English Poetry Analysis

Course Overview

Students will study a range of poetry and learn the skills of poetry analysis. This involves a close reading of a selection of English poems, spanning a range of male and female poets from various periods. Students will learn how to approach a poem using close language analysis, as well as learning to construct a personal response to poems. This course will then explore unseen poetry and students will learn how to interpret poems seen for the first time. Students will learn the fundamental skills of poetry analysis, developing annotation and language analysis skills at every stage. The course will also cover how to construct a written response to a poem, in the style of a typical English exam question such as: 'How does the poet explore the theme of X in the poem?' The course will also teach students how to compare poetry. Key themes will be explored throughout the poems, such as nature, love, childhood and war. Students will become comfortable when accessing a poem's message, as well as interpreting metaphorical and abstract language. Students will learn how to write a poetry analysis, as well as a comprehensive poetry comparison.