Poetry Explication Essay Assignment
An explication is a complete and detailed analysis of a work of literature, often proceeding word-by-word or line-by-line through the work.
For this paper, you will be writing an explication of a poem.
This assignment asks you to analyze and interpret a short poem of your choice from the textbook. To succeed, you should demonstrate that you understand the terms in our textbook and can apply them. By "terms," I mean words such as "irony," "allusion," "connotation," "metaphor," and "apostrophe." (Not every poem calls for the same terms.)
You can use the TPFASST worksheet to help you with this.
More important than terminology, though, is your understanding of the poem and your ability to express it coherently.
In your essay you should be writing for a general audience. Think of your goal for this assignment as two-fold: to explain a poem to your reader and to offer your own particular insights. You are welcome to elaborate your own reactions to the poem, but keep in mind that personal opinions do not replace interpretation.
Technical Requirements for Explication:
• The paper must be typed and double-spaced using Times New Roman 12 point font and 1 inch margins.
• The final draft of the paper must be about three - five (3-5) pages.
• This is not a research essay; therefore, you will not be required to use outside sources. But, some basic research may be required for you to give some background information about the poem or the poet. MLA documentation and citation required. You can develop this later into your research paper, though, with more sources.
• No late papers will be accepted.
In the Explication you will be presenting your "reading" of the poem. Such a reading will require you to understand all aspects of the poem and to have a grasp of the meaning of individual parts of the poem in relation to the entire work.
You are not, however, striving to be exhaustive in your "explanation" of the poem, but rather you should strive to be selective in considering only those details that are significant to your own thematic understanding of the poem.
Some thoughts on organizing your paper:
An explication demonstrates your ability to (1) follow the essential details of the poem, (2) understand the issues and the meaning the poem reveals, (3) explain some of the relationships of content and technique, and (4) note and discuss especially important or unique aspects of the poem.
• In your introduction, use your thesis or central idea to express a general view of the poem, which your essay will fill out with specific details.
• In the body of your essay, first explain the poem's content--not with a paraphrase, but with a description of the poem's major organizing elements. So, if the speaker of the poems is "inside" the poem as a first-person involved "I," you do not need to reproduce this voice yourself in your description. Instead, describethe poem in your own words, with whatever brief introductory phrases you find necessary.
• Next, explicate the poem in relation to your central idea. You choose your own order of discussion, depending on your topics. You must, however, keep stressing your central idea with each new topic.
Thus, you may wish to follow your description by discussing the poem's meaning, or even by presenting two or more possible interpretations. You might also wish to refer to significant techniques. In other words, discuss those aspects of the meaning and technique that bear on your thesis/analysis.
• In your conclusion, you should repeat your main idea to reinforce your essay's thematic structure. Since you've been working on a general explication (not an exhaustive one), there will be parts of the poem that you will not have discussed.
You might then mention what could be gained from an exhaustive examination of various parts of the poem (you should not by any means begin such a task yourself in your concluding paragraph).
Finally, leave the reader with a lasting impression of your "reading" of the poem. This is your chance to turn poet for a moment; as with a poem, occasionally the final image of an essay can have the greatest impact on a reader.
You are strongly encouraged to visit the Writing Center during the writing process to get feedback on your essay. STRONGLY ENGOURAGED.
MLA: You must provide properly formatted citations for all your sources, including the text.
This includes in-text citations as well as a Work(s) Cited page. Omission, intentional or otherwise, of either will result in a failing grade for the assignment.
ubmission: You will be required to submit a final essay for grading via Turnitin
Poem
Mary, Lady Chudleigh, To the Ladies
To the Ladies
Related Poem Content Details
BY LADY MARY CHUDLEIGH
Wife and servant are the same,
But only differ in the name:
For when that fatal knot is tied,
Which nothing, nothing can divide:
When she the word obey has said,
And man by law supreme has made,
Then all that's kind is laid aside,
And nothing left but state and pride:
Fierce as an Eastern prince he grows,
And all his innate rigour shows:
Then but to look, to laugh, or speak,
Will the nuptial contract break.
Like mutes she signs alone must make,
And never any freedom take:
But still be governed by a nod,
And fear her husband as a God:
Him still must serve, him still obey,
And nothing act, and nothing say,
But what her haughty lord thinks fit,
Who with the power, has all the wit.
Then shun, oh! shun that wretched state,
And all the fawning flatt'rers hate:
Value your selves, and men despise,
You must be proud, if you'll be wise.