English Poetry assignment

This will be an analysis and interpretation of two poems. Below please find
instructions for the first, “Mad Girl’s Love Song” by Sylvia Plath. After that, you will find
instructions for the second, Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare.

1. To start, read up on Sylvia Plath. When was she born, and when and how did
she die? Did she have any publications before she died?

2. Read up on her marriage to Ted
Hughes: https://www.literaryladiesguide.com/literary-musings/relationship-sylvia-
plath-ted-hughes/ This article isn't too long. It's fast to read and gossipy. Read all the way to the end of it.

3. Read a copy of the villanelle, "Mad Girl's Love Song." When was it written and
published? https://neuroticpoets.com/plath/poem/madgirl

4. (You can always google a publication date).

5. Background on the poem:
https://sylviaplathinfo.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-curious-history-of-sylvia-
plaths.html
https://thegadabouttown.com/2015/09/24/one-who-got-away/
Make sure you find out about Mike Lotz and Richard Sassoon, covered in these
two articles.

6. Now you’re ready to start analyzing and interpreting this wonderful poem (it’s
another one of my favorites). Reread the description of and requirements for
a villanelle on either Poetry Foundation or Poets.org. Jot down the
important “markers” of a villanelle. You’re going to not only figure out what’s
going on in “Mad Girl’s Love Song,” but you’re going to find out to what extent
Plath follows all the rules for writing a villanelle. And you want to point out all
deviations!!!! Read carefully.

7. Copy and paste the poem. Leave spaces between “tercets” (stanzas).

8. Chart a rhyme scheme for the poem. Read super carefully!!!! (Keep in mind
that "again" is often pronounced with a long A in the second syllable in a lot of old
poetry.) Is Plath following the rhyme scheme structure for a villanelle in this poem
or is she deviating in places? Why might she want to deviate?

9. In a villanelle, certain lines are supposed to repeat at exact places in the poem.
Does Plath follow this pattern or deviate?

10. Look up words that you may not know, such as "seraphim" and
"Thunderbird." Give their definition.

11. Count syllables in each line of the poem to see if there are the required number
for a villanelle. List the syllable count of each line to the right of the rhyme
scheme for the poem. If you find a line that exceeds or falls short of 10 syllables,
scan it, placing the symbols BENEATH each separate syllable. Try to figure out
why Plath disrupts the rhythm.

12. Does Plath stick to iambic pentameter or does she deviate? If she deviates,
why do you suppose she does so?

13. Why does she put parentheses around one of her lines? What effect do they
have on the words, your reading?

14. Look for 3 examples of alliteration, 3 examples of consonance, and 3 examples
of assonance. Type out the individual words and include the line numbers
afterwards in parentheses.

15. Paraphrase each tercet. Explain all images and metaphors that you find. What
is the poem saying?
Instructions for Poem #2: Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare

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1. Read up (again) on William Shakespeare, his dates. Refresh your memory of sonnets. 

2. In other words, you should copy and paste the poem from Poetry Foundation:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45090/sonnet-29-when-in-disgrace-with-
fortune-and-mens-eyes

3. Chart a rhyme scheme to determine if this is a Shakespearean (hahaha) sonnet or a
Petrarchan sonnet…or even a Spencerian sonnet!

4. Count syllables in all lines. Don’t rush! You are looking for discrepancies, and trust me,
there are a few lines that break the traditional syllable count for a sonnet. Find them andscan them. Find the “problem word or words” in each line. Speculate why Shakespeare
would be willing to disrupt the rhythm for these words.

5. Look for lines that break with iambic pentameter, the required meter for a sonnet. Think
back to “If We Must Die.” Recall that McKay breaks with iambic pentameter at the
opening of three lines. Does Shakespeare do anything of that kind? To what effect?

6. Shakespeare repeats the word “like” three times in the second quatrain. What is the
effect of his doing this?

7. Shakespeare repeats the word “state” three times in the poem, and its meaning varies
from beginning to end. Can you find at least 2 meanings to the word?

8. Shakespeare is the master of metaphor. Find the powerful metaphor (an example of
personification) in the first quatrain of the sonnet. What does it mean?

9. There’s a beautiful metaphor towards the end of the poem, too. Find it. Hint: It became
the title of a movie about 30 years ago. What does this metaphor mean?

10. Paraphrase the poem. If you come upon any words that you don’t know, such as
“bootless,” look them up. Search for archaic or antiquated meanings of unfamiliar words.

11. Ah, your favorite thing to do! Find one good example of alliteration, one super knock-
out example of consonance (towards the end), and one example of assonance. When
searching for alliteration, stay away from words like “this” and “then.” Pick important
words, and remember that the words must fall within 4 lines of each other. Put the line
number after the word (7) to let me know where you found it. Don’t confuse repetition
with alliteration, assonance or consonance.