English 3 January 5 9 2015 Notes for

English 3 January 5 -9, 2015

Notes for Tuesday, January 6, 2015 v 1. Take the seat you were assigned to sit in during Semester 1; new seating chart on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 v Every day copy the Agenda with the Objective (4 minutes) v Every day you will write a Journal Response (5 minutes)

Agenda for Tuesday, January 6, 2015 v Review daily activities. Objective: To establish a daily routine. v Copy the Agenda with the Objective (4 minutes). Objective: To ensure students know what will occur during the class. v Write a Journal Response (5 minutes). Objective: To write routinely over an extended period of time for a variety of audiences and purposes. v Today: Respond to these questions: What do I consider a good grade in this class? How will I ensure that I earn this grade? v Review of Early American Literary Periods and their characteristics. Objective: CCRL-9: Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of American Literature and how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. I can identify the genres, historical backgrounds, characteristics and authors of each literary period.

Essential Question: How does literature shape or reflect the society in which it was writing? How is a period of literature a response to the culture/history of that period? How is a period of literature a response to the previous period? What themes/ideas transcend time and culture? are the key concepts, values, and literary forms of the various periods?

Native American Literature Beginnings to Present Focus: Pre-1600 s and European Contact

Native American Literature Genres: Myths, legends, oral histories, trickster tales, creation stories, songs and prayers. Characteristics: Oral Tradition – handed down from generation to generation. 1. Shared common values and beliefs 2. Emphasis on nature and one’s spiritual connection to it. (Relatives to all nature. ) 3. Explained tribal life 4. Explained concepts not understood with familiar elements 5. Continues the history of the people 6. Reveals environmental hardships and triumphs over the hardships 7. Teaches about good and bad choices, people, etc. 8. Ensures social justice

Native American Literature Historical background: Native Americans roam freely and explore and exist as one with nature. At first, the Native Americans freely shared their knowledge with the Europeans. But changes occur when Europeans arrive: disease (small pox, chicken pox, etc. ), loss of freedom (boarding schools & reservations), loss of culture (Christianity, missions, & boarding schools) Examples: “When Grizzlies Walked Upright”, “The Earth on Turtle’s Back”, The Iroquois Constitution

Puritan

Puritan Literature 1600 s-1800 s Age of Faith Genre: primer, sermons, diaries, personal narratives Characteristics: biblical content, didactic (teaching) about God, love for others, grace, salvation, avoiding world pleasures and material things, belief about pre-determination, and damnation.

Puritan Literature 1600 s-1800 s Historical Background: There was no separation of church and state in any secular matter; Puritans compared themselves to the chosen tribe of Israel and saw this new world as an opportunity to become a beacon to the world; Salem Witch Trials. Examples: William Bradford – Of Plymouth Plantation; John Winthrop – A Model of Christian Charity; Jonathan Edwards – “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God”; Anne Bradstreet’s poetry

Southern Planters

Southern Planters The Southern Colonies differed in four major ways: 1. Climate 2. Crops 3. Social Organization 4. Religion Genres: Journals, Narratives, Satires, Dramas Characteristics: Practical writing; scientific and analytical; immodest, quick-witted, and satirical

Southern Planters Background: Slavery produced business oriented documents of transactions; satirical wit used to barb their northern counterparts; enjoyed many hobbies and interests such as literature, music, art, and politics. Examples: Line” William Byrd, “History of the Dividing

Age of Reason 1700 -1800

Age of Reason 1700 -1800 Genre: journals, histories, political writings, speeches, letters, essay, persuasive writing Characteristics: Emphasis on logic and rational thought, not emotions and on the social/good of the community, not the individual; presence of numerous classical allusions; use of satire; use of elevated diction and decorous language; formal style that adhered to set rhyme schemes, such as couplets; use of the classics

Age of Reason 1700 -1800 Historical Background: issues with the English king and Parliament, conflict grows into war. Examples: Benjamin Franklin – “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin” and Poor Richard’s Almanac; Thomas Jefferson – The Declaration of Independence; Thomas Paine – “American Crisis, No. 1” and Common Sense; Patrick Henry – “Speech to the Virginia Convention”; Olaudah Equiano – The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

Looking ahead at the Second Semester Romantic Writing Transcendental Gothic Realism Naturalism Regionalism Modernism Harlem Renaissance Post Modernism Contemporary

