Review: Previously in Unit 8:2, we discussed about how to teach the sub topic ‘Talking about reservation’ in Form Two. In this sub topic, students were introduced to the various techniques and ways of making or talking about one’s reservations or bookings to various places or areas.
In this Unit 8:3, we will learn how to
teach the sub topic, ‘Identifying main features of
different genres’ in Form
Three. In this sub topic, we will again guide students to identify and
analyse various features of play, novel, and poetry as they are applied in
literature.
(Also: For Literature in English
Subject, Check out my Literature in English Blog. Also check out My Diary for Diary Writing Inspiration and More!
)
THE
FOLLOWING IS THE COMPREHENSIVE TEACHING GUIDE ON THE SUB TOPIC:
A: INFORMATION OF THE TOPIC:
1.
Topic: READING LITERARY WORKS.
2. Sub
Topic: Identifying
main features of different genres.
3.
Periods per sub topic: 6
4: Class: Form Three.
4: Class: Form Three.
B: HOW TO TEACH THE TOPIC:
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
The student should be able to
identify main features of different genres. In literature, there are three
different genres. Each of the genres has its own features. These features are
to be studied by the students so that they can be able to distinguish between
the three genres. Knowing these differences also help students to become good
readers of the literary works that are expected to be analysed under this
course.
ACTIVITIES AND GAMES OT FACILITATE A LESSON
PART THREE: POETRY
In PART THREE of this sub topic, we will discuss about the main
features of poetry. Together with these main features, meaning, history, forms,
and types of poetry will be covered as well.
ACTIVITY 1: BRAINSTORMING ON THE MEANIN, ORIGIN AND TYPES OF A POETRY
In this activity, the teacher introduces students to the definition of
poetry, the differences between poetry and poem, origin and development of
poetry, and types of poetry.
Introduction
Poetry is a form of literary
expression that differs from prose in emphasizing the line as the unit of
composition. Poetry is also defined as the literary genre that is presented in
verses and stanzas as well as musical features.
The origin and development of poetry.
The word itself, ‘Poetry’ is
derived from a Greek term, ‘Poesis’
which means ‘making or creating’.
Whereas ordinary speech and writing called ‘prose’ are organized in sentences
and paragraphs, ‘poetry’ in its simplest definition, is organized in units
called lines as well as sentences, and often in stanzas, which are the
paragraphs of poetry.
The reader recognizes poems by
their appearances on the page, and he responds to that convention when he
recognizes them by reading them aloud in a quite different tone of voice from
that which he applies to prose even in sentence he confers upon a piece of
poetry an attention that differs from what he gives to prose in two ways,
especially in tone an in pace.
The French poet Paul Valery
said that prose was walking, poetry was dancing. Indeed, the original two
terms, prosus and versus, meant
respectively ‘going straight forth’
and ‘returning’-hence poetry’s
tendency to incremental repetition, variation, and the treatment of many
matters and different themes in a single recurrent form such as couplet, or
stanza.
Poetry is different from the
plain prose we speak and from the flat language of the committee report we
read. Poetry has a beat or a roll, a melody and a texture. It is full of
expressions that please us, surprise us, and make us laugh or cry. Our
instincts alone tell us that when words are put together in a certain way, they
are poetry. Yet we all know poetry when we hear it-whether it is a passage from
the Bible, the chorus of a song, or some striking phrase overheard on a city
street.
Poetry may be written
independently, as discrete poems, or may occur in conjunction with other arts,
as in poetic drama, hymns, lyrics, or prose poetry.
Poetry may be narrative
(telling a story as in a ballad or a long epic poem) or lyrical (shorter
subjective or reflective poems that include specific types such as the sonnet,
the ode and the elegy.)
Broad Types of Poetry
Traditionally, poems have been
classified into two major types:
- Traditional poems. These are also called closed poems, or formal poems. These poems follow the strict poetic principles and rules such as balance in the number of words for each stanza, rhyming, balance in rhythm as well as having equal number of words for each line in every stanza. However, some modern poems observe rhyme while others do not.
- Modern Poems. These are also called Open, Free verse, or informal poems. These poems do not rhyme or they must not necessarily follow the strict poetic rules mentioned in the first category.
The situation of a poem to be
traditional or modern does not have a direct relationship with time. A poem may
be composed today and yet be regarded as traditional poem only because it
follows formal poetic rules. Moreover, closed poems are also called formal
poems because of conforming to the formalities and poetic standards, or in
other words, poetic rules, as mentioned earlier.
