12A-3-1 Meanings of Figurative Language - Edmentum …supportcdn.edmentum.com/InstructorMaterials/Eng12Av2/Unit_3... · Recognizing figurative language will help you better understand

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Answer Key: Meanings of Figurative

Language

English 12A Unit 3

Name _________________________________________ Date____________________________

Objectives In this lesson you will: • rely on context to determine meanings of words and phrases such as figurative language • expand vocabulary through wide reading, listening, and discussing Links Poetry Glossary http://redirect.platoweb.com/337771 Figures of Speech http://redirect.platoweb.com/339285 Poets.org http://redirect.platoweb.com/58865 Activities 1. Words can be used in either a literal way (conveying a straightforward, originally intended

meaning) or a figurative way (conveying expressive or connotative meaning instead of a literal meaning through the use of figures of speech). For example, if you say, “I have to go to the store today to buy some coffee,” you mean literally what the words say. A figurative way of expressing the same basic meaning is “I’m running to the store today to grab some more Java.” You most likely are neither running nor grabbing, and Java is an expressive way to refer to coffee. The figurative language, moreover, enhances the sentence’s basic meaning by conveying the sense that you might be in a hurry.

Figures of speech include schemes, an expressive way to arrange words, and tropes, an expressive way of deviating from the denotative (i.e., dictionary) meaning of a word. A commonly used scheme is parallelism (when words or phrases are presented in a similar structure: “I am, what I am, what I am”), and a common trope is metaphor (a direct comparison of two unlike things: “her cheeks are roses”).

There are many types of figures of speech. . Visit “Poets” and/or “Figures of Speech” to view definitions and explanations of figures of speech terms. Recognizing figurative language will help you better understand the meaning of the literary work in which it appears, and you will be better skilled at using figurative language in your own writing and speaking, both for school and outside the classroom. After you have reviewed the

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/17105

http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Figures/Schemes%20and%20Tropes.htm

http://www.poets.org/



list of common figures of speech, their definitions, and examples, you can start to search for and analyze additional figures of speech from the Renaissance literature you will read in this lesson.

Read the following Shakespeare sonnets, which you can locate at “Poets”:

• “For you I have been absent in spring” (Sonnet 98) • “When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes” (Sonnet 29) • “When to the sessions of sweet silent thought” (Sonnet 30)

As you are reading the poems, write down any words or phrases that are not used in a literal way. Focus on words or phrases that make you pause and reflect on their figurative meaning or use. Use the chart below to record your selections; refer to the examples by the words/lines the poet writes. Once you have located six examples, identify the figure of speech and provide a definition for each. Here are some figures that you should locate: parallelism, personification, metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche, and hyperbole. In the last column, provide your own analysis of the meaning of the figure of speech as it is used in the poem. Two examples have been provided to get you started on this activity. Additionally, use the space below the chart to write down any words for which you do not know the literal meaning. You can look up those words in a dictionary and record their definitions. (Answers will vary. Examples are given.)

Figurative Language from

Poems

Figure of Speech Used

Definition Meaning in the Poem

Example: Sonnet 98: “When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim,”

Personification (April portrayed as a young man.)

Giving inanimate objects or abstract concepts human characteristics or qualities

The personification of the letters helps to juxtapose the speaker’s feelings of melancholy because of his absent letter and the playful onset of spring.

Example: Sonnet 98: Repetition of “Nor . . . nor”

Parallelism When words or phrases are presented in a similar structure

This helps to build the fact that the speaker cannot participate and enjoy the joys of spring because of his absent love.



Figurative Figure of Speech Definition Meaning in the Language from

Poems Used Poem

Sonnet 30: “The sad account of fore-bemoanèd moan”

Metonymy Referring to something or a person with one of its attributes or a word that is closely related

The speaker’s sorrows are summed up by the one aspect of a moan.

Sonnet 29: “Haply I think on thee”

Apostrophe Direct address to an inanimate object, abstract concepts, or a dead person or one who isn’t present

The speaker refers to his absent lover to bring him happiness in the thought of her.

Sonnet 29: “Like to the lark at break of day arising”

Simile A direct comparison between two unlike things using like or as

This simile helps to illustrate how the speaker’s mood awakens to a better state when he thinks of his lover in the midst of misfortune.

Sonnet 29: “They were but sweet, but figures of delight, / Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.”

Metaphor A direct and equal comparison between two things that seem to be unalike

Birds and flowers are compared to figures and, hence, have no substance; the absent love, however, is the pattern of all beautiful things.


Figurative Figure of Speech Definition Meaning in the

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Language from Poems

Used Poem

Sonnet 29: “men’s eyes”

Synecdoche When just a part of something represents the whole

Men’s eyes stand in for men at large and their judgment.

Sonnet 98: “Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.”

Hyperbole Using exaggerated terms for emphasis

Saying that the absent lover is the pattern of all things beautiful emphasizes the speaker’s absent love and her ability to transform his thoughts just by thinking of her.

Unknown Words: Definitions: 1. Answers will vary. 1. Answers will vary.

2. Answers will vary. 2. Answers will vary.










Now answer the question: Why is it important to be able to recognize figurative language and its meaning within the context of literature? Explain your answer.

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Answers will vary but should evidence student understanding of the way figures of speech can

affect meaning and convey an emotional or connotative sense of language.

2. Select several works of literature that you are currently reading in class. Consider novels, short

fiction, poems, essays, and plays. Choose one longer work or, if you are working on poetry, choose at least three poems.

Write down your selection(s) for this activity: ________________________________________

Now engage in a Figures of Speech Scavenger Hunt. Find the following figures of speech listed below from the works you have selected. You can locate definitions by visiting “Poets” and “Figures of Speech”. In the example column, list the name of the work and cite the passage by chapter number and page number (or, if poetry or drama, line number) and the passage itself. In the final column, explain the meaning of the figurative language as it is used in the passage. Consider the context in which you located the passage.




Figures of Speech Scavenger Hunt

Figure of Speech Example Explanation/Response Metaphor Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Parallelism Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Symbolism Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Simile Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Metonymy Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Synecdoche Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Apostrophe Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Personification Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Paradox Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Oxymoron Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Hyperbole Answers will vary. Answers will vary.


3. Now select one of the works of literature that you used for this activity and answer the

question: What influence or effect does the author’s use of figurative language have on the work as a whole? Write a two- or three-paragraph essay, citing examples from the literature.

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Answer Key: The Nature of Poetry

English 12A Unit 3

Name _________________________________________ Date____________________________

Part 1: Form Objectives In this part of the lesson you will: • analyze ways in which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech, and sounds to evoke

readers’ emotions • explain how meaning is enhanced through various features of poetry including sound (e.g.,

rhythm, repetition, alliteration, consonance, assonance), structure or prosody (e.g., meter, rhyme scheme), and graphic elements (e.g., line length, punctuation, word position)

Links Poets.org, from the Academy of American Poets http://redirect.platoweb.com/58865 Poetry Glossary, from Poets.org (the Academy of American Poets) http://redirect.platoweb.com/337771 Poetry Definitions http://redirect.platoweb.com/339289 Renascence Editions http://redirect.platoweb.com/60205 Luminarium http://redirect.platoweb.com/339286 Activities 1. Many literature students enjoy reading poetry for the personal, emotional response a poem

can bring about after one hears or reads it. Yet the interpretation of any poem is not necessarily up for grabs, so to speak. Instead, a poem’s meaning is often rooted in both the poem’s content and its form. Content refers to the plot-like elements of the poem: its speaker (who is narrating the poem); the person, event, or issue being addressed; the setting or context; and the poem’s overall theme or argument. Form refers to the poem’s figurative language (e.g., imagery, word choice, figures of speech) and its structure (i.e., its poetic form, such as sonnet or villanelle, rhyme, meter, line length, and sounds).