Homework READ in PEARSON TEXTBOOK Pay attention to the visuals! Quiz tomorrow? Read pages 210 -221 Period 2 Read 210 -221 Period 3 Pages 210 -221 Period 5 210 -213** RSP students;

Agenda for Wednesday, January 7, 2015 v Write a Journal Response (5 minutes). Objective: To write routinely over an extended period of time for a variety of audiences and purposes. v Today: Respond to these questions: Are people naturally good or are people naturally bad? Why? v Wednesday Words: (15 minutes) Activity: Copy the five SAT Vocabulary Words including the definition, synonym, antonym and the sentence. Objective: CCL-4: Vocabulary Acquisition: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown or multiple meaning words or phrases; consult general or specialized reference materials to clarify its precise meaning or its standard usage. I can use reference materials to determine the meaning of a word. v Introduce Romanticism. Activity: Cornell Notes: Guided Notes. Objective: CCRL-9: Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of American Literature and how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. I can identify the genres, historical backgrounds, characteristics and authors of each literary period.

Essential Questions What were the values of the Romantics, and how did these values affect the American imagination? Who were the Transcendentalists, and how do their beliefs still influence American life? What darker side of human life was recognized by some major American Romantics?

Romanticism 1820 -1860

Romanticism 1820 -1860 Genres: slave narratives, poetry, short stories, personal character sketches, biographies, and gothic literature Characteristics: 5 I’s (intuition, inspiration, individuality, imagination, individualism); gender roles and responsibilities are identified and reified; emphasis on nature and solitude; rethinking the past; individuality stressed, heroes are misunderstood

Romanticism 1820 -1860 Historical Background: debates on slavery, industrial revolution (1820); publishing expanded, War of 1812, growing hostility between Northern and Southern states. Examples: Washington Irving – “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”; William Cullen Bryant – “Thanatopsis”; Edgar Allen Poe – “The Masque of the Red Death”; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – “Cross of Snow”; Ralph Waldo Emerson –Nature and Self-Reliance; Henry David Thoreau – Walden; Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman poetry

Transcendentalism 1830 s

Characteristics of Transcendentalists: • They revered nature and its relationship to humanity. • They had a philosophy of individualism, simplicity, and passive resistance to injustice. • Many maintained a positive, optimistic, or rosy view of life. • They focused their attention on the human spirit.

Part of Romantics - Transcendentalist Literature of the Transcendentalist Movement: Shifting Centers: In order to understand the ultimate reality of God, the universe, the self, etc, one must transcend (go beyond) the everyday human experience of the human world. Themes: Belief that the human spirit is reflected in nature Belief in human perfectibility Themes: individualism, simplicity, anti-materialism Authors/Poets Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau

Dark Romantics or Anti-Transcendentalists

Elements of Dark Romanticism Drafty, old, family houses/castles Mystery and suspense, finding dark secrets Supernatural: ghosts, curses, monsters, etc. Grisly death and macabre murder Omens, curses, dreams, legends Extreme emotions of grief, passion, love Instances of madness and insanity References wild, dangerous nature Mood: creepy, doom and gloom, terror

Dark Romantic Heroes Conflicted Loner Misunderstood by society Spiritual Talented Inspired or gifted in some way by creativity and imagination rather than society norms

Differences Between Transcendentalists and Dark Romantics Transcendentalists Dark Romantics Saw divine goodness and beauty beneath everyday reality Believed spiritual truths may be ugly or frightening Embraced the mystical and idealistic elements of Puritan thought Reintroduced the dark side of Puritan beliefs: the idea of Original Sin and the human potential for evil

Similarities Between Transcendentalists and Dark Romantics Transcendentalists Dark Romantics True reality is spiritual. Intuition is superior to logic or reason. Human events contain signs and symbols of spiritual truths.

