The Windhover BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS analyze
I’m trying to study for my English course and I need some help to understand this question.
You will perform a close reading of a poem listed on the syllabus, and create an eye-catching, informative, text-feature-filled infographic that illustrates your reading. If you would like to write on a poem not in the syllabus, you must get approval from me first. I will post sample infographics and will also show you samples in class.
Your reading should consider how the poem’s content (what it says) relates to its form (how it says it). It is not enough to simply identify formal characteristics. You must argue how they influence the effect of the poem, and why you came to that conclusion.
Your infographic should visually represent a literary analysis of your selected poem. A successful assignment will organize and present complex critical analysis in an interesting and creative way.
Your infographic must present a strong thesis statement that makes an argument based on your reading of the poem. It should draw connections between the form of the poem (metre, rhyme, consonance, assonance, punctuation, word length, vocality, metaphor, etc.) and its content (theme, imagery, narrative).
You will produce a polished product with very few, if any, mechanical or expression errors. Give your infographic a snappy, descriptive title (i.e. not “Poetry Assignment”).
You will need to specifically reference and quote directly from the poem. This is the evidence that will make or break your argument. Use line numbers in parenthesis (34) to indicate which lines and words from the poem you are referencing.
To make your infographic, you can use:
- BeFunky •
- Visme •
- Canva •
- Piktochart •
- Infogr.am
- Prezi
- Venngage
Google Charts
Adobe something something
Actual poster board and your hands You may NOT use PowerPoint for this assignment. This is an infographic, not a multi-page presentation.
About 40% (or more) of your time on this assignment should be spend reading the poem. Use a pencil and scan the poem and identify its rhyme scheme. Look for patterns: repeated words, sounds, phrases or images. Write notes in the margins and circle key words. Identify contradictions and ambiguity in the poem: either explicitly or moments where form might undermine or contradict the content, or vice versa. Describe its style (Archaic? Elevated? Colloquial? Mixed?) and its tone (Funny? Ironic? Haunted? Sad? Pensive? Amorous?).
You will be evaluated on the precision and force of your writing, the strength of your thesis statement, and the clarity, creativity and beauty of your presentation.