In great poems the relationship between content and form is intricate—in other words, the poem’s form supports its meaning. An example of a poem that marries form and content is the Renaissance writer Thomas Nashe’s “A Litany in Time of Plague.” Nashe uses each of the elements of poetry defined in the chart below. After accessing “Poets” to review the Poetry Glossary and/or Poetry Definitions, complete the chart below by citing examples of each element from “A Litany in Time of Plague.” Then explain how the poetic element supports the meaning of the related line(s). You can find this poem in an English literature anthology (e.g., Norton or Heath) or online at “Poets”.



http://www.english.uga.edu/cdesmet/class/engl4830/work/projects/brent/alphadef.htm

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/%7Erbear/

http://www.luminarium.org/lumina.htm


Poetic Element Definition Example from

Poem Explanation

Imagery mental pictures that are drawn by words

Brightness falls from the air

This image emphasizes the fleeting nature of beauty.

Personification giving inanimate objects or abstract concepts human characteristics or qualities

"Come, come!" the bells do cry

The personification emphasizes the beckoning bells (that ring in death).

Metaphor comparison between two different objects without using like or as (vs. a simile, which is a comparison using like or as)

Beauty is but a flower

This metaphor uses the convention of beauty as a flower, but the next line emphasizes how fleeting the flower and, hence, beauty and youth is.

Rhythm/Meter a pattern of accents, or beats, throughout a poem, and the number of beats in a line

Iambic trimeter (three sets of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable in a line)

The meter creates the sound of a litany (a prayer).

Alliteration the repetition of sounds, usually at the beginning of words

“Which wrinkles will . . .”

The awkward, repetitious beginning sounds in this line call attention to the lack of beauty in the line and, hence, beauty as a flower.

Repetition/Refrain repeated use of words or phrases for some rhetorical effect

The poem’s refrain (“I am sick, I must die/Lord, have mercy on us!”)

This repetition emphasizes the litany, or prayer.

Consonance repetition of consonant sounds, which can be within a word

Line 26: “fight”/”fate”

The embedded “t” sounds mimic the sound of swords.



Poetic Element Definition Example from Explanation Poem

Allusion a reference to something or someone outside the work

“Helen”; “Hector” In Greek mythology, it was Helen whose beautiful face “launched a thousand ships” to begin the Trojan war; Hector was a Trojan hero.

Other Element:

Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Other Element:


2. A poem’s meter and punctuation can have a significant effect on how you read the poem and

how the poem conveys its meaning. As you noticed, Nashe’s poem is written in iambic trimeter, and almost every line ends with punctuation. Rewrite the poem in prose (paragraph) form without any line breaks and use only periods at the end of each sentence.

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The revision should read something like this:

Adieu, farewell, earth's bliss. This world uncertain is. Fond are life's lustful joys. Death

proves them all but toys. None from his darts can fly. I am sick, I must die. Lord, have

mercy on us . . .


Read your revision out loud. Now reread the poem as Nashe wrote it. Answer the following questions:

What effect does the poem’s rhythm and meter (that is, its use of iambic trimeter lines) have on the overall mood and meaning of the poem?

______________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should notice how the meter helps to build the sound of a litany

______________________________________________________________________________ both in terms of formal repetition and recitation/response.

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______________________________________________________________________________ What effects do the poem’s punctuation and line length have on the overall mood and meaning of the poem?

______________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should notice how the line length and more open punctuation

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______________________________________________________________________________ of prose that uses periods after each sentence.

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3. As you can tell, a poem’s meaning often is supported or even enhanced by its form, including the poet’s use of figurative language and poetic devices. Using the examples to which you referred above (and other examples if need be) to support your explanations and arguments, write a short essay in which you answer the guiding question: How does Thomas Nashe’s poem “A Litany in Time of Plague” illustrate that a poem’s meaning (content) and its form are closely interconnected?

______________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should be sure to make clear, concrete claims about the poem,

______________________________________________________________________________ giving examples to support their arguments and observations.

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Part 2: Function Part 2: Function Objectives Objectives In this part of the lesson you will: In this part of the lesson you will: • analyze the melodies of literary language, including its use of evocative words and rhythms • analyze the melodies of literary language, including its use of evocative words and rhythms • compare figurative language and literary techniques (e.g., hyperbole, allusions, irony, rhyme

schemes, parody) among predominantly British short stories, drama, poetry, or essays and/or other nonfiction literature

• compare figurative language and literary techniques (e.g., hyperbole, allusions, irony, rhyme schemes, parody) among predominantly British short stories, drama, poetry, or essays and/or other nonfiction literature

Links Links Poets.org, from the Academy of American Poets Poets.org, from the Academy of American Poets http://redirect.platoweb.com/58865http://redirect.platoweb.com/58865 Luminarium http://redirect.platoweb.com/339286 Activities

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1. Many Renaissance poems are known for their melodies and other song-like qualities. The popular Renaissance poem “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” by Christopher Marlowe conveys a shepherd’s song-like plea to a young lover to live with him in pastoral (country) bliss. Visit “Poets”, locate this poem, and read it out loud, paying attention to its rhythm. Answer the following questions in a two-paragraph response: How would you describe the poem’s tone? How would you describe the rhythm? How does the poem’s rhythm establish the tone you identify? Use specific references to the poem to support your answers. Answers will vary, but students should notice the song-like rhythm that supports and enhances

the poet’s sentimental and hopeful tone.



http://www.luminarium.org/lumina.htm


2. Now read the equally popular “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” by Sir Walter Raleigh. You can visit the Luminarium website to locate this poem and an audio reading of it. Raleigh wrote this poem as a direct response to Marlowe’s pastoral poem. Answer the following question: How would you describe Raleigh’s tone? Compare his tone to Marlowe’s.

______________________________________________________________________________ Students should notice Raleigh’s mocking and realistic, “cup half empty” tone in contrast to

______________________________________________________________________________ Marlowe’s hopeful tone.

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3. As you noticed, Raleigh’s poem is a parody of “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.” A

parody is a funny or sarcastic imitation of another work. One way that Raleigh mocks Marlowe’s poem is to shed a more realistic light on Marlowe’s many hyperboles. A hyperbole is an exaggeration. List three hyperboles in “The Passionate Shepherd” in the space below.

_____________________________________________________________________________ 1. “I will make thee beds of roses”

_____________________________________________________________________________ 2. “And a thousand fragrant posies”

_____________________________________________________________________________ 3. “Buckles of the purest gold”

How does “The Nymph’s Reply” break down these hyperboles?

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers may vary, but students should point out the following lines: “Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy

_____________________________________________________________________________ beds of roses,/Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies/Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten--/In folly

_____________________________________________________________________________ ripe, in reason rotten.” Students should mention that Raleigh points out and understands the

_____________________________________________________________________________ fleeting nature of these natural references, revealing that love and youth are fleeting.

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4. Now pay attention to each poem’s rhyme scheme. Write down only the end rhymes in the space below, using the first column for “The Passionate Shepherd” and the second column for “The Nymphs’ Reply.” After writing down the rhyming words, answer the questions that follow the rhyming chart.

“The Passionate Shepherd” “The Nymph’s Reply”

love young

prove tongue

fields move

yields love

rocks fold

flocks cold

falls dumb

madrigals come

roses fields

posies yields

kirtle gall

myrtle fall

wool roses

pull posies

cold forgotten

gold rotten

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buds buds

studs studs

move move

love love


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sing breed

morning need

move move

love love Marlowe’s poem opens with the rhyme “love/prove,” whereas Raleigh’s poem starts with “young/tongue.” The rhymes are called slant-rhymes (also called half-rhymes or off-rhymes). A slant-rhyme is a partial rhyme based on either the sound device of consonance (i.e., similar consonant sounds) or assonance (i.e., similar vowel sounds) in only part of each word (e.g., dry and died, green and grown, lying and mine). Using your completed rhyme columns, circle additional slant-rhymes. Now answer the following questions: In which lines does Marlowe use slant-rhyme a second time? A third time? In which lines does Raleigh use slant-rhyme a second time? A third time? What effect does Raleigh’s rhyme scheme have on his poem’s tone and mood?