Other ways of classifying poems: (Types of Poetry according to form and
content)
Apart from the earlier
categorization of poems into traditional and modern poems, there are other ways
of classifying poems. These classifications are the ones that combine the
elements of form and content as used in literature. They are as follows:
- Lyric poetry. Is the short poem which expresses strong and deep feelings. Is the poetry that focuses on expressing emotions or thoughts, rather than on telling a story. The term ‘lyric’ comes from Greek where in ancient time lyric poems were recited to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument called the ‘lyre’. Most lyrics are short and they usually imply rather than directly state a single strong emotion. Some examples of lyric poems are Eat More, The Trial, and You are Lost are lyric poems.
- Ballad. Is a poem in which there are two or more people speaking in turn. Thus, it is a song or songlike poem that tells a story. It is a dramatic type of poem as it is presented like a drama and in drama people talk to each other in turn. ( Also see Ballad, as a form of Oral Literature).
- Sonnet. Is a lyric poem that contains fourteen lines in two stanzas. Is a fourteen-line lyric poem that has one of several rhyme schemes. In sonnet, the first stanza is an eight-line octave that usually presents a problem, poses a question, or expresses an idea, which the second six-line stanza (sestet) resolves, or answers.
- Narrative poetry. Is a poem that tells a story on a certain event or issue that happened. The story is usually told by a persona. Narrative poems have a narrator (persona) and they often use literary devices such as dialogue and figurative language. Ballads and epics are all types of narrative poetry.
- Didactic poetry. Is the poetry designed to give instructions to the readers. It includes all the poems that teach lessons to the audience. Didactic poems are mainly for political or social messages. That means, they are dominantly about social and political changes. Your Pain, If We Must Die, and Sunrise are good examples of didactic poems.
- Epic. Is the poem that presents heroic characters or heroes. It is usually a long poem that deals with the actions or bravery of great men in the history of a certain society. For, instance, it can be for praising the great deeds of a soldier who went to a war and brought home victory.
- Elegy. Is a lyric poem that expresses sadness about someone who has died. Is a poem that mourns the death of a person or that laments something lost. It is a type of lyric that is usually written in formal language structure and is solemn or melancholy in tone.
- Ode. Is a poem that addresses a person or a thing or celebrates an event. Is a complex and long lyric poem on a serious subject. An ode can be in formal or dignified style used in ceremonial or public occasions or in much more personal and reflective style.
Note: Lyrics, ballads,
and sonnets are the types of poems that are mostly read and analysed in under
this course. Other types are rarely applied or are combined with other types. For
example, a poem like Your Pain is modern didactic poem, and it is also lyric
because it is short and it expresses strong feelings of the persona.
ACTIVITY 2: DISCUSSION OF THE FEATURES OF A PLAY
In this activity, a teacher is going to guide students to discuss the Features
of poetry.
Poetry is also one of the most popular forms of literature. This makes
it different from other genres of literature as well.
In discussing the features of a play, students are guided to use
correct structural patterns in describing the features of play. The following
patterns can be used:
- A poem is divided ….( For example, a poem is divided into stanzas and verses)
- A poem consists of …. (For example, a poem consists of rich imagery and figures of speech)
- A poem is made up of …. (For example, a poem is made up rhymes and rhythm)
If there are available copies
of some poems, a teacher may supply them to the students and have them discuss
what features they see in groups. Let them discuss what they see by using
appropriate patterns you have given them. After getting their various
responses, now you can lead them to the discussion of the features of poetry.
The following are the features that distinguish poetry as a fiction
work different from other literary genres:
Features of Poetry that distinguishes poetry from other genres of
literature.
Poetry refers to the literary
genre that is presented in verses and stanzas as well as musical features.
Poems are meant to be sung or read aloud. The following are the features of
poetry that make it a different literary genre:
- Poetry is split into units called lines/verses and stanzas. Novels and plays are not split in these ways.
- The character of a poem is the persona. He/she differs from the characters found in novels and plays in that a persona hardly bears a name.
- Poetry is richer in imagery than any other literary genres. It very much appeals to senses of touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste than other genres.
- Poetry uses figures of speech more plentifully than other literary genres.
- Poetry consists of musical features such as rhyme and rhythm. But novels and plays are intended to be read silently and have no much musical features like those of poetry.
- Poetry employs language economy. Poetry says much in few words. So, poets say much in few words.
