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 Tuesday,
April 3rd. (and submitted to turnitin.com).
Try to
mimic the language, voice, and style of the Romantic writers we have studied
(such as Keats, Wordsworth, 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.
