Northern Virginia Tarantella by Hilaire Belloc Poetry Analysis Essay
Northern Virginia Tarantella by Hilaire Belloc Poetry Analysis Essay
Poetry analysis, essay #2
The Poem/Song Analysis: A Comparative Essay
In this next (and last) major essay you will be asked to deeply interpret both a poem and a song using the close reading techniques we have discussed in class and already used in the fiction analysis assignment and throughout this semester. This assignment is similar to the fiction analysis project in the sense that you will be asked to analyze the deeper meaning of the poem and the song you select. Again, you may choose to analyze and discuss any poem in our text or outside of our text, aside from the poems already listed on the syllabus. In addition, you will compare the meaning of the poem you choose to analyze with a song of your choice idea. Again, I want to emphasize creative interpretation here: how you go about “deeply interpreting” this poem and song will be up to you. However, the objective of this essay will be to provide a deep understanding of one poem and one song. In addition, you will need to find an interesting way of comparing the song to the poem and playing them off each other. Contrast as well as find likeness.
For this essay you will need:
1. A primary source—the poem and song themselves. As with the fiction analysis project this poem should be complex enough to stand up to intense analysis. Do NOT necessarily pick a poem and a song that are “easy,” because you may find that you won’t have enough ambiguity to explore in your essay. The “easier” your song and your poem are to understand, the less material you will have to discuss.
2. You will also need to incorporate at least 4 poetic techniques from the series of techniques that we have been discussing in class, or from the glossary of your text. You should build up to a thematic analysis—discussing what your poem/song are both REALLY about.
3. This essay must use an organized thesis statement. Since this is a comparative essay you should organize this essay using either the “block” structure, or the “integrated” structure.
4. You will also need a works cited page and proper MLA documentation of your primary sources (the poem and the song). Songs should be documented using the songwriter’s name. Otherwise provide the song title and date of CD or digital “publication,” and the label (if applicable). See MLA for more info on this.
5. This essay will be at least 5 double spaced pages in length—not including the works cited page.
6. You must also use at least two outside sources to assist your analysis.