ACTIVITY 3: COMMON
ELEMENTS USED IN POETRY:
Poetry is a literary genre
that has more related terms (poetic terms) than any other genre of literature. Of
course, some of the elements of literature are shared by both literary genres,
but there are special elements that are specifically for poetry. It is also
good idea to guide students to understand these elements because they are there
when poems are analysed.
Important Poetic Terms and Other Elements of Poetry.
The study of poetry
involves the use of a variety of technical terms. Understanding them is
important for the appreciation of
poetry. The following is a list of some poetic terms used in literature in
general and in poetry in particular:
Poem. Is a
metrical composition characterized by strong imagination, emotion, and
appropriate language. A poem is an arrangement of words containing meaning and
musicality. Most poems take the form of a series of lines separated into groups
called stanzas.
Line. Also a
verse. Is a line in a stanza. A verse is formally a single metrical line in a
poetic composition; one line of poetry or poem. A verse is a single line in a
poem.
Stanza. A stanza is normally a sum of verses that
combine to form a block-like paragraph or group of lines which is called a
stanza. A poem has at least one stanza. Stanzas in poetry are the equivalent of
paragraphs in prose.
Refrain. A
refrain is a word, phrase, line, lines or group of lines that are repeated at
the end of each stanza. It adds music and it emphasizes a point.
Persona. A persona is a person who speaks in or
narrates in a poem. In other words, a persona refers to the character of the
poem. Sometimes a poet may use ‘I’ but he/she does not refer to himself or
herself. The poet puts himself in the shoes of another person. For example, a
poet may be live in a settled country, but he can decide to write a poem about
one troubled refugee.
Speaker. This
is the voice that is talking to us in a poem. Sometimes the speaker is the same
as the poet, but the poet may also create a different voice, speaking as a
child, or even as an object.
Poetic license. This is the privilege
which poets are given to break the grammatical rules of language. The
pronunciation rules may also be violated in order to meet the metrical rules or
needs. For example, the poet may write ‘out they go’, instead of ‘they go out’
without sounding ungrammatical. However, if the poet does not have grammatical
competence of a language he/she cannot be said to be using poetic license.
Inversion. Is
the reversal of normal word order in a sentence, especially in a prose sentence
or in a line of poetry. The normal word order in an English sentence is SVC (if
there is ‘C’). When writers use inversion, the sentence elements are put in a different
order. Poets use inversion to give emphasis and variety and to create rhymes or
accommodate a meter.
Meter*. Meter in poetry is what brings the poem to
life and is the internal beat or rhythm with which it is read. Meter in poetry
is a rhythm of accented and unaccented syllables arranged into feet. The most
common is one soft foot and one hard foot and is called an iamb. There are
several kinds of meter, but most poetry uses s five-beat meter, with iambic
feet, called iambic pentameter. The most common metrical patterns are two:
iambic pentameter: A dog| is not| allowed| to run| away|. Trochaic pentameter:
Try to| see the| morning| sunlight| shining.
Foot*. A
foot is a unit consisting of at least one stressed syllable and usually one or
more unstressed syllables.
Ellipsis. Is
the act of leaving out some words which writer or an artist thinks they are
less important. The ellipted words may be filled by the reader in mind as
he/she reads the work. In poetry, ellipsis is mainly used to save space (for word
economy). The words which are more likely to be ellipted are functional words
like prepositions, auxiliary verbs, conjunctions, as well as determiners. It is
an effective visual device to add interest to a poem.
Tone. Is the attitude of the poet. It refers to
the poet’s state of mind. This state of mind is expressed through the use of
language. Thus, the tone of the poet may be angry, sad, ironic, or satirical
tone. Tone helps the reader to know what the persona wants to advocate for.
Mood. In
poetry, mood is the overall emotional tone pervades a section of or the whole
poem, directing the reader’s expectations toward the nature of the course of
events in the poem. The mood of a poem creates an atmosphere of fear,
happiness, or other emotions that the reader deciphers and factors into the
meaning found in the poetry.
Atmosphere*. Is a mood or feeling inn
a work of literature (also called a mood). Atmosphere is usually created
through descriptive details, and evocative language. For example, when a work
of art is set in the abandoned old houses, it may create an atmosphere of
horror.
