Helen VendlerHelen Vendler

Poems, Poets, Poetry: An Introduction and Anthology. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002

Poems, Poets, Poetry: An Introduction and Anthology. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002

Longer genres of poetryLonger genres of poetry

Epic poetry, e.g. Homer’s Iliad and The Odyssey, Derek Walcott’s Omeros

Dramatic poetry, e.g. Shakespeare’s plays,

Epic poetry, e.g. Homer’s Iliad and The Odyssey, Derek Walcott’s Omeros

Dramatic poetry, e.g. Shakespeare’s plays,

Short poetryShort poetry

Narrative poems tell a story, e.g. a ballad

Lyric poems may contain the germ of a story, but dwell less on plot than on the narrators’ feelings.

Lyrical ballads tell a story, but the characters’ feelings are more important than the plot.

Narrative poems tell a story, e.g. a ballad

Lyric poems may contain the germ of a story, but dwell less on plot than on the narrators’ feelings.

Lyrical ballads tell a story, but the characters’ feelings are more important than the plot.

Short poetry cont.Short poetry cont.

Lyric poems in which there is a distinct narrative interest often show changes in verb tense. The narrative unfolds in the verbs and verbals, i.e. tensed verbs, infinitives, present and past participles.

As a general rule, it is useful to look for the narrative in all poems, and to decide how much of the poem is narrative versus how much stays the same.

Lyric poems in which there is a distinct narrative interest often show changes in verb tense. The narrative unfolds in the verbs and verbals, i.e. tensed verbs, infinitives, present and past participles.

As a general rule, it is useful to look for the narrative in all poems, and to decide how much of the poem is narrative versus how much stays the same.

Short poetry cont.Short poetry cont.

Meditative poetry--some poems are almost purely meditative, in the sense that nothing happens. The successive items or themes reflected on in the meditation are the focus of interest, culminating with the final redefinition of the problem.

Meditative poetry--some poems are almost purely meditative, in the sense that nothing happens. The successive items or themes reflected on in the meditation are the focus of interest, culminating with the final redefinition of the problem.

Classification of lyric poems

Classification of lyric poems

Lyric poems are classified by content, by speech act, and by outer form.

Lyric poems are classified by content, by speech act, and by outer form.

Content genres of lyric poems

Content genres of lyric poems

Love poems The aubade (a dawn poem in which one’s love is

awakened by the sun and speaks) The nocturne (a night scene) The pastoral (a poem in the countryside) The elegy (mourning a death) Epithalamion (celebrating a wedding) Prayer Autobiography Flower Sea Travel birthday

Love poems The aubade (a dawn poem in which one’s love is

awakened by the sun and speaks) The nocturne (a night scene) The pastoral (a poem in the countryside) The elegy (mourning a death) Epithalamion (celebrating a wedding) Prayer Autobiography Flower Sea Travel birthday

Speech actsSpeech acts

The term ‘speech act’ refers to manner of expression. When we ‘map’ a poem by its speech acts, we are able to see its skeletal structure and to describe it precisely. Examples of speech acts: apology, apostrophe, declaration, description, hypothesis, rebuttal, narration, prayer, debate or dialogue, reproach, etc.

The term ‘speech act’ refers to manner of expression. When we ‘map’ a poem by its speech acts, we are able to see its skeletal structure and to describe it precisely. Examples of speech acts: apology, apostrophe, declaration, description, hypothesis, rebuttal, narration, prayer, debate or dialogue, reproach, etc.

Outer formOuter form

Outer form refers to meter, rhyme, and stanza-form

Line-width--always look at lines in groups when deciding how many beats they have. The best way to ‘hear’ the beats of a poem is to read it aloud, and to notice the natural stresses of the sentences as you read.

Example--a pentameter poem’s lines are five beats wide.

Outer form refers to meter, rhyme, and stanza-form

Line-width--always look at lines in groups when deciding how many beats they have. The best way to ‘hear’ the beats of a poem is to read it aloud, and to notice the natural stresses of the sentences as you read.

Example--a pentameter poem’s lines are five beats wide.

Outer form cont.Outer form cont.

Rhythm--poems may be characterized by a rising rhythm (the stress falls on the second syllable) or a falling rhythm (the stress falls on the first syllable). A falling rhythm is much heavier, used to imitate marching, hoof-beats, drumming, or some form of raw poem.

Poem-length refers to the number of lines and stanzas.

Rhythm--poems may be characterized by a rising rhythm (the stress falls on the second syllable) or a falling rhythm (the stress falls on the first syllable). A falling rhythm is much heavier, used to imitate marching, hoof-beats, drumming, or some form of raw poem.

Poem-length refers to the number of lines and stanzas.

Checklist of questions for exploring any poem

Checklist of questions for exploring any poem Meaning-what is the general

outline of the poem? Antecedent scenario-What

has been happening before the poem begins? What has provoked the speaker into utterance? How has a previous equilibrium been unsettled? (These questions get at the social and historical context of the poem.)

Meaning-what is the general outline of the poem?

Antecedent scenario-What has been happening before the poem begins? What has provoked the speaker into utterance? How has a previous equilibrium been unsettled? (These questions get at the social and historical context of the poem.)

Checklist cont.Checklist cont.

Division into parts: How many? Where do the breaks come?

The climax: How do the other parts fall into place around it?

The other parts: Are there changes in person? In agency? In tense? In parts of speech?

Find the skeleton: What is the emotional curve on which the whole poem is strung?