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Marlowe’s second use of slant-rhyme appears in lines 9/10 (roses/posies), and his third use

appears in lines 13/14 (wool/pull). Raleigh’s appears immediately again in lines 3/4

(move/love) and lines 7/8 (dumb/come). Students should notice how Raleigh’s less obvious

rhyme scheme via the use of slant rhyme doesn’t allow the poem to adopt a “sing-song-y”

sound.

Now review the rhyming words again. Next to each, write a “P” for positive word or an “N” for negative word. Then answer the following questions: How would you describe the words that Raleigh chooses to rhyme? What effect do they have on the poem’s tone?

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Answers will vary but should include Raleigh’s use of more negative sounding words, and their

emphasis via rhyme, helps to establish his realistic, mocking tone.

5. As you noticed in the rhyming activity, a poet’s word choice can affect the poem’s tone and

meaning. Evocative words are words that spark a feeling, emotion, image, thought, memory, or other impression. Poets also can evoke feelings and emotions through their syntax and sounds, including alliteration, consonance, and assonance. Syntax refers to sentence structure, including word order and the way a sentence is presented in a poem (e.g., its length, its line breaks, its subject/verb placement.). One way to analyze a poet’s use of evocative words and syntax is to paraphrase the poem for its literal meaning, stripping all evocative words and phrases and writing the sentence in simple sentences (e.g., “The shepherd loves the nymph”). After doing so, you then can compare the prose paraphrasing to the poem itself.


Complete the following analysis chart for each poem. In column one, write the original line. In column two, write a paraphrase of each line in your own words to convey the line’s meaning. In column three, highlight any evocative words or phrases and/or interesting syntax from the original lines. Use the final column to explain how and why the words and lines are evocative, being sure to mention what feelings, emotions, image, or other impressions the words or syntax bring to mind. (Answers will vary throughout.)

Analysis Chart for “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”

Original Line Paraphrased Line

Evocative Words, Syntax, and/or Sounds

Explanation

“Come live with me and be my love.”

I love you and want you to live with me.

The opening line is written as a command.

Writing the sentence as an imperative command gives power to the shepherd’s voice.

“And we will all the pleasures prove.”

We will take advantage of everything that gives us pleasure.

consonance (“will”/“all”) and alliteration (“pleasures prove”)

The sounds create a flowing, song-like rhythm.

Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Answers will vary.





Original Line Paraphrased Evocative Explanation Line Words, Syntax,

and/or Sounds Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Answers will vary.





Analysis Chart for “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd”

Original Line Paraphrased Line

Evocative Words, Syntax, and/or

Sounds

Explanation

“If all the world and love were young,”

If everyone and love itself were young

The opening line is written as a conditional sentence.

The opening line begins with conditions that reveal the poet’s doubtful stance.

“These pretty pleasures might me move”

These things might make me

alliteration (“pretty”/“pleasures” and “might”/”me”/”move”)

The sounds create a smooth sounding line.









Original Line Paraphrased Evocative Words, Explanation

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6. Write a three- to four-paragraph essay in which you compare and contrast Marlowe’s and

Raleigh’s use of figurative and evocative language and poetic elements, such as meter and sound devices, in “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” and “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd.” Use information from your analysis charts to support your arguments. In your last paragraph, answer the following question: In your opinion, which poem more effectively combines form and content to establish its theme and meaning? Be sure to explain how and why.

Answers will vary, but students should be sure to make clear, concrete claims about the poem,

giving examples to support their arguments and observations.


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Answer Key: Exploring Shakespeare

English 12A Unit 3

Name _________________________________________ Date____________________________

Part 1: Dramatic Conventions Objectives In this part of the lesson you will: • identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the themes, structure, and elements of drama and

provide evidence from the text to support understanding: Identify and analyze types of dramatic literature

• identify and analyze how dramatic conventions (e.g., monologue, soliloquy, chorus, aside, dramatic irony) support or enhance dramatic text

Link The Plays of William Shakespeare http://redirect.platoweb.com/339292 Activities 1. Drama is a convention for entertainment that can be presented in various forms and is written

to be performed. Dramatic operas, plays, television shows, movies, and musicals are just some of the examples of how drama is used for entertainment in society. For this lesson, you will explore drama through the study of William Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare’s plays range from comical to tragic, but they all have a dramatic element to them.

A theme is a broad idea in a story, or a message conveyed by a work. This message is usually about life, society, or human nature and is generally implied rather than stated explicitly. There are innumerable themes that can be found within dramatic literature. Some examples include heroism, salvation, death and rebirth, the impulsiveness of youth, initiation, love and duty, feuding families, illusion and reality, and star-crossed lovers. Examples of these themes and their significance in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet are:

• Feuding families. The ongoing war between the Capulets and the Montagues is a significant theme because the family members have been fighting for a long time without real knowledge of what began the feud. It is, therefore, a pointless battle that ends with devastating losses on both sides.

• Star-crossed lovers. The play revolves around the theme of the ill-fated love between

Romeo and Juliet. It is significant because these two young lovers are drawn together by fate in order to end the hate between their families by their deaths.

http://www.theplays.org/

• Love and duty. The conflict between the love for an enemy and the duty to family is one of the most important themes in the play because both Romeo and Juliet must choose between their love of their families and their love for one another. The idea of respect for family is present throughout the play.

• Illusion and reality. Juliet appears to be dead but is in fact alive. This theme is

significant to the play because it is present in various forms throughout the play. For example, it brings about the demise of Romeo, who in his hastiness upon hearing about Juliet’s death, decides to kill himself. The illusion then became a reality when Juliet takes her life.

• Death and rebirth. Juliet “dies” after taking the potion but is reborn when she awakes

in the tomb. The death of the lovers also results in the rebirth of the relationship between the Capulets and the Montagues (i.e., the feuding ends). The theme of death and rebirth is significant to the play because it forms a balance between death and life within the world of the Capulets and Montagues.

• Salvation. Romeo and Juliet’s desire to marry and run away for a loving life together,

away from their feuding families and the hatred and violence, is representative of escaping from evil.

• Impulsiveness of youth. Romeo and Juliet’s decision to marry after just meeting each

other is significant to the play because the actions of Romeo and Juliet throughout the play have an impact on the lives of every character in the story.

Choose another one of Shakespeare’s plays. This can be one that you have already read, or one that you are going to read in class. Identify four to six themes that are present in the play, give an example of the theme by citing it in the text (act, scene, and lines), and then explain why the theme is significant to the play.

Play’s Title: ______________________________________________

Theme Example Explanation of Significance Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Answers will vary.




Theme Example Explanation of Significance Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Answers will vary.



2. When reading and analyzing dramatic literature, especially plays, a good way to understand

the structure of the story is by using the diagram below. The diagram outlines the five key elements of a dramatic plot.

Climax

Exposition/Conflict Resolution

Rising Action Falling Action

• The exposition is where the main problem or conflict is identified. (In Romeo and Juliet, this is where Romeo and Juliet’s forbidden relationship is formed.)

• The rising action is the central part of the play’s story where the main action takes place and problems arise. (In Romeo and Juliet, this is the wedding, the duel, Mercutio’s death, Tybalt’s death, and Romeo’s banishment.)

• The climax is a critical scene where the play’s hero faces a major obstacle or problem. (In Romeo and Juliet, this is Romeo and Juliet’s death scene.)

• The falling action is what follows the climax and leads to the end of the play. (In Romeo and Juliet, this is when the Friar reveals the story of Romeo and Juliet’s secret marriage and deaths to the Prince.)

• The resolution is what happens after the final conflict. (In Romeo and Juliet, this is when Lord Capulet and Lord Montague agree to end their long-standing feud.)

