Introduction to Poetry
Close Reading ("Explication") Assignment
Being able to write a close reading (Explication) of a poem is one of the skills that you are expected to master as an English student at Reed. In fact it is one of the three basic skills that you are asked to perform on the Junior Qualifying Exam (the other two are analysis of an argument [Précis], and analysis of narrative).
To "explicate" comes from a Latin word meaning to unfold. The purpose of an explication or close reading is to unfold the significance of a poem. Explication pays close attention to the parts of a poem in order to support a larger argument about its overall impact. For your paper you will want to choose one of the "In-depth" poems for the day you are assigned. You do not need to focus on all of the qualities of the poem, but you do need to cover at least the aspect of the poem being discussed for that day. For example if the chapter in the Norton we have just read is on "tone," you need to talk about tone. You may of course discuss other poetic techniques that are relevant to your argument.
One of the greatest challenges of an explication is synthesis. Even as you divide the poem into its composite elements, you will want to discuss how those elements come together to form a whole. As writer Diane Hacker points out, division--like classification--should be made "according to some principle": she notes, "to divide a tree into roots, trunk, branches, and leaves makes sense; to list its components as branches, wood, water, and sap does not, for the categories overlap" (and seem random and disconnected). [Diane Hacker. The Bedford Handbook for Writers, 3rd. ed. Boson: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1991: 91] Your essay should reveal how the parts of the poem, like the parts of a tree, relate and form a totality. Ideally, your paper should reveal some of the wonder and excitement that first inspired you to choose this poem.
Before class you should read at least two of the Close Readings your classmates have sent you. To assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Close Reading ask yourself:
Here are some more suggestions to get you started as you write your Close Reading
1 . Examine
the language of the poem. Look up any words that seem important or unclear
in the OED. How does the text
make use of the particular connotations of its words? Are there patterns
of word choice (diction), such as language associated with religion or
with everyday speech? What images and image patterns are prominent? What
are the associations of these images? Do the images take on larger significance
as symbols? What other metaphoric language contributes to the poem's meaning?
Similes? Puns? Are there larger patterns of allegory or allusion?
More tips on doing a close reading of a poem:
|Sample Close Readings of Poems|
Please note that these are just examples. They are not perfect, nor are they intended as models to be followed slavishly. Rather you should read each one critically and assess its strengths and weaknesses.
Formatting: I would like you to use MLA format for your papers. To see sample papers (not on poetry) in this format see Diana Hacker's Online Bedford Handbook.
For more help with Writing About Literature see the Norton Writing About Literature Website or the final section of the Norton Introduction to Poetry.
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|©2003 Prof. Laura Leibman, Dept. of English, Reed College||Print Syllabus
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