Division into parts: How many? Where do the breaks come?

The climax: How do the other parts fall into place around it?

The other parts: Are there changes in person? In agency? In tense? In parts of speech?

Find the skeleton: What is the emotional curve on which the whole poem is strung?

Checklist cont.Checklist cont.

Games with the skeleton: How is this emotional curve made new?

Language: What are the contexts of diction; chains of significant relation; parts of speech emphasized; tenses; and so on?

Tone: Can you name the pieces of the emotional curve-the changes in tone you hear in the speaker’s voice as the poem moves along?

Games with the skeleton: How is this emotional curve made new?

Language: What are the contexts of diction; chains of significant relation; parts of speech emphasized; tenses; and so on?

Tone: Can you name the pieces of the emotional curve-the changes in tone you hear in the speaker’s voice as the poem moves along?

Checklist cont.Checklist cont.

Agency and its speech acts: Who is the main agent in the poem, and does the main agent change as the poem progresses?

Agency and its speech acts: Who is the main agent in the poem, and does the main agent change as the poem progresses?

Checklist cont.Checklist cont.

Genres: What are they by content, by speech act, by outer form?

The imagination: What has s/he invented that is new, striking, memorable--in content, in genre, in analogies, in rhythm, in a speaker?

Genres: What are they by content, by speech act, by outer form?

The imagination: What has s/he invented that is new, striking, memorable--in content, in genre, in analogies, in rhythm, in a speaker?

Play of LanguagePlay of Language

Sound units: The sound units of a poem are its syllables.

Word roots: The pieces of words that come from words in earlier languages, often Greek, Latin, or Anglo-Saxon.

Sound units: The sound units of a poem are its syllables.

Word roots: The pieces of words that come from words in earlier languages, often Greek, Latin, or Anglo-Saxon.

Play of Language cont.Play of Language cont. Words: The meaning of a word in a poem is

determined less by its dictionary definition than by the words around it. Every word in a poem enters into relation with the other words in that poem. Kinds of relation: thematic (or meaning) relation; phonemic relation, e.g. stars, stage, stay; grammatical relation; or syntactic relation. Each word exists in several ‘constellations’ of relation, all of which the reader needs to notice in order to see the overlapping structures of language in the poem.

Words: The meaning of a word in a poem is determined less by its dictionary definition than by the words around it. Every word in a poem enters into relation with the other words in that poem. Kinds of relation: thematic (or meaning) relation; phonemic relation, e.g. stars, stage, stay; grammatical relation; or syntactic relation. Each word exists in several ‘constellations’ of relation, all of which the reader needs to notice in order to see the overlapping structures of language in the poem.

Play of Language cont.Play of Language cont.

Sentences--by tracking changes of subject, predicate, and tense you can see the dynamics of the poem.

Implication--because poems are short, they depend more on implication than longer works. A poem compresses the maximum into each word. Because a poem can only suggest, not expatiate, it requires you to supply the concrete instances for each of its suggestions.

Sentences--by tracking changes of subject, predicate, and tense you can see the dynamics of the poem.

Implication--because poems are short, they depend more on implication than longer works. A poem compresses the maximum into each word. Because a poem can only suggest, not expatiate, it requires you to supply the concrete instances for each of its suggestions.

Play of Language cont.Play of Language cont.

This process of paying attention to words, their functions, their logical arrangements in sentences, and their implications is what we really mean by ‘close’ reading.

This process of paying attention to words, their functions, their logical arrangements in sentences, and their implications is what we really mean by ‘close’ reading.

Constructing a SelfConstructing a Self

The persona--the speaker of a poem who is not the author. (Persona is from the Latin verb personare-to speak through a mask. Why would a poet adopt a persona? When you see an obvious persona speaking in a poem, ask yourself what the persona is being used to express that the poet could not believably convey in a contemporary ‘real life’ voice.

The persona--the speaker of a poem who is not the author. (Persona is from the Latin verb personare-to speak through a mask. Why would a poet adopt a persona? When you see an obvious persona speaking in a poem, ask yourself what the persona is being used to express that the poet could not believably convey in a contemporary ‘real life’ voice.

Constructing a Self cont.Constructing a Self cont.

Because every speaker of a lyric is a constructed speaker, made ‘alive’ by the imagination, and delineated in the play of language, a poem asks that as you step into the shoes of the speaker, you notice how language has been arranged to make that act possible.

Because every speaker of a lyric is a constructed speaker, made ‘alive’ by the imagination, and delineated in the play of language, a poem asks that as you step into the shoes of the speaker, you notice how language has been arranged to make that act possible.

History and RegionalityHistory and Regionality

Does the poem take place over time, and if so, how many episodes does it show?

Does the poem bring in several different spaces?

Does the poem refer to a time in the historical past? If so, what does that epoch mean to the speaker?

Does the poem take place over time, and if so, how many episodes does it show?

Does the poem bring in several different spaces?

Does the poem refer to a time in the historical past? If so, what does that epoch mean to the speaker?

History and Regionality cont.

History and Regionality cont.

If the poem treats a contemporary episode, how is the chaos of history ordered into the brief space of a lyric?

Does the poem move from space to space as it goes along, or does it remain in one place?

If the poem treats imagined spaces, how are those spaces laid out and demarcated?

If the poem treats a contemporary episode, how is the chaos of history ordered into the brief space of a lyric?

Does the poem move from space to space as it goes along, or does it remain in one place?

If the poem treats imagined spaces, how are those spaces laid out and demarcated?