Write about one poet from our textbook. The body of your research paper will be 5-7 pages in length (1300-1800 words) and must follow the MLA style manual as outlined in The Brief Handbook. You must use information from at least five (5) print sources, which will include sources from the electronic databases. You must turn in copies of the sources which you use in your paper when you turn in your research essay. The research essay must be typed, double spaced, and must include a title page, outline, and works cited page, all of which must follow the MLA guidelines.
For their minimum of five sources, students are required to include at least one of the narrative biographies from the Biography Resource Center and at least one source from one of the other library databases (c.f., Literature Resource Center, MagillOnLiterature Center, InfoTrac, Masterfile Premier (Ebsco), Expanded Academic Index, etc.). I recommend that students include sources from several of these databases, especially Literature Resource Center and MagillOnLiterature. Students are also strongly encouraged to use articles from the reference section in the library. Students must not use general Internet sources. Photocopies of all source materials must be included with the research paper. Excerpts, quotes, paraphrases, and/or summarizing that students use from these articles should be highlighted for my quick perusal.
The research project should be submitted stapled in the left corner in a pocketed folder (do not clasp) The folder should contain the following items: Research paper, in order: Title Page; Outline; Final Draft; Works Cited page with citations arranged alphabetically; Copy of poem analyzed; Copies of sources with highlighting and name of the author of the source prominently marked.
Organization of the Assignment
The paper should include the following information with approximately ¹/3 to ½ of the paper devoted to the poetic vision of this writer and approximately 1/3 of the paper devoted to the critical analysis of a representative poem by the poet.
Introduction
Begin with a short introduction that focuses on the writer’s overall contribution and place in literature and literary history.Biographical Information
(The following are suggestions of ideas to include)
- Birth, Death
- Awards, Prizes, Honors received
- Works published
- Early influences, significant events that affected writing
Poetic Vision
(The following are suggestions of ideas to include)
- Poets frequently repeat the same themes and concerns in their works. Are there any repeated images or themes in this poet's work? What seems to be the significance of these repeated images or themes? What other writers has this poet influenced?
- What other elements of form or style are significant in the poet's work?
- What other writers have influenced this poet?
- What writers or other notables has this poet influenced?
- What contributions, if any, has this poet made to literary criticism?
- Is this poet's work representative of a particular period in literary history?
- Is this poet tied to any theory of criticism (i.e., formalism, feminist, Marxist, psychoanalytic, structuralism, deconstruction, et. al.) or period of history (i.e., Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romantic, Victorian, et. al.)? If so, how does this help in interpreting the poet's works?
Analysis of Work
Select one poem by this poet to analyze.
Incorporating your own analysis of the poem, summarize/paraphrase the criticisms of at least two other critics of this particular poem.
Be sure to tie criticism to specific lines of the text.
Aim for an overall understanding of the poem. If critics take diverging points of view on the interpretation of the poem, try to identify the basis for those differing points of view--are they based on particular schools of criticism, and if so, what critical approaches (i.e., feminist, psychoanalytical, Marxist, deconstruction, et. al.)?
You may analyze a poem not included in our text; however, it must be by a poet from our text. Whatever poem is selected, please be sure to include a copy of the poem in your project folder.
Conclusion
Close with a final paragraph that sums up the writer’s contribution and importance.
