TTP - Thee/Thou Poetry Module Overview
Thee/Thou Poetry
Introduction
The first thing that students tend to notice from poetry from this time period is all the thee’s and thou’s in the text, the complex images, and a general sense of difficulty with determining meaning.
However, thou needst not despair, because once thou ascertain poetic tricks, thou will be able to understand one of the richest periods of English poetry.
Poetry will make up about 40% of the AP English Literature Exam.There will be at least two multiple-choice passages that are poems, and there will be one poetry prompt during the essay portion of the exam (prose has the same amount of multiple-choice, but will have two essays). Of the 40% of the exam that consists of poetry, at least one of the poems on the multiple-choice and possibly one of the poems for the essay prompts will be written before the nineteenth century. Therefore, it is important to learn to understand older poetry.
In addition to the poetry emphasis on the AP Exam, poetry written during this time period is some of the richest and most influential ever written in the English language. During the Elizabethan period concerns such as love, death, and the passage of time were explored with the Sonnet. As the political climate in England changed, poetry shifted from the sonnet to more complex images and conceits with the Metaphysical poets. Finally, with the Restoration and birth of the novel in the 18th century, poetry changed to more social criticism and satire.
Understanding this historical background and reading poems from each time period will also help you to develop a stronger understanding of themes with poetry. Because some of the poems from this time period can be considered “challenging,” reading and analyzing them will improve your critical reading skills. Finally, reading verse will be the perfect warm up for the next unit on Tragedy and Comedy. Remember that poetry doesn’t have to be challenging, but that it does take time and patience to discover the author’s overall meaning.
Module Lessons Preview
In this module, we will study the following topics:
Reading Poetry: In this lesson, you will read an article about how to better appreciate poetry.
Poetry Terms: In this lesson, you will review some common poetry terms that will help you better analyze poetry and increase your score on the AP Exam.
TPCASTT: In this lesson, you will be introduced to the most common and popular AP mnemonic device for analyzing a poem, the TPCASTT.
Historical Context for 16th to 18th Century Poetry: In this lesson, you will be given an overview of poetry from the time periods.
Thee/Thou Poetry on the AP Exam: In this microlesson, you will conclude with writing outlines for potential poetry essays.