“Thanatopsis ” What do you think this title means? Follow along and listen to the poem. What do you think is the speaker’s subject? Librivox performance http: //ia 801402. us. archive. org/32/items/37_americ an_poems_0908_librivox/37 americanpoems_06_brya nt_64 kb. mp 3

Homework – due tomorrow January 8, 2015 READ in PEARSON TEXTBOOK Read and Complete TP of the TPCASTT strategy. What does the title mean? Paraphrase each “sentence” (to a punctuation mark). Read pages 261 -264 Period 2 Read 261 -264 Period 3 Pages 261 -264 Period 5 Pages 262 -264 ** RSP students;

Agenda for Thursday, January 8, 2015 v Write a Journal Response (5 minutes). Objective: To write routinely over an extended period of time for a variety of audiences and purposes. v Today: Give a descriptive example when your mood reflected your surroundings or the weather. v Grammar: (15 minutes) Activity: Prepositional Phrases – Cornell Notes. Objective: CCW-1. Use words phrases and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text. I can vary syntax in speaking and writing to create cohesion. v Close Reading Romantic Poetry - “Thanatopsis” Activity: Cornell Notes: Guided Notes. Objective: CCRL-9: Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of American Literature and how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. I can identify the genres, historical backgrounds, characteristics and authors of each literary period.

PREPOSITIONS

A word that shows a relationship between a noun or pronoun and some other word in the sentence. The baseball player in the white shirt hit a homerun.

A word that shows a relationship between a noun or pronoun and some other word in the sentence. on her boat before noon in a house during class near the goat under a mouse about a goon without a pass

OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION The noun or pronoun that ends a prepositional phrase. The baseball player in the white shirt hit a homerun.

OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION The noun or pronoun that ends a prepositional phrase. on her boat before noon in a house during class near the goat about a goon under a mouse without a pass

Always begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun. Write sentences for these prepositional phrases:

Modifies a noun or pronoun It answers the same questions an adjective would: Which one? What kind? How many? The puppy in the shop window jumped up.

Modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb It answers the same questions an adverb would: Where? When? How? The puppy jumped to the food.

You MUST memorize the prepositions! If there is no object of the preposition (if the preposition is not part of a phrase), then it is not a preposition—it is an adverb.

Prepositional Phrases In the beginning Before the fall After the brutal fight At school Down the aisle Across the street Inside your ear Outside the house Between two girls By chewing Behind the scenes On the wooden table By the sea Under the couch Around the bend Down in the sand trap Into the dark woods Against the wind Near the mouse Through the tunnel To school Like Larry’s uncle Except my friend Over the rainbow Up the rough river Without a paddle With anger Toward the door

The gecko climbed up the wall. The gecko climbed up on the wall.

Identify the prepositional phrases and the objects of the preposition: 1. The paper with the blue border is floating through the air. 2. Jordan’s eyes sparkle like a sunny day. 3. With great ease, Michael jumped up on the table.

v 1. The paper with the blue border is floating through the air. 2. Jordan’s eyes sparkle like a sunny day. 3. With great ease, Michael jumped up on the table.

1. The tadpoles are below the surface of the pond. 2. I jumped up and Amy jumped down 3. Is Taylor near? near 4. Erin looked across the bus to the purple-haired boy.

A sentence can have consecutive prepositional phrases 1 In 2 grandma’s attic, under the window, in 3 a cardboard box between two garbage 4 cans, we found these scary Santa Clauses. 1) Are these prepositional phrase working as adjectives or adverbs? 2) What are the objects of the prepositions?

A prepositional phrase can split the main subject and verb All the puppies, except those that had been trained, pooped Notice: commas everywhere! 1) Is this prepositional phrase working as an adjective or adverb? 2) What is the object of the preposition? offset the prepositional phrase

Think-Pair-Share Write your answer – Share with partner – Add to your answer Death is the beginning of loneliness. because. . . Death is compared to sleep. I agree / disagree because. . . The young and the old will have the same fate. disagree because. . . All mankind should dread death. because. . . I agree / disagree

“Thanatopsis”: Reading Skill: Inverted Sentences William Cullen Bryant often makes use of inversion, a rearrangement of the usual word order in sentences. The usual order of words in Standard English sentences is subject, then verb, and then object: Reika kicked the ball. An If inverted order might be: The ball Reika kicked. you have trouble understanding sentences in the poem, try rearranging the words.

Literary Elements Metaphor : a comparison of two unlike things NOT USING the words as, like, than, or resembles. ~ “Old Ocean's grey and melancholy waste, -- /Are but the solemn decorations all /Of the great tomb of man. ” Personfication : giving human-like qualities / attributes to something that is non-human ~ “…Nature holds / Communion with her visible forms, she speaks /A various language; ” Nature = She (a caring mother).