You will find a structural diagram below. For this activity, you must fill out the diagram with details of the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of your chosen play.


After you have filled in the diagram, use the space provided to explain why each of the scenes you used for your diagram is significant to the play. After you have filled in the diagram, use the space provided to explain why each of the scenes you used for your diagram is significant to the play.

______________________________________________________________________________Answers will vary, but students should be sure to address each of the five elements of the

______________________________________________________________________________structural diagram.

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Play: _____________

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Exposition/Conflict Exposition/Conflict

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Answers will vary, but students should be sure to address each of the five elements of the

structural diagram.


3. Dramatic text is both supported and enhanced by the use of dramatic conventions. Dramatic conventions are a set of rules with which both the actors and the audience are familiar, and which act as a useful way of quickly signifying the nature of the action or of a character. Dramatic conventions include monologue, soliloquy, chorus, aside, and dramatic irony.

• A monologue is a speech made by one person speaking his or her thoughts aloud or

directly addressing a reader, audience, or character. • A soliloquy is a type of monologue that is given in either a play or a film. Since the

speaker is alone, one may assume that he or she is expressing sincere emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Note that this is not always the case in monologues. (An example of a soliloquy can be found in Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene ii, when Romeo speaks to himself below Juliet’s window.)

• The chorus offers background and summary information to help the audience follow

the performance. (An example of chorus in Romeo and Juliet can be found in the opening of the play when the audience is given a brief summary of what is about to unfold, with the background information about the long-lasting family feud.)

• An aside is used in dramatic performances and literature and occurs when a character

says something to his or herself for the purposes of informing the audience about what the he or she is thinking. (An example of an aside can be found in Romeo and Juliet in Act II, Scene ii, when Romeo is listening to Juliet give a soliloquy. He says, “shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?” line 37.)

• Dramatic irony is the contrast between what the character knows or understands and

what the audience knows. (An example of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet is when the audience knows about Juliet’s plot to fake her death, while Romeo believes she actually had died.)

Think about the use of any dramatic conventions in your chosen Shakespearean play. Find examples of the conventions listed above in your play, being sure to note the Act, Scene, and lines. Then, explain how the dramatic conventions enhance and/or support the text.

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Play Title: Answers will vary.

Act: Answers will vary.

Scene: Answers will vary.

Lines: Answers will vary.


Dramatic

Convention Example from Text How Text Is Enhanced and/or Supported

Soliloquy Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Chorus Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Aside Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

Dramatic Irony Answers will vary. Answers will vary.

4. Think about your chosen Shakespearean play and select your favorite scene. Write a

paragraph describing how Shakespeare’s use of theme and conventions help you to understand the play. Does his use of theme and conventions make the play more enjoyable? Explain with examples from your chosen scene.

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Answers will vary.


Part 2: Dramatic Performances Objectives In this part of the lesson you will: • plan and present dramatic readings, recitations, and performances that demonstrate

appropriate consideration of audience and purpose • demonstrate understanding of the functions of playwright, director, technician, designer, and

actor by writing, directing, designing, and/or acting in an original play Activities 1. Think about the play you chose in Part 1 of this lesson and then choose a dialogue or a

soliloquy that is 10–16 lines long. Read the lines carefully and answer the following questions:

• What message are the lines conveying? __________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary.

• What is the significance of these lines to the play? _________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary.

• How does the speaker feel? _________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary.

• What is the tone of the lines? __________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary.

• Who is the speaker’s audience? __________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary.

• Why is the character speaking to that audience? Is this speech appropriate, or does it defy expectations that other characters have of this character? (For example, is a subject speaking angrily to her king?)

_________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary.


After answering the above questions, read the lines again, but this time take into account the tone, meaning, and significance of the lines. Is your interpretation of the lines different now than during your initial reading of the text? Why or why not?

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Answers will vary, but students should be able to acknowledge how close reading and

analyzing the text can change a reader’s interpretation of the text.

2. Now that you have a greater understanding of any underlying meaning of your chosen lines, it

is time to practice reading them aloud to yourself. Be sure to use your voice, facial expressions, and body language to convey the feelings behind what you are reading. The next step is to prepare to perform the lines to an audience. You may choose to either read or recite the lines, but in either case you must use the appropriate tone and body language that you have practiced. You may also work with a partner to perform a dialogue. For example, you and a partner could perform the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, or you and three partners could perform the opening scene between the Capulets and Montagues.

3. When putting on a play, such as Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, you need to consider the

role of each person involved in the production. Actors are important, but so are the playwright, director, designer, and technical person.

• The playwright is the person who writes the play. The playwright is in charge of

designing the plot (including the five elements of exposition/conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution) and creating a story that the rest of the team can perform.

• The director has the primary responsibility of making the playwright’s dream become a

reality on stage. This includes adding stage direction and guiding the actors. • The actors are responsible for realistically interpreting and presenting the play in a way

that will have the audience engaged in the story. This includes the appropriate use of tone, facial expressions, and body language.

• The designer is in charge of building a set for the play that best suits the plot. The

designer is also responsible for costumes. • The person in charge of the technical aspects of putting on a play is concerned with

such elements as lighting and sound.


For this activity, you will need to form groups of five or six students. The groups will need one playwright, one director, one member to do both the technical aspects and the design, and two or three actors. Groups should be formed based on who would like to take on the specific tasks.

• The first step after forming the groups is to designate a playwright. The playwright is responsible for coming up with the plot and using the standard dramatic structure. The playwright may wish to ask for ideas and advice from the rest of the group, but ultimately it is the playwright’s decision as to what the story will be about.

• After the play has been written, the director will try to visualize the story. The director

will be in charge of assigning each of the actors a character to play and giving some “direction” on how to portray his or her character.

• Once the actors have been assigned their characters, they must go and practice their

lines. The actors may or may not wish to memorize their lines, but they should be fairly comfortable with the dialogue. It is very important at this point for the actors to practice their lines, both on their own and with the other actors in their group.

• While the actors are practicing, the director and playwright will work with the person in

charge of the technical and design aspects of the play. The technical aspects to consider will be lighting (which will be limited) and sound. Try to be creative about the use of sound in your play. Music in the background of a scene not only enhances the audience’s interest but also makes the characters more realistic. The design of the set is a very important part of the play. It is important to decide which props to use, where to place furniture, and what the actors need to wear. All of these decisions will need to be agreed upon by the director and the playwright, but the creative aspect lies with the technical/design group member.

Once you have assembled in your group and designated responsibilities, you need to get started. As you go along, fill out information about what each of your group members will be doing for this activity.

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Playwright: Answers will vary.

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Director: Answers will vary.


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Technical/Design: Answers will vary.

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Actor #1: Answers will vary.

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Actor #2: Answers will vary.

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Actor #3: Answers will vary. The final step for the design of your play is to plan well and practice, practice, practice. Once you have completed all of the steps and ironed out the details, it is time to perform.


4. After you have finished producing and performing your play, write a two or three paragraph

essay describing your experience. Was it easier or harder than you imagined? What were your main difficulties during the production? If you had to do the activity again, what would you do differently? Were you satisfied with the final outcome of your play? Why or why not?

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should reflect upon their personal experiences with this

_____________________________________________________________________________ exercise.

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Answer Key: Poetry Extravaganza

English 12A Unit 3

Name _________________________________________ Date____________________________

Objectives In this lesson you will: • write poems using a range of poetic techniques, forms (e.g., sonnet, ballad), and figurative

language • use literary devices in poetry, narratives, and exposition, including figurative language and

analogy • recite poems or selections from speeches or dramatic soliloquies (e.g., Hamlet’s soliloquy “To

Be or Not to Be”) with attention to performance details to achieve clarity, force, and aesthetic effect and to demonstrate an understanding of the meaning

Links Academy of American Poets http://redirect.platoweb.com/58865Favorite Poem Project http://redirect.platoweb.com/254712Poetry Forms and Techniques http://redirect.platoweb.com/337808“How to Read a Poem Out Loud,” from Poetry 180 http://redirect.platoweb.com/254734 Poetry Out Loud http://redirect.platoweb.com/338235 Activities 1. Most poets writing today would agree that writing a poem is one part drafting and ten parts

revising. A published poem most likely went through multiple versions before the poet crafted the final version.

