Poetry

YKL 200 Poetry Close Reading Assignment

Objective: To conduct a meticulous close reading of a primary text, focusing on how formal elements (meter, imagery, and syntax) construct philosophical meaning.

The Task

Select one of the following poems and write a 4 page (double spaced) formal analysis:

1. “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
2. “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats

1. “London” by William Blake

Your goal is not to summarize the poem, but to argue how its specific linguistic choices reflect a core Romantic tensionsuch as the power of nature over man, the immortality of art, or the corruption of the industrial soul.

To succeed in a close reading, you must look “under the hood” of the poem. Consider the following:

• The Architecture of the Line: How does the poet use enjambment (lines running over) or caesura (breaks in the middle of a line) to control the reader’s “breath”?
• The Sensory Palette: Identify the dominant imagery. Is it organic and fluid, or cold and static? How does this imagery shift from the beginning to the end?
• The Speakers Stance: Is the narrator a detached observer, an impassioned participant, or a prophetic voice?
• Acoustics: Look for internal rhyme, alliteration, and assonance. How do these sounds reinforce the emotional tone (e.g., harsh “k” sounds vs. soft “s” sounds)?

Thesis: Presents a non-obvious, debatable claim about the poem’s meaning.

Evidence: Integrates specific quotes seamlessly into the prose.

Analysis: Goes beyond “what” the poem says to “how” the language creates that effect.

Cite from the text by quoting and indicating line reference embedded in the text. Ex. (L. 12-14)

Pro-Tip for Success

Avoid the “Message” Trap: Don’t just tell me the poem is about “nature being pretty.” The Romantics were often grappling with intense anxiety, political upheaval, and the limits of human perception. Look for the “friction” in the textwhere the language feels difficult or contradictory