Literary Elements Imagery : creating a picture in the reader’s head by appealing to more than 1 of the 5 senses ~ “So shalt thou rest: and what if thou withdraw / In silence from the living, and no friend / Take note of thy departure? / All that breathe / Will share thy destiny. ” ~ “And to the sluggish clod, which the rude swain / Turns with his share, and treads upon. The oak / Shall send his roots abroad , and pierce thy mould. ”

Literary Elements Simile : A comparison of 2 unlike things by using the words as, like, than, or resembles. ~ “Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night, / Scourged by his dungeon; but, sustain'd and soothed / By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, / Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch / About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. ” Irony: when the opposite of what is expected happens. ~ “Of ages glides away, the sons of men, / The youth in life's green spring, and he who goes / In the full strength of years, matron and maid, / The speechless babe, and the gray-headed man-- / Shall one by one be gathered to thy side / By those who in their turn shall follow them. ” ~ The poem has a somber tone, yet encourages one

“Thanatopsis ” What do you think the title meant? Follow along as you listen to the poem Underline words for which you do not know the meaning

William Cullen Bryant was a Romantic Poet. In his time that title did not refer to a person who writes poetry about love. Instead, it referred to a poet who shows an emotional response to life. Romantic poets placed feelings above thought. They valued poetry and rural life above science and the city life. They believed that studying nature outdoors could bring as much truth to humans as doing scientific experiments. “Thanatopsis” is a nature poem in which Bryant presents his view (opsis, in Greek) of death (thanatos).

“Thanatopsis”: Literary Focus: Theme The theme of a poem is what the poet is saying about life. Usually poets do not state their themes directly. Instead, you have to think about what all the words, images, and figures of speech say to you. The subject of “Thanatopsis” is what happens to people when they die. What the poem says about this subject is its theme.

Theme Subject : Human Life on Earth & Earthly Nature Theme : (author’s opinion on the subject) ~By living in harmony w/ nature, & realizing that all must come to an end, rather than fear it, one can come to accept death as a restful

Thanatopsis Means From the Greek word: Thanatos = Death Suffix: opsis = sight Often translated as View of Death

“Thanatopsis”: Poetic Form The poetic form that Bryant uses for “Thanatopsis” is blank verse. Do the lines rhyme? How many syllables are in each line? What is the stress pattern? Stressed/unstressed or unstressed/stressed?

“Thanatopsis” Romantic Poem: ~Speaker found his answers in nature & through observing nature Poem Form: ~Blank Verse – lines does not rhyme, but the lines have same number of syllables & a regular rhythm, usually iambic pentameter!

“Thanatopsis” Voice: ~2 nd Person (you ) Speaker: ~Narrator not to be confused with the Poet

Mood & Tone Mood : Consoling 3 Examples from the poem of the mood: 1. “and eloquence of Beauty & she glides” 2. “The planets, all the infinite hosts of heaven” 3. “All that breathe will share thy Destiny” Tone : Somber & Compassionate 3 Examples from the poem of the tone: 1. “and eloquence of Beauty & she glides” 2. “The planets, all the infinite hosts of heaven” 3. “All that breathe will share thy Destiny”

Shifts in the Poem shifts from a Somber tone to one of Comfort at line 73 : ~ “So live, that when thy summons comes to join / The innumerable caravan which moves”

Homework – due Friday, January 9, 2015 Period 2, 3, 5 Grammar Worksheet with your own five sentences that contain a prepositional phrases.

Agenda for Friday, January 9, 2015 v Write a Journal Response (5 minutes). Objective: To write routinely over an extended period of time for a variety of audiences and purposes. v Today: Some people feel that life continues after death; some people believe in reincarnation in a different life form; still other people believe dead is dead and nothing exists after death. What is your belief and how would you explain it to someone who has a different idea? v Grammar: Review of Homework: (10 minutes) Activity: Review of homework; Objective: CCL-4: Vocabulary Acquisition: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown or multiple meaning words or phrases; consult general or specialized reference materials to clarify its precise meaning or its standard usage. I can use reference materials to determine the meaning of a word. v Close Reading Romantic Poetry - “Thanatopsis” (40 minutes) Activity: JIGSAW EXPERTS Periods 2 and 5 & STRUCTURED GROUP WORK Period 3. Objective: CCRL 9: Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of American Literature and how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. I can identify the genres, historical backgrounds, characteristics and authors of each literary period.

