English Matters

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  1. What type of poem always has 14 lines? A sonnet
  2. What is iambic pentameter and where would you  find an example? Pentameter is the term used to describe a line with 5 distinct 'rhythm units'. Rhythm units are called 'feet' (Go figure!). An iamb (or iambic) is the term used to describe a specific 'foot' which consists of two syllables where there is an unaccented ('unstressed') syllable and an accented ('stressed') syllable. It is the most common rhythm used in English.
  3. Describe two ways repetition is used in a Ballad. The oldest type of repetition is the repetition of entire verses. Another common type of repetition used in ballads is "question/answer" repetition. Burdens, or choruses used in each verse, are a third common type of repetition used in ballads. (Burdens are also known as 'refrains')
  4. What are the differences between a Petrarchan, Shakespearian and Spenserian sonnet?
  5. Who wrote the sonnet ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ and what is the poem about ? Wilfred Owen. The poem is about the death of many young men during World War I
  6. Why would a lyric poem be used to write about friendship? Lyric was originally the word used to identify  a poem accompanied by a musical instrument, usually a lyre. The word is used, when talking about poetry to refer to any short poem that expresses a personal emotion, be it a sonnet, ode, song, or elegy.
  7. Who was Lord Randall and what happened to him? Lord Randall was a young nobleman goes to dinner with his true love (and her family?) and is poisoned.
  8. What is the difference between an ode and a ballad? Traditionally an Ode is usually a long lyrical poem in which someone or something is praised. The traditional form of an ode is stanzas arranged in sets of threes. Gradually the Ode form was adapted and the form became less rigid. These days it refers generally to a poem of praise. The Ballad is not a lyric form, although it is traditionally sung. It usually refers to a narrative poem telling a dramatic story about a particular event and may include dialogue in various ways. The form usually consists of 4 line stanzas with a regular abab type rhyme.
  9. Find an example of a Shakespearian Sonnet and explain what it is about. There are lots (154). One of the most famous is "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" in which Shakespeare says that his love is more lovely than a summer's day. He goes on to say that unlike the weather which can change and all things in nature which grow less lovely as they age his love's beauty will always 'live' in his heart.
  10. What is an elegy? An elegy is a reflective poem that usually mourns the death of someone or something. It is a kind of lyric poem, often written in couplets with a hexameter line followed by a pentameter line. This is called elegiac verse. A hexameter line has 6 'feet' and a pentameter line has 5 'feet'.
 

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Last Modified: 28/04/2009

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