John Donne:

“The Good-Morrow” (687)

“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” (697)

Holy Sonnets #10 & 14 (708-10)

Aemilia Lanyer

“Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women” (718-721)

John Milton

“”When I Consider How My Light is Spent” (818)

“Methought I Saw My Late Espoused Saint” (820)

Secondly, identify whether or not your poem is a sonnet or not; if a sonnet, which form does it follow–the Italian or the English?

Thirdly, focusing on key words (diction), images (simile & metaphor), and phrases in your poem, formulate tentative answers to the question, What does it all mean?  (This is your critical response to the poem). For this journal, pay special attention in your response to determining the importance of sounds/sound patterns (i.e. assonance, consonance, end rhyme, rhyme scheme).  Make sure in your response to describe the speaker, situation and setting to your poem.

  • What does the speakers point of view tell us about him or her? In some poems, the point of view is not first person (in other words, we dont hear of the main character as I. Instead, the persona (or main character) is referred to in third person (he or she).
  • What is the imagined situation of the poem?
  • To whom is the speaker speaking (auditor)?
  • What is happening? Why is this event or communication occurring?
  • Where and when does the action or communication take place?

Use textual quotations throughout your journal to support your ideas; cite the line numbers of the poem in MLA style ().  Journal should be 250 minimum words, use paragraphing, and use MLA format.

**In your response, use literary terms as appropriate. 

***all words and ideas in this response must be your own (you are practicing and developing a skill); do not plagiarize ideas or words from online sources.  I am not looking for a RIGHT answer; I am looking for YOUR ANSWER based on your close-reading of the words on the page.