Novice poets can learn from the masters and, in turn, develop an appreciation for the various steps that facilitate the craft of writing any poem. Writing poetry is a highly personal and creative experience. As such, there are no set rules for the general process of writing poetry. Some general guidelines and tips from established poets, however, can jumpstart your writing process. Learning and practicing elements of form and craft can help you perfect your own craft and skills as a poet—regardless of whether you are writing a poem in a conventional form or in free verse. Start by engaging in pre-writing techniques such as note-taking, brainstorming, and reading poetry to spark your own ideas and emotions. After finding a writing space that suits you


http://www.favoritepoem.org/

http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/197

http://www.poetryoutloud.org/audio/24%20Track%2024.mp3

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/p180-howtoread.html


(private and quiet or public with background noise) and setting up your writing materials, try the following pre-writing techniques:

• Note-taking:

Even though you may have a preferred writing space, you never know when ideas will come to you. Push yourself to start paying attention to details: the way the sun sets over the same space each dusk, sounds you may have tuned out in the past, simple details along your walk to the school building or each class, a compelling personal story that you have never told. Write any ideas and details as they come to you, perhaps in a small notebook or PDA that you always have with you. You can return to these ideas and details when you sit down to write a poem.

• Brainstorming:

Alternatively, if you sit down to write a poem with a fresh mind, you can brainstorm ideas by simply writing your thoughts as they come to you or writing impressions about an event or idea. Use the following questions to help spark your creativity; you can write your brainstorming notes in the space provided below.

o Is there a recent event that has struck you emotionally? What emotions did you

have? Why do you think you have felt this way? o Is there an idea or image that has been popping up in your head in recent days? o What feelings or emotions have you experienced lately? What is the basis of

these feelings or emotions? o Is there a meaningful person or place you would like to write about? o Did you see, hear, or otherwise notice any interesting details over the past few

days?


Brainstorming Notes:


• Reading Poetry:

Perhaps the best way to spark your own creativity and imagination is to spend 20–30 minutes reading published poetry before you start writing your own poem. Doing so will inspire the right mindset, and the poems may generate an emotion or idea that you can write about in your own way and in your own poetic voice. Your poetic voice consists of those formal and thematic elements that make your writing stand out as yours alone. For example, a poetic voice can be described as sentimental, urban, or confessional. Even though you should create your own voice, reading published poetry is still an effective way to get you in the right frame of mind to write. Read from an introduction to poetry or introduction to English literature anthology or a volume of your favorite poet, or browse the poetry resources in the first few websites in the links section. To enhance your mindset on a specific topic, you can glance at poems organized by common occasions by visiting “Poets”, or you can view others’ readings of and connections to their favorite poems by visiting “Favorite Poem Project”.

As you are reading (both silently and aloud), write down any emotions, ideas, or details that emerge in your mind. Spend this time free-associating; that is, let the words, ideas, and images come to you naturally and freely.

Free Association Words/Ideas/Emotions:

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1. Answers will vary.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.



http://www.favoritepoem.org/

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2. Think generally about the type of poem you aspire to write. Though poems come in many forms (e.g., sonnet, ballad, villanelle), there are two general types of poems you can write: a narrative poem (a poem that tells a story) or a lyrical poem (a meditative poem that attempts to convey the poet’s emotions or feelings instead of a story). Christopher Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” is an example of a narrative poem, while Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29, “When, in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes,” is an example of a lyrical poem. Review your brainstorming and free association ideas. Do they start to tell a story? Or are you better prepared to write a lyrical poem in which you reflect upon an emotion or feeling without the need to tell a story? Write down the type of poem you will write: Answers will vary.

3. Freely write the first draft. Without actively paying attention to spelling, word choices, poetic devices (e.g., metaphors), line breaks, or poetic form (e.g., sonnet, ballad), create the first draft of your poem. Try to lose yourself into the poem and see where the words take you. Remember that you will go back to revise your poem, so do not worry at this point about the mechanics of writing. For example, you don’t have to make sure you have the most effective line breaks at this point; instead, just write on a blank piece of paper, in your poetry notebook, or in an electronic document any words as they come to you.

4. Review your first draft and read it out loud. Perhaps the best way to critique your draft is to read it out loud. As you read and re-read your poem, don’t be afraid to mark it up. Revision is the way to perfect your craft as a poet. Use the following checklist to revise your poem:

√ Poetry Revision Checklist Listen to whether there are any words, phrases, or lines that sound clunky or off

kilter. If so, underline or highlight those lines.

Circle or highlight any words that may be replaced by more vivid words or phrases. Keep in mind, though, that your word choice should reflect your own voice. Stick to words that sound natural to you.

Cross out any words or phrases that sound too wordy or unnecessary, especially as you read the poem out loud.

Give up even great lines. You may have some great lines in any draft, but they may not be appropriate to the poem at hand. Don’t be afraid to strike those lines, but save them either in a notebook or on your computer for a later poem.


√ Poetry Revision Checklist Pay attention to each line break. Read line by line, asking yourself if the line break

occurs in an appropriate place that either sounds like a natural pause, thereby creating good rhythm or word flow, or emphasizes words for greater effect or meaning.

Think about the stanzas. A stanza is a unit of lines within a larger poem, indicated by space between lines.

Pay attention to the way the poem sounds and flows. Does the poem convey a particular rhythm? Did you notice a rhyme scheme, even a loose rhyme scheme? Make sure your words either support the rhyme scheme and rhythm or break the rhyme or rhythm to enhance meaning.

5. Experiment with poetic forms. By this point in the writing process, you can start to experiment with poetic forms. You can review types of poetry forms and techniques by visiting “Poetic Forms and Techniques”. Some poets start the writing process with a form in mind; the form actually inspires ideas and creativity. For others, several drafts of a poem eventually work their way into a distinct form. You will have to determine your own approach to writing in conventional forms. For this activity and at this stage of the writing process, however, you will practice writing in specific conventional poetic forms. Writing in conventional forms is a great way for novice poets to start to pay closer attention to sounds, meter (rhythm), and rhyme. You can also find definitions of poetic forms by visiting “Poetic Forms and Techniques”.

• Ballad: A narrative, or plot-driven, poem that describes important moments as an event emotionally unfolds. Ballads often are written in four-line (quatrain) stanzas, with each line containing as few as three or four stresses and rhyming either the second and fourth lines or all alternating lines. One famous ballad is the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

• Sonnet:

o An Italian sonnet comprises two stanzas: one eight-line stanza (octave) followed by a six-line stanza (sestet) that “answers” the octave. The rhyme scheme is abba, abba, cdecde or cdcdcd. An English-language example is John Donne’s “Death, be not proud” (Holy Sonnet 10).

o A Shakespearean sonnet consists of three 4-line stanzas (quatrains) and a final couplet (a 2-line stanza). The rhyme scheme is abab, cdcd, efef, gg, and the couplet presents a turning point or epiphany at the end of the poem. A famous example of this form is Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.”

Review your brainstorming and pre-writing notes. If you want your poem to tell a story, you will write a ballad in this activity. If you want your poem to be a lyrical poem, you will write a sonnet. Complete one of the exercises below depending on which type of poem you choose.




Ballad: Write down the main events of your narrative and identify the emotion you wish to convey. Do not worry about the epiphany (sudden insight) at this point; let that come to you naturally as you write and revise your poem.

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1. Answers will vary.

2.

3.