“Thanatopsis” Bryant first wrote this poem when he was about 17, after reading the British "graveyard poets" (e. g. Thomas Gray, "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" and Robert Blair, "The Grave") and William Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads. In particular, there are parallels to Wordsworth’s Lucy Poems, especially "A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal":

“Thanatopsis” Detailed analysis The title Bryant chose for this poem is rather fitting, being that "thanatopsis" is the contemplation of death. He begins by telling the reader that if one is in communion with Nature, then she will give him a message. This message will tell him how to live his life, and it will be unique to everyone else who is in communion with Nature. By receiving this message, he is somewhat connected to everyone in the world who has also received a message.

“Thanatopsis” Anyone who is in tune with Nature will be comforted (by Nature), and each one will be different from the last person. Later in the first stanza, the poet advises that if one is down and are fear-ridden, he should go out and enjoy Nature, who will cause him to realize happiness, because in the end, all will join Nature in its beauty through Death.

“Thanatopsis” The second stanza speaks of the comfort one may hope for in death. It refers to death as a "couch" that is greater than any other, and it claims that one will not lie in death alone. The poem reminds the reader that through death all will be forever connected with the greatest men of all time around the world. It then describes how Nature is beautiful with "The hills/ Rock-ribbed ancient as the sun. . . " etc. Then it portrays even the duller parts of the world (Old Ocean's gray and melancholy waste") as decoration of man's final resting place. The end of the second stanza ensures the reader that the dead alone reign supreme in Nature.

“Thanatopsis” The third and fourth stanzas are much shorter, but carry the overall message: The third stanza warns the reader that if he does not live a full and happy life, no one will notice when he is gone. They will all live life as if nothing happened. But to avoid depicting death as a bad thing, Bryant then re-ensures his audience that even if one's death goes unnoticed, all who lived that did or did notice the person's death, will soon join that person regardless, for all are joined in death.

“Thanatopsis” The fourth stanza is intended to end the poem on a hopeful note, and its purpose is also to drive home the strongest point in the poem: If one lives life to its fullest, he may embrace death with comfort and pleasure. He may die peacefully. This poem had three main points it wished to make, the final one being the most important: 1) Live life fully in order to die well and comfortably. 2) In death, all are joined with Nature and with each other for eternity. 3) This comfort and togetherness in death may only be obtained through death.

“Thanatopsis” First written when Bryant was almost 17 Meaning: Thanatos (death) Opsis (seeing) - The title presents the poem as a way of looking at death. He added to the poem in 1821. His additions frame the poem and add an element of human comfort.

MAIN IDEAS: When facing death, you should take comfort in nature. The earth is everyone’s final resting place. Although you will eventually lose your life, you are destined to acquire in death the companionship of all other mortals. MORAL: Nature’s organic cycle of birth, death, growth and rebirth affects everyone. LITERARY ELEMENTS: Personification: Nature = a kind woman The poem is an elegy – a poem of mourning Tone – shifts from being somber to being comforting Written in an English poetic form – blank verse, unrhymed iambic (unstressed, stressed) pentameter (5 feet)

What characteristics make “Thanatopsis” Romantic literature? Focus on nature – source of inspiration and comfort Focus on feeling and emotion over reason Focus on the individual

JIGSAW EXPERTS Text for JIGSAW: “Thanatopsis” REQUIREMENTS for “Expert” Groups: Complete a line by line paraphrase of the poem. Make a list of key words that convey the mood of this section of the poem. Identify the mood. (Write more than one word. ) Employing context clues, infer the definitions of words from the passage that are new to you. Record these words and their definitions. Then look up the words and record the dictionary definitions. Identify figures of speech (metaphor, simile, personification). What does the poet’s use of figures of speech contribute to the poem’s overall meaning? Cite examples of the poet’s use of imagery to convey meaning. What is the tone of this section of the poem? Identify sound devices (alliteration, assonance, consonance). What is the poet emphasizing? State the central theme of this portion of the poem. How is theme conveyed? Answer specific questions on the following slides for each set of lines.

Stanza 1 - Lines 1 through 17 “Thanatopsis” – Stanza 1 Questions Bryant inverts the opening clause of the poem. Rephrase it without inversion. What Who literary device is used in lines 4 -8? is the speaker? What is the tone? What images of death are included? Write a Summary for Lines 1 -17

“Thanatopsis” – Lines 17 -57 Questions Who is the speaker? According to lines 25 -26, what happens when you die? In lines 31 -37, what response is offered to those who fear the solitude and indignity of death? Explain Write the literary device used in lines 40 -45. a summary for Lines 17 -57.

