It was good to be back with this great group of students after a week off.
We're taking a two week foray into poetry, which some students enjoy and others tolerate. Poetry is an "acquired taste" that requires more time and effort in order to appreciated it. We took time this week to "unpack" a couple of notable pieces of Romantic poetry.
William Blake's two poems of the same name, "The Chimney Sweep" (Songs of Innocence) and "The Chimney Sweep" (Songs of Experience), occupied the first part of our class. We discussed the socio-economic situations of early London and some ideas about hope.
Another poem that we discussed briefly was William Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey." This poem is a prime example of the Romantic's tendency to equated nature with the inner life of the mind, emotions, and spirituality.
The poem that consumed most of our class time was John Keats's "Ode on a Grecian Urn." This poem is a good representation of Romantic poetry. The poet is preoccupied with the figures frozen in time, yet not "frozen" because anyone who observes this urn can imagine any kind of story to go with the pictures on the urn. As both scenes and emotions are imagined, the poet explores truth and beauty.
Next week we will read poetry of the Victorian era. Though these are less abstract, they are rich in layers of meaning. My hope is that we shall enjoy "unpacking" these poems, too.
Assignments for Next Week:
--- Read the poems from the handout, especially "Lady of Shallot," "My Last Duchess," and the poems by Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, and Gerard Manley Hopkins.
-- Be ready to discuss these poems
This week's blog
Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Prichard
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