Next, write an essay of several paragraphs in length in which you (1) identify key features of the Shakespearean sonnet; 2) illustrate those key features of the Shakespearean sonnet by making specific reference to the text of “Sonnet 116”; and 3) discuss how an understanding of the form contributes to a greater understanding of the “meaning” (beyond the literal plot) of the poem.
The Shakespearean sonnet, also known as the English sonnet, is made up three quatrains and a couplet following the rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg. Shakespearean sonnets are composed of fourteen …show more content…
The poem demonstrates Americans wanting and doing things they don’t necessarily need.
Discuss the significance of the Bob Dylan epigraph to the larger mood and meaning (i.e., theme) of the poem.
The Bob Dylan epigraph is significant because it gives insight to the thoughts and views of the author or narrator. He is separating himself from America due to the stigma attached to the image of Americans. He is essentially detaching himself from America while connecting himself to the Midwest. The deeper meaning of the poem that connects to the epigraph is that no matter where you go, the mindless self-indulgence will always be prevalent.
Using the same poem, how would you describe the speaker’s attitude toward the Midwest in this poem? How is that attitude conveyed through figures of speech, imagery, use of sound, rhyme, and/or other literary devices? (Please note that you do not have to comment on all of the literary devices mentioned above, but rather should limit your discussion to only those elements that, for you, are most obvious and/or …show more content…
Analyze the poem in terms of literary aspects, such as figures of speech, use of sound, rhyme/meter, genre, etc. (50 points) Jeff Gundy’s, “A Day at the Pond Without Geese,” is a poem that demonstrates the speaker’s uncertainty regarding violence. Gundy is able to give a deeper meaning to the poem through the use of personification, tone, and symbolism. This forty-four line poem is composed of twenty-two couplets. Despite the poem being written in free verse, the speaker is able to establish a flow to the piece by creating a “dream-like” atmosphere through his use of tone and sound. The poem does not uphold to established patterns of stanza, rhyme, or meter. This poem is driven by the speakers emotions and personal thoughts. The poem takes a step back and examines life in a new light; a light in which violence is not justified and life is lived to the