English 12, Section 4 Thursday, February 11, 2009 E – Day
Outline for Today Today: Alexander Pope Heroic Couplets Excerpt from “An Essay on Man” Canto III from “The rape of Lock” Work for the week: Paper due Friday Submit it on Cite Chapter 11 of Writing About Literature Finish Part 2 of A Star Called Henry by Friday Quiz tomorrow
Alexander Pope Translated the Illiad and the Odyssey. An expert on the epic poem, so it stands to reason that his own writing would revolve around similar conventions: Rhyming couplet - iambic pentameter, last word in each line rhyme. Mock epic - Antithesis - a contrast of ideas expressed in a grammatically balanced statement. “Give me liberty, or give me death.” Epigram - a short, witty and satirical statement or truism that often rhymes. Figurative language – similes, metaphors, and personification.
“An Essay on Man” How many sentences? Describe the structure of every line and clause? What do you think Pope is trying to reveal about humanity?
From “The Rape of the Lock” Mock epic: Comedy arises from discrepancy between its trivial subject matter and its grandiose treatment. Think, 17 th century The Onion… Canto III: Stanza 1 (lines 1-18): Establishes tone Stanza 2 (lines 19-28): A Game of Cards! Stanza 3 (lines 29-32): Verbal Irony… Stanza 4 (lines 33-52): Coffee… Stanza 5 (lines 53-74): Three attempts… Stanza 6 (lines 75-82): The snip! Stanza 7 (lines 83-88): The shriek (hyperbole & antithesis) Stanza 8 (lines ): The hero’s shouts