Poetry Themes

Question 1

The Raven

Answer 1

Death, darkness, afterlife, love, nature as powerful; by Poe

Question 2

Barbara Allen

Answer 2

Medieval, anon. Male reliance on female love; rejection of male love as a moral wrong

Question 3

Fair Annie

Answer 3

Medieval, anon. Annie’s husband gets another bride. Annie had 7 children, grief over the loss. Treatment of women. New bride = Annie’s sister

Question 4

My love is like to ice

Answer 4

Spenser; power relations and male/female dynamics; male as fiery, desire; female as cold, desireless

Question 5

As the huntsman

Answer 5

Spenser; hunter hunts a deer, who becomes docile. Parallels notions of treatment of women & notions of love during this time

Question 6

The Sleeper

Answer 6

Death, corpse, sleep as death

Question 7

Hymn to the Evening

Answer 7

Wheatley; depicts twilight, ends with the complete sunset. Religious, praising God and virtue.

Question 8

Hymn to the Morning

Answer 8

Wheatley; depicts dawn, invokes the nine (the Muses)