanelle
about: shows art of losing things, starts with smaller things and progressively builds up; takes turn in stanza 4 when connect it to narrator’s mother’s watch; describes at the end that even losing her lover, she is right
identifying characteristics: parentheses at the end could be narrator’s inner voice or be the value of writing as way to memorialize things, connected to title of one art (losing and poetry)
overall language of poem: seems joking, gets more serious, focused on losing and writing; uses what seems to be own examples to show progression
If I Could Tell You
author: W.H. Auden
rhyme structure: Villanelle
message: written right after Dunkirk; seems to be all about time knowing things but highlights unpredictable nature of life and that if he could tell, he would; seems to highlight humans limiting knowledge about life in contrast to time
identifying characteristics: lots of I in the poem, “know”, “if”, and “told” repeated a lot
overall language of poem: uncertainty, ambiguous; makes reader consider his message
