American Poetry

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American Poetry

• A deeper exploration of an American poet.

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Dickinson

• She didnt do the following things
• -Follow perfect rhyme patterns
• -Follow all grammar rules
• -Always use big, complicated words

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Emily Dickinson

• -1830-1886
• -Lets watch a short clip to learn more about
  this time period.

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HIGHLIGHTS!

• -Lived most of her life in the same house in
  Massachusetts.
• --Most of her poems were not published until
  after she died.
• -Became a recluse by 30.

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Lets hear some samples.
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Why did Dickinson write as she did?

• She was most concerned with the themes of her
  poems.
• Each of her poems typically focuses on a single
  insight.

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What about the way she ignores grammar? How do
you explain that?

• Ms. Dickinson made very intentional choices with
  her misuse of grammar.
• For example
• Her unexplained capitalizations are made for
  emphasis.
• Her untraditional punctuation, such as dashes,
  created a musical quality to her poetry.

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Was she unschooled?

• No!
• She was, in fact, quite schooled.
• She made these grammatical mistakes
  intentionally.
• Lets learn more about her education.

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Now that you know more about her educational
background, lets focus on the poetic devices she
used.

• Dickinson is very well known for her use of
  imagery and metaphor.
• REMEMBER!
• Imagery describes what you see, hear, smell,
  taste, and touch.
• A metaphor creates a connection/comparison
  between unlike things.

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Lets read a poem. Look for the theme, and for
Dickinsons use of imagery and metaphor.Hope
is the thing with feathers

• Hope is the thing with feathers
• That perches in the soul
• And sings the tune without the words
• And never stops at all

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• And sweetest in the Gale is heard
• And sore must be the storm
• That could abash the little Bird
• That kept so many warm
• I've heard it in the chillest land--
• And on the strangest Sea--
• Yet, never, in Extremity,
• It asked a crumb of me.

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What was all that about?

• There really are lots of theories.
• What do you think?

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How do I know which theme is the correct one?

• That's an excellent question.
• The answer is you may never know. (Thats right
  its GRAY!)
• The important thing is to develop you opinion of
  poetry using what the author gave you the poem
  itself.
• Remember to read and reread poetry and to look
  beyond the surface.
• You may be surprised what you find.

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Now for an overview
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One last note on Dickinson...

• Emily Dickinson wrote over 2,000 poems and nearly
  all of them can be sang to
• The Gilligan's Island theme song!

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Check it out!

• Hope is the thing with feathers
• That perches in the soul
• And sings the tune without the words
• And never stops at all