Attitude*. The attitude of a piece of writing or a
speech is closely related to the tone of the piece. The attitude of a piece can
be thought of as a broader concept than tone but one that is comprised of the
various tones within a piece. For example, an attitude of criticism of a
particular topic might be composed of a mixture of negative, persuasive, and
objective tones that all combine to help convey the overall attitude.
Poet. A poet is a person who composes poems. Or is
a person who uses most of his time to communicate with the society through
poems. The female poet may be called a poetess.
Poetic diction. A
poetic diction refers to the choice and arrangement of words in poetry. Poets
are very keen in the choice of words to make them suit what they want to convey.
The careful choice of words is what makes word economy possible. In its
broadest sense, diction is defined as the choice of words used while syntax is
the way those words are structured within a writing or a speech. For example,
short, choppy sentences can contribute to a feeling of anticipation and
tenseness, while long, flowing sentences can make the reader or listener feel
relaxed and calm.
Addressee. This
refers to the audience of a poem. Is a person to whom the poet aims to speak
to. An addressee can be the colonized people, peasants, and refugees, the
oppressed or humiliated people.
Repetition. Is
the recurrence of sounds, words, phrases, lines, or stanzas in a speech, piece
of writing or a poem. Writers use repetition to emphasize an important point,
to expand upon an idea, to help create rhymes and rhythm, and to increase the
feeling of unity inn a work of art.
Dramatic monologue. Is a form of dramatic
poetry in which the speaker (persona, poet) describes a crucial moment in his
pr her life to a silent listener and in the process reveals much about his or
her own character. The speaker may be a fictional or historical figure and is
clearly distinct from the poet. Often the speaker will reveal the listener’s
identity, and the dramatic situation in which the monologue is spoken. Song of Lawino and Ocol is a good
example of dramatic monologue.
Parallelism. It involves the use of a
series of words, phrases, or sentences that have similar grammatical structures
or that state a similar idea. Parallelism shows the relationship between ideas
and helps emphasize thoughts. Also parallelism or parallel structure helps make
line rhythmic and memorable and heightens their emotional effect.
Enjambment.
Is the continuation of a sentence from one line of a poem to another. Poets
often use enjambments to emphasize rhyming words. Enjambment also enables poets
to create a conversational tone, breaking lines at points, where people would
normally pause in conversation, yet still maintaining the unity of thoughts.
Melody. This
involves the poet’s use of devices that appeal to sounds in poetry.
Rhyme. Is
the repetition of accented vowel sounds and all sounds following them in words
that are close together in a poem. Is the repetition of identical sounds at the
end of consecutive lines at similar intervals in stanza. For example Today is
May,
We
are on the way,
Trees
will sway,
This
way and that way.
The
stanza above has each line ends with ‘-ay’
to give the sound /ei/.
Rhyme scheme. Is the pattern of rhymed
lines/verses. The rhyme scheme is designated by the assignment of different
letter of the alphabet to each new rhyme. See the example below;
behold
dear friend.a
salvation
is coming.b
the
earth has come to end.a
Jesus
is coming.b.
In the
above stanza, the rhyme scheme is ‘ab
ab’, but the previous stanza has a rhyme scheme of ‘aa aa’.
Imagery. Is
the use of language in such a way that it stimulates certain feelings that
appeal to any of the five human senses; that is, senses of touch, taste, smell,
sight, and hearing. Poetry is rich in imagery than any other literary genres.
Imagery (images) towards the reader is evoked by the poet’s use of several
devices like; Simile-conveys a direct tone and meaning (His house was like a
prison); Metaphor-conveys an evocative tone (His house was a prison);
personification-creates a vivid tone, giving human qualities to inanimate
objects conveys a warm tone ( His house kissed his body everyday);
Hyperbole-creates a humorous tone (His house was a continent of hell); and
irony-creates a caustic tone, and this often produces sarcasm or light-hearted humour
(His leaking house was a good inhabitant of the loose VIPs).
Alliteration.
Is the repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are
close together. Although alliteration most often consists of sounds that begin
with words, it may also consists of sounds that occur within words. This use of
the same consonant sounds at the beginning of each consecutive words in a line
happens as follows: feel free friend Fredy. Like rhymes, alliteration adds
music to a poem hence, good to listen to.
Consonance.
Is the repetition of consonant sounds, typically within or at the end of
non-rhyming words, as in this succession of echoing ‘d’ sounds in William
Butler Yeats’ “The Second Coming”: ‘The blood-dimmed tide is loosed…’ Or The boy blocked the ball by his boot.