Use the first three stanzas to unfold the events you identified above; save the last stanza for your emotional epiphany. Start to shape your poem into a ballad by first considering the form’s rhyme scheme, as outlined below. For this exercise, you will rhyme just the second and fourth lines of each stanza, and you will write four quatrains. For your rhyming lines, you can use traditional rhyme or you can use slant-rhyme (also called half-rhyme or off-rhyme) to write a more contemporary sounding ballad. A slant-rhyme is a partial rhyme based on either the sound device of consonance (similar consonant sounds) or assonance (similar vowel sounds) in only part of each word (e.g., dry and died, green and grown, or lying and mine). As you are working with form, be sure to read each line regularly until you settle into a pleasing meter. For this exercise, write three or four iambs (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable) in each line. Use iambic trimeter (three iambs composed of six syllables) or iambic tetrameter (four iambs composed of eight syllables). Just be sure to choose trimeter or tetrameter and stick to it.

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Answers will vary. Line 1

Rhyme A

Line 3

Rhyme A

Line 5

Rhyme B

Line 7

Rhyme B

Line 9

Rhyme C

Line 11

Rhyme C


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_____________________________________________________________________________ Rhyme D

Sonnet: Shape your lyrical poem into a Shakespearean sonnet by using the rhyme guide below. Each line should be in iambic pentameter (five sets of unstressed syllables followed by stressed syllables). You can write a contemporary sonnet by writing lines that loosely follow an iambic rhythm. As such, not every line will be precisely 10 syllables. Using an iambic pentameter line as a guide, however, will help you closely analyze your word choices and the sound and rhythm of each line. For your rhyming lines you can use traditional rhyme, or you can use slant-rhyme (also called half-rhyme or off-rhyme) to write a more contemporary sounding ballad. A slant-rhyme is a partial rhyme based on either the sound device of consonance (similar consonant sounds) or assonance (similar vowel sounds) in only part of each word (e.g., dry and died, green and grown, or lying and mine). Make sure to stick to the abab, cdcd, efef, gg rhyme scheme.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary. Rhyme A

_____________________________________________________________________________ Rhyme B

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6. Continue to re-read aloud and revise by integrating poetic devices. Sometimes a poem can begin to lose its energy and appeal to a reader. If this happens, you can revise by integrating poetic devices, such as the examples below from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day.” Poetic Device Definition Example Imagery mental pictures that are drawn

by words

“Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May”

Personification giving inanimate objects or abstract concepts human characteristics or qualities

heaven has an “eye” and “gold complexion”

Analogy comparison between two similar things

This whole poem is an analogy between the speaker’s lover and a summer day.

Rhythm/Meter a pattern of accents, or beats, throughout a poem, and the number of beats in a line.

iambic pentameter lines (five iambs, or feet, with alternating unstressed and stressed syllables)

Line Break often the place in the poem where a pause in rhythm is assumed

This sonnet’s line breaks are emphasized by punctuation and lines that, individually, are coherent in meaning.

Alliteration the repetition of sounds at the beginning of words

Line 7: “Chance...changing” (compared to change in “c” sound at “course”)

Repetition repeated use of words or phrases for some rhetorical effect

“So long…/So long”

Consonance repetition of consonant sounds, which can be within a word

Repetition of “m” sounds throughout the whole sonnet present a humming, stable sound and carry the sense of temperance throughout the sonnet. Compare: “summer’s…temperate…” “sometime…complexion…” “dimmed…sometimes... “untrimmed…summer”

Assonance repetition of vowel sounds Line 11: the lighter, short “a” sounds in “shall,” “brag,” “wander’st” (compared to long “a” in shade).


Now use the following chart to guide your revision process. Use at least the following poetic devices in your revision: imagery, analogy, repetition, consonance, and assonance. (Answers will vary. Check to be sure students use the first five required devices.)

Original Words/Line Poetic Device Revision

Imagery

Analogy (and/or metaphor: indirect comparison between two unlike things)

Repetition

Consonance

Assonance

Other Device:


Original Words/Line Poetic Device Revision Other Device:

Integrate these poetic devices into your poem. Be sure to continue to work with the form you have selected.

7. Review your poem for clarity. By now your poem is really shaping up. You can re-read it to assess its clarity. Are there moments in your poem that only you would understand? If so, make sure you either clarify these moments so the reader isn’t confused or delete these moments altogether. Be wary of trying to explain. Some explanation may be necessary but make sure that you use lively and interesting language.

8. Analyze your tone.

Identify the tone you meant to convey (e.g., hopeful, sarcastic, humorous, desperate). Review the draft again. Are there any words or phrases that stray from this tone? Do the words give an interesting dimension or texture to your overall poem? Or do they detract from your intended tone or confuse the potential listener or reader? After analyzing your tone, revise accordingly to make sure the tone is consistent or, if you intended to convey a changing tone throughout the poem, make sure the tone is clear and the reader can understand why your tone changed.

9. Reflect on the writing process. Sometimes reflection and self-analysis help perfect your craft. Answer the questions below about writing your poem.

How would you describe your poetic voice?

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Answers will vary.


What subjects interest you?

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How would you describe your writing style?


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Did you enjoy the writing process?


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What aspects of the writing process should you change? What aspects of the writing process should you change?


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Answers will vary.

10. Start another poem in a new form. 10. Start another poem in a new form.

Now that you have worked with one form, try to write a second poem using a different form. You can try a ballad if your first poem was a sonnet, and vice versa. Or try a different form altogether, such as a villanelle or, for a real challenge, a sestina. You can research forms by visiting “Poets”

Now that you have worked with one form, try to write a second poem using a different form. You can try a ballad if your first poem was a sonnet, and vice versa. Or try a different form altogether, such as a villanelle or, for a real challenge, a sestina. You can research forms by visiting “Poets”.

11. Recite your final poems. Poetry was meant to be heard. As you could tell during the writing process, reading your poems out loud helped you refine and perfect the final versions. Reading any poem out loud can help you understand the poem’s meaning by directing your attention to words that should be emphasized and to the poet’s tone. There are several elements involved in reciting any poem in an effective way. These elements affect the way the poem sounds: pace; rhythm and cadence; natural voice; pauses and line breaks; word emphasis; intonations; rhyme; volume; body language; and a tone that is appropriate to the poem’s, or line’s, meaning (e.g., sad, humorous, angry). Access “Poetry 180” to learn some techniques to use when reciting poetry. Then use the chart below to review elements involved in reciting a poem and a definition of each element.

Locate Shakespeare’s Sonnet 55, “Not marble, nor the gilded monuments,” in an anthology or online. Read the poem out loud to yourself. Now visit Poetry Out Loud to listen to the actor James Earl Jones’s reading of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 55. After listening to Jones’s reading once or several times, as needed, complete the following analysis chart to record examples of recitation elements and your explanation of those examples.







http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/p180-howtoread.html


Recitation Element

Definition Example from Jones’s

Recitation

Explanation

Pace The rate of speed at which the poem is read; pace can vary to emphasize words and meaning

consistent pace of each two-line sentence

Line pacing is consistent and helps to emphasize the poem’s sentences (as opposed to lines).

Rhythm and Cadence

The flow of the poem’s stressed and unstressed syllables (or beats)

iambic pentameter lines

You can hear how the lines flow consistently based on their meter.

Natural Voice The way the voice sounds naturally and, in turn, the sincerity of the voice

Jones reads not lines necessarily but sentences, giving the recitation a natural, pleasing sound.

The sonnet does not sound artificial or dated in terms of language and rhythm.

Pauses and Line Breaks

Places in the poem at which the poet takes a breath or two; usually pauses occur at line breaks, but pauses can be used elsewhere to emphasize words and, in turn, the poem’s tone and overall meaning and voice

Pauses are longer at the end of a coherent sentence instead of at the end of each line (e.g., end of line 2, line 4).

Pauses help to convey the meaning of each sentence and to signal the turns at Lines 5, 9, and 13.


