Romantic-Era Poetry Assignment

Whether you believe it or not, you all have the spark of the Romantic Poet somewhere in your soul. For this assignment, you will tap into this fire and give it room to burn brightly by writing a mock-Romantic sonnet.

As you have seen, many of the Romantic writers saw beauty and meaning in the simplest of objects, experiences, or settings. For example, John Keats wrote sonnets praising a translation of Homer, depicting his feelings on solitude in nature, and capturing the pleasure of cuddling with his love. He has also written a number of odes to ideas and objects ranging from the season of autumn to expensive household decorations. For this poetry assignment you will need to observe and witness one of the following:

·       A location you once spent time at that would bring forth nostalgic feelings.

·       An item you personally feel has beauty and profound meaning.

·       A natural or pastoral element or setting that exhibits elements of the sublime.

After observing this item or setting, write a sonnet that captures not just the emotion you are feeling, but also the Romantic Voice of the early nineteenth century. This sonnet must be written in the Petrarchan or Shakespearean format and must be typed and turned in by Friday, March 24^th.

Try to mimic the language, voice, and style of the Romantic writers we have studied (such as Keats, Wordsworth, Blake, or Smith). You will need to have a strong understanding of their language and poetic style in order to effectively write your own Romantic poem.