Assonance. Is
the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds
in words that are close together. Is also the repetition of the same or similar
vowel sounds in stressed syllbles that end with different consonant sounds. For
example, “And so all the night-tide, I lie down by the side”. Like alliteration
and consonance, assonance adds musicality and rhythmical effects in the poem.
Onomatopoeia. Is
the use of a word whose sound imitates or suggests its meaning. There are so
many words of this kind, ones of them are; buzz, splash, hiss, bark, bang, and
so forth. In poetry, onomatopoeic words reinforce the meaning and create
evocative and musical sound effects in the poem.
Rhythm. Is the musical quality in language produced
by repetition. Rhythm occurs naturally in all forms of spoken and written
language. Poems written in meter create rhythm by a strict pattern of stressed
and unstressed syllables. Writers also can create rhythm by repeating the
grammatical structures, by using pauses, by varying line length, and by
balancing long and short words or phrases.
Scansion. Is
the analysis of the meter of a line of verse. To scan a line of poetry means to
note the stressed and unstressed syllables and to divide the line into its
feet, or rhythmical units.
Note:
The terms marked with star (*) are not mostly applied under this course.
Conclusion
Poetry is mostly said to be
the beginning of analysis of literary works and also the starting point of most
creative works in the subject of literature.
ACTIVITY 4:
PRACTICE TIME
Comparison
essay. The students can be guided to write an essay in which they can compare
two genres. The question can be asked; ‘What
are the similarities and differences of novel and play’ or ‘Discuss features that distinguish play from
novel’.
6: CONNECTION: Beyond the Sub Topic. Being one of the oldest forms of literature, drama has
long served as the art that works as reflective of social realities.This sub topic
gives a room for student to explore different features of different genres.
These features help them to understand better the genres of literature. They
also give students a time to think broadly about the particular genres.
7: NOTE: Understanding literature is the only way for the
students to be able to analyse literary works. By learning these different
features of literary genres, students are being prepared to be better readers
who can independently read and analyse various literary texts. Forms of Novel/Prose and types
of novel are crucial aspects for students to know before starting analyzing the
novels for the course.
**********************
- Listening for specific information
- Listening for general information
- Participating in debates, dialogues, interviews, impromptu speeches and discussions Part 1
- Participating in debates, dialogues, interviews, impromptu speeches and discussions Part 2
- Participating in debates, dialogues, interviews, impromptu speeches and discussions Part 3 l
- Reading intensively for comprehension
- Reading extensively
- Identifying and analysing setting, main plot, and characters Identifying themes
- Identifying main features of different genres Part 1
- Identifying main features of different genres Part 2
- Identifying main features of different genres Part 3
- Writing narrative compositions/essays (not less than 200 words) Part 1
- Writing narrative compositions/essays (not less than 200 words) Part 2
- Writing expository compositions/essays (not less than 200 words)
- Writing descriptive compositions/essays (not less than 200 words)
- Writing argumentative compositions/essays (not less than 200 words)
- Creative writing
- Creative Writing (Six stages of teaching how to write poems)
- Writing letters to the editor
- Writing business transaction letters
Related Topics:
- Build your Essay Paragraph with these 4 Easy Components!
- DOWNLOAD LITERATURE ESSAY FORMAT for Form Three & Four
- 3 IMPORTANT THINGS FOR A GOOD ESSAY - Form Three & Four
- REQUIREMENTS & COMMON MISTAKES ON ESSAY WRITING in Form Three & Four
- Download Sample Essay Formats for Form Three & Four - With Three Important Parts of an Essay
- DOWNLOAD 'Passed Like a Shadow' for FREE!
- DOWNLOAD A FULL ANALYSIS OF 'UNANSWERED CRIES' HERE!
- TEACHING STUDENTS 'INFERENCE MAKING SKILLS' FOR THEIR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TEXTS
- ROAD TO BETTER ANALYSIS OF LITERARY WORKS
Also check out:
Resources
- Abrahams, M.H
(1971) A Glossary of Literary Terms,
Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc. New York.
- Daniel, K et al
(ed.) (2003) Elements of Literature:
Fourth Course with Readings in World Literature; Florida Edition, Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, Austin.
- Daniel, K et al
(ed.) (2003) Elements of Literature:
Sixth Course; Literature of Britain with World Classics; Florida Edition,
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Austin.
- Kinsella, K et al
(2003) Prentice Hall Literature:
Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes; Copper Level, Pearson, Upper Saddle
River.
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