Recitation Definition Example from Explanation Element Jones’s

Recitation Word Emphasis Drawing attention to

word(s) by slowing the voice, increasing the volume, or changing the pace

emphasis on “So” in line 13

Word emphasis signals the final couplet and its revelatory meaning in the poem.

Intonation A change in the pitch (high or low sounds) of the voice

Jones’s intonation changes at “time” (line 4) and “doom” (line 12).

Jones’s pitch goes up at “time,” calling attention to the concept of passing time; by contrast, his pitch lowers at “doom,” making the word mimic “doom” itself.

Rhyme Using words that sound alike, either completely or partially (slant-rhyme)

The Shakespearean sonnet rhyme scheme of ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG is somewhat subtle when read by Jones.

Jones’s recitation brings out Shakespeare’s use of half (or slant) rhymes (e.g., “monuments,” “contents”) because his reading does not force a listener’s awareness of rhyme.

Volume The loudness (or softness) of a voice

Jones’s volume is more or less consistent throughout his reading; the word “So” in line 13 is a bit louder.

Jones reads this word with a bit louder volume, thereby emphasizing the concluding couplet.


Recitation Definition Example from Explanation Element Jones’s

Recitation Tone

The way the voice conveys emotions or moods

Jones’s tone is powerful and serious.

Jones’s own voice sounds as strong and everlasting as marble and monuments; the sounds throughout the poem help to emphasize this solidity.

Other Element:

Other Element:

12. First practice reciting your own poem. Then select a poem from the following list to recite in

class:

• Thomas Nashe, “Spring, the Sweet Spring” • Thomas Nashe, “A Litany in the Time of Plague” • Mary (Sidney) Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, “Psalm 58 Si Vere Utique” • Sir Philip Sidney, “Leave Me, O Love” • Christopher Marlowe, “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” • Sir Walter Raleigh, “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd”


Once you have selected your poem, make sure you understand the poem’s meaning, noting and defining any words you do not know in terms of their meanings and/or pronunciations. Write the poem’s meaning and words/definitions below.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should be able to summarize the poem’s meaning in one or two

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Practice reciting your chosen poem to yourself. If possible, record your reading and critique it, keeping in mind the elements you learned while analyzing James Earl Jones’s reading of Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 55.” What did you enjoy the most of hearing yourself read the poem? Provide your answer in the space below. Be sure to indicate your understanding of the recitation elements.

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What aspects of your reading do you need to improve? Why? Write your answer in the space below.

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Answer Key: How to Give a Speech

English 12A Unit 3

Name _________________________________________ Date____________________________

Objective In this lesson you will recognize and use elements of classical speech form (i.e., introduction, first and second transitions, body, conclusion). Links American Rhetoric – “The Gettysburg Address” http://redirect.platoweb.com/338239American Rhetoric – “I Have a Dream” http://redirect.platoweb.com/338245A Handbook of Rhetorical Devices http://redirect.platoweb.com/339296 Activities 1. Throughout the centuries, millions of Americans, both famous and unknown, have delivered

speeches for various causes and events. Only the best of these speeches, however, have stood the test of time and are memorable even today. For this activity, you will read two of the most famous speeches in American history, and then identify the elements that make the speeches so memorable.

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech on the site of one of the most gruesome battlefields from the American Civil War. The battlefield is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the speech is known as “The Gettysburg Address.” Visit American Rhetoric – “The Gettysburg Address” to read President Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.” Then answer the questions below. What emotions do you feel while reading this speech? What elements of the speech evoke these emotions?

Answers will vary, though students should explain their feelings in relation to the subject

matter, the setting of the scene, the language used, or all three.

A century after President Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The location of the speech that was to be delivered sent a powerful message before even a word was spoken.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/gettysburgaddress.htm

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/Ihaveadream.htm

http://www.virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm


Like President Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr. used the emotion associated with the location in order to make one of the most recognized and quoted speeches of all time. This speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, is known as “I Have a Dream.” Access American Rhetoric – “I

Like President Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr. used the emotion associated with the location in order to make one of the most recognized and quoted speeches of all time. This speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, is known as “I Have a Dream.” Access American Rhetoric – “I Have a Dream” to read Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Then answer the questions below. Did you notice any similarities between President Lincoln’s speech and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech? What are the similarities? Why do you think he drew parallels between his speech and President Lincoln’s speech?

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Answers will vary, but students should notice the “five score years ago,” which echoes

President Lincoln’s “four score and seven years ago.” They should also understand and be

able to expand upon the fact that both speeches talk about the same issue, except that one

was given a century before.

Think about the audience that President Lincoln was addressing with “The Gettysburg Address,” and think about the audience that Martin Luther King, Jr. was addressing with “I Have a Dream.” Describe the type of audience that each of the men were addressing and explain how their speeches reflected, and were appropriate for, their audiences.

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Answers will vary, but students should note that President Lincoln was addressing mostly white

men and, therefore, could use the vocabulary and tone that he did. Martin Luther King, Jr. was

addressing mostly black men and women, and his speech reflected the heart-ache and

struggles that all of those men and women had encountered, and would continue to encounter,

until his dream was realized.

The speeches given by President Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. are not memorable merely for the subject matter. As you well know, many speeches were given about both the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. However, these two speeches continue to be both studied and quoted years after they were delivered. One of the key reasons for this is their use of rhetorical devices.








A rhetorical device is a technique used by a speaker or an author to provoke an emotional response to what is being said or written. In a speech, the emotional responses are important to the meaning of the speech and are meant to get the listener’s attention. Visit “A Handbook on Rhetorical Devices” to learn about various types of rhetorical devices. After you have read through the rhetorical devices, reread “The Gettysburg Address” and “I Have a Dream.” As you read, list in the following chart any rhetorical devices that you notice by stating the device, giving its definition, providing an example of it from the speech, and explaining its emotional impact. (Answers will vary depending on the rhetorical devices that students are able to identify. Examples are given.)

Rhetorical Device Definition Example Emotional Impact

Antithesis Establishes a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing them

“the brave men” contrasted with “our poor power”

Answers will vary.

Parallelism Several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed similarly to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences are equal in importance

“that nation so conceived” and “any nation so dedicated”

Answers will vary.

Repetition The conscious and purposeful replication of words or phrases in order to make a point

repetition of key words: “great civil war,” “great battle-field,” “so dedicated,” and “come to dedicate”

Answers will vary.

Alliteration Recurrence of initial consonant sounds

“field as a final resting-place”

Answers will vary.


http://www.virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm


Allusion A short, informal reference to a famous person or event

The Bible, the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Emancipation Proclamation

Answers will vary.

Metaphor Compares two different things by speaking of one in terms of the other

Compares the Declaration of Independence to a check

Answers will vary.

Parallelism Several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed similarly to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences are equal in importance

When comparing the Declaration of Independence to a check, parallelism is used to show that freedom is as valuable as “riches”

Answers will vary.

Hyperbole Deliberately exaggerates conditions for emphasis or effect

”I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration in the history of our nation.”

Answers will vary.

Simile Comparison between two different things that resemble each other in at least one way using like or as

“justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream”

Answers will vary.



Climax Consists of arranging words, clauses, or sentences in the order of increasing importance, weight, or emphasis

The “I have a dream” sequence

Answers will vary.

Repetition The conscious and purposeful replication of words or phrases in order to make a point

“I have a dream,” “free at last”

Answers will vary.

Anaphora The repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences

“I have a dream, “Let freedom ring,” “One hundred years later”

Answers will vary.

Access Gettysburg Addressagain and listen to one of the readings of President Lincoln’s speech, “The Gettysburg Address.” Once you have finished listening, answer the questions below. Did you notice any of the rhetorical devices that you identified when reading the speech that you did not notice when you heard the speech, or vice versa? Do the rhetorical devices have a different effect when they are spoken as opposed to read? Explain.

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Answers will vary depending on the students’ interpretations of the speech presentation.