Thanatopsis” – Lines 58 -72 Questions “In lines 55 -66, what particular human fear is being addressed? What comfort does Bryant offer? Write a summary for Lines 58 -72

Thanatopsis” – Lines 73 -81 Who is the speaker? What is the tone? Write a summary for Lines 73 -81

“Thanatopsis” – Stanza 1 Answers Nature speaks to those who commune/communicate with her/seek her out. Personification – Nature is a kind lady The poet/the narrator Sad, gloomy Shroud, pall, narrow house The speaker celebrates Nature & reflects upon her as a mirror that matches his happy moods and is a comfort when he has dark thoughts. Man should connect with Nature, listen to her teaching, & receive her “healing sympathy” when he is oppressed by thoughts of death.

Thanatopsis” – Lines 17 -57 Answers Nature You return to the Earth - nature When you die, you join everyone else who has died before you – rich/poor, royalty/common, etc. Metaphor – Earth to a tomb; Nature is the tombstone SUMMARY (Lines 17 -57): Nature offers a “magnificent couch” adorned with all the glories of Nature to the man who faces death. It is shared by kings, the wise & the good.

“Thanatopsis” – Lines 58 -72 Answers 1. The fear of dying alone and being forgotten – Everyone will die. SUMMARY (Lines 58 -72): Dying unmourned is not important because all those who go on oblivious to the dying man’s departure will eventually share his fate.

“Thanatopsis” – Lines 73 -81 Answers 1. The speaker/poet returns. 2. comforting SUMMARY Lines 73 -81: It is important that one live with an unfaltering trust in Nature so that when death approaches, he can go to it soothed and sustained in the knowledge that it is a part of the natural course of man’s life.

III. “Thanatopsis” Period 3 Questions for discussion 1. What Greek words were combined to make the title? How do the meanings of these words contribute to the meaning of the poem? ---Thanatos (death) Opsis (seeing). The title presents the poem as a way of seeing death.

III. “Thanatopsis” Period 3 Questions for discussion 2. Define the following words; consider the context of the poem: shroud, pall, narrow house, and sepulcher. How do these words and their meanings impact the meaning of the poem? ---All of these words are associated with death and burial. This furthers the idea of the poem presenting a way of looking at death.

III. “Thanatopsis” Period 3 3. Is this a poem about life or is this a poem about death? Explain your answer. Answers will vary and should be supported from text. 4. The tone of this poem shifts. What is the tone in the first part of the poem? When does the tone shift? What is the tone after the shift? ---The tone in the first part of the poem is forbidding, stern, final and then shifts to one of comfort.

III. “Thanatopsis” Period 3 5. “Thanatopsis” is an elegy. What is an elegy? What are the conventions of an elegy? What elements of “Thanatopsis” meet those conventions? ---An elegy must move from grief to comfort, must shift from melancholy and mournful to soothing and comforting. The poem says we will not be alone when we die, etc

III. “Thanatopsis” Period 3 6. This poem was written early in the nineteenth century. The type of landscape art during this time period favored sweeping panoramas, wild vistas, untamed landscapes, and views of the sky. Look at Thanatopsis as a visual description of a painting. What elements of the poem are like a painting? What images are created in the poem? What landscape is created? Look at all of the descriptions of nature, etc.

III. “Thanatopsis” Period 3 7. Thanatopsis is a poem that can be interpreted in several ways. How is this poem an example of a historical piece? ---It represents part of the view of the time period. How is this a Romantic poem? ---The speaker hears the voice of nature, turns to nature for comfort. It presents a William Wordsworth’s nature. The recurring theme of death seems to be quite constant throughout the genre of Romanticism. Bryant attempts to make death a comfortable feeling, referring to the word couch as something you can simply curl up and feel good in. How is this a Calvinist poem? ---Look at the poem as religious counsel. Many elements of Calvinistic beliefs are present.

III. “Thanatopsis” Period 3 How is this a Calvinist poem? ---Look at the poem as religious counsel. Many elements of Calvinistic beliefs are present.

Homework – due Monday, January 12 Read Longfellow’s “The Cross of Snow” Complete the Worksheet