Now revisit I Have a DreamNow revisit I Have a Dream and listen to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Once you have finished listening, answer the questions below.

What differences did you notice between the way “The Gettysburg Address” was given, and “I Have a Dream”? Which rhetorical devices were more effective in each of the speeches?

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Answers will vary depending on which rhetorical devices the students are able to identify and

whether the rhetorical devices gain an emotional response from the students.

Were you able to recognize the rhetorical devices in “I Have a Dream” when listening to it? Was it easier for you to recognize them as you heard them or as you read them? Why?

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Answers will vary.

2. Rhetorical devices are important elements of a successful speech, but they are not the only

factor to be considered in speechwriting. Speeches, like essays, need to follow a basic pattern of organization in order for the audience to be aware of what will be said. Some of the most commonly used organizational patterns are: chronological order, spatial order, causal order, topical order, problem-solution order, and problem-cause-solution order.

• Chronological order has main points oriented toward time. In this format, you discuss

main points in an order that could be followed by a clock or on a calendar.

• Spatial order has main points oriented toward space or a directional pattern. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that could be traced on a map.

• Causal order has main points oriented toward cause and effect. In this format, you

discuss main points in an order that alerts the audience to a problem or a circumstance, and then tell the audience what action resulted from the original circumstance.

• Topical order has main points organized by sub-topics. Main points are discussed by

grouping specific aspects of the topic and then addressing them in separate categories.

• Problem-solution order has the main points organized by first addressing the problem and then identifying possible solutions.





• Problem-cause-solution has the main points organized by first addressing the problem, then identifying the cause of the problem, followed by suggestions for possible solutions to the problem.

Review the speeches by President Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. again. What organizational pattern does each of the speeches utilize? Do you see evidence of more than one type of pattern present? Give examples of the patterns in the speeches and explain why the organizational pattern used is or is not the most effective.

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Answers will vary, but students may recognize that “The Gettysburg Address” talks about the

past, present, and future, which could be described as a chronological order. It could also be

seen as a causal order, because Lincoln speaks about the American Civil War, the effect it has

had on the country, and the future effects that it will have. “I Have a Dream” uses several types

of organizational patterns, varying from spatial, causal, and problem-cause-solution orders.

3. After deciding on an organizational pattern, a speechwriter must outline his or her speech

using a classical speech form with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Speeches are similar to essays in that they have the same basic structure, but speeches need to be much more concise in order to keep the target audience’s attention.

The introduction is what begins the speech and piques the interest of the audience. The primary functions of the introduction are to get the audience’s attention and to give the objectives of and reason for the speech.

• Some of the most commonly used devices for grabbing the audience’s attention are to give a shocking statistic, tell a related story, ask a rhetorical question, give a famous quotation, make an unusual statement, use humor, and use presentation aids, such as handouts and pictures.

• After getting the audience interested in what you have to say, it is important to explain

why they should listen to you. Some of the important questions to answer in your introduction are, “Why should I care?” and “How does this topic relate to me?” If the audience does not feel connected to the topic of the speech, they will not be invested in what you have to say. This is called exigency. It is the “So what?” question. An effective speech will not leave an audience asking, “So what?”

• The introduction should also include a list of objectives for your speech; these objectives

will be used by the audience as a general guideline for what they will be hearing. This will help them to follow along with what you are saying. You will also need to include a thesis statement, which will function as the main argument of your speech to follow the introduction.


The body of your speech should contain two to five main points related to your topic. This is the point where your chosen organizational pattern will come into use.

• Within your organizational pattern, you can further organize your speech by using two main points with three supporting details each, or three main points with two supporting details each. This can be used as a general guideline when writing the speech.

• It is important to state your main ideas as complete sentences and to make it easy for

the audience to recognize and remember the main points.

• You must establish credibility with your audience by showing them that you are someone who is knowledgeable about the subject at hand, thereby giving the audience a reason to listen to and consider what you have to say.

• The body of your speech should contain elements supportive of your thesis statement,

such as facts, statistics, examples, or testimony. These elements should be chosen based on your particular audience. Make sure you document your sources in order to add credibility.

• You must make sure that each of your main points is developed completely before

moving on to the next point. This will help you to reinforce your goals for the speech and to avoid revisiting a point because there is more that needs to be said about it.

• Throughout the body of your speech, you will also need to use devices to keep the

attention of your audience and to help them remember particularly important aspects. Some of these devices are humor, intensity, repetition, novelty, comparison/contrast, visuals, narratives, and examples.

The conclusion of your speech is just as crucial as your introduction. The main goal of your conclusion is to ensure that your audience will remember your main points after they leave.

• The conclusion needs to summarize the key points that you made during your speech.

• Finally, it needs to close with impact. This can be done by using a powerful quotation, a touching narrative, an appeal to action, or a return to your opening thesis statement.

Throughout the speech, the speaker will have to use connective devices to help the audience follow and keep track of the speech’s content. Two examples of connective devices are transitions and signposts.

• Transitions are words or phrases that tell the audience when the speaker is going to move on to another topic or idea. Some examples of transitions are: “the next major issue is,” “finally,” “to illustrate this point,” “for example,” “furthermore,” “moving on,” and “to conclude.”


• Signposts are brief statements that remind the audience where you are within your speech.

Review “The Gettysburg Address” and “I Have a Dream.” Do you find any elements of the introductions for these speeches to be attention-grabbing?

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Do the speeches answer the questions of “Why should I care?” and “How does this topic relate to me?” Explain with examples.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should be able to acknowledge that the speeches do answer

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Do the speakers provide their objectives for their speeches within their introductions? Use examples for your answer.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary with examples, but students should recognize that the objectives for both

_____________________________________________________________________________ President Lincoln’s and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches are addressed in different ways.

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_____________________________________________________________________________ Do the speakers use any supportive devices, such as humor or repetition, in their speeches? Give examples of any devices.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should recognize the use of repetition in “I Have a Dream” and

_____________________________________________________________________________ the narrative-like quality of “The Gettysburg Address.”

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How would you describe the conclusions of the speeches? Do they summarize their objectives and end with impact? Explain.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, but students should notice that both speeches touch upon their objectives in

_____________________________________________________________________________ their conclusions by addressing their main points.

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List some of the transitions and signposts that are used in both speeches.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Answers will vary, though most examples will come from “I Have a Dream” because it is a

_____________________________________________________________________________ much longer speech.

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4. Now that you have an idea of what goes into writing a speech, it is time to begin writing one of

your own. For this activity use the information you gathered throughout the lesson to aid you in writing your speech. You will need to use your own paper.

First, you must identify a topic about which you feel strongly. Second, you will develop your own speech using a classic speech structure, rhetorical devices, supportive elements, attention-keeping devices, transitions, and signposts. Third, you will read aloud to yourself and revise your speech until you are comfortable reading every word that you have written. Finally, you will present your speech to your class.

Your speech will need to be two to four minutes long, so it is important that you remember the most important elements of speech-writing:

1. Use language that is appropriate to your audience.

2. Speak clearly and at a slower pace (do not rush through it) throughout your speech.

3. Grab the audience’s attention when you begin your speech.

4. Remember that, unlike essays, speeches are not read by the audience, so they cannot reread something that they misunderstood the first time around.

5. Explain why the audience should listen to what you have to say and why it is relevant to them.


6. Tell the audience what you need to tell them without losing sight of your main points.

7. Use supportive elements with or within your speech.

8. Keep the audience’s attention by using attention-keeping devices and signposts.

9. Be sure to use transitions to help the audience keep track of the topics and content.

10. Conclude with a statement that will remain in the audience’s memories long after the speech has ended.

After you have finished writing and presenting your speech, answer the following question: How would you describe your speech-writing and presentation experience? Explain.

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12A-3-1 Meanings of Figurative Language - Edmentum …supportcdn.edmentum.com/InstructorMaterials/Eng12Av2/Unit_3... · Recognizing figurative language will help you better understand

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