The Use of Irony in John Donne’s “Death, be not proud”

The Use of Irony in John Donne’s “Death, be not proud”

POETRY PAPER GUIDELINES ENGLISH 102: COMPOSITION II INSTRUCTOR: Y. BAILEY-KIRBY Having read several poems and discussed various themes, you may select any two of the poems listed below to compare/contrast for your poetry analysis paper. You will consider the role that the elements of poetry, such as tone, imagery, figurative language (i.e. metaphors, similes, personification, understatement, and/or overstatement), diction, structure, irony, and symbolism, may play to convey the theme of each poem. Once you have determined the theme, you will turn in a proposal with an outline as well as a clearly stated thesis. Furthermore, the length should be approximately 750-1000 words, and you need to include a MINIMUM of THREE QUOTES from the poetry as evidence/support as well as apply the MLA format for parenthetical citations. Remember, you must also provide a “Works Cited” page at the end of your essay. (Note: Late papers automatically receive a late grade of “F/55%”; therefore, plan your schedule carefully as not to leave yourself with no time to complete the paper by the due date.) ***If you find yourself struggling at any point, arrange a time to meet with me in advance, and I will be more than happy to assist you on organizing your ideas, answering any questions, or giving you any feedback on your analysis of the poetry. Keep the following bullet points in mind when approaching this essay assignment. ***  Formulate a clear and focused thesis that explains the argument you are making about the poems.  Create an informal/scratch outline with headings and subheadings to organize your ideas before you begin composing the essay.  Use quotations from the poetry as evidence to support your ideas.  Explain the relevance of those quotations to the argument you are making in your thesis.  Use formal language (no “I” or “you,” no contractions, no slang, etc.)  Use an elevated vocabulary that reflects your intelligence and high level of insight into the poetry, in order to express ideas smoothly, clearly, and fluently. (Bring a dictionary and/or thesaurus if you need it.)  Use appropriate punctuation, capitalization, spelling, grammar, and paragraphing. (Grade: 50% rhetorical content/50% grammar/punctuation. See the syllabus for the rubric.)  Follow the MLA format (MLA heading, double-space, blue or black ink, etc.)  Format and cite your quotations correctly in the MLA style.  Include a “Works Cited” page to document the source of any quotations you use.

SELECT FROM THE FOLLOWING POEMS: 1. “WHEN I WAS ONE AND TWENTY” BY A. E. HOUSMAN 2. “RICHARD CORY” BY EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON 3. “OZYMANDIAS” BY PERCY BYSSCHE SHELLEY 4. “THE ROAD NOT TAKEN” BY ROBERT FROST 5. “TO HIS COY MISTRESS” BY ANDREW MARVELL 6. “TO THE VIRGINS, TO MAKE MUCH OF TIME” BY ROBERT HERRICK 7. “A RED, RED ROSE” BY ROBERT BURNS 8. “SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER’S DAY” BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 9. “MY MISTRESS’ EYES ARE NOTHING LIKE THE SUN” BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 10. “BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH” BY EMILY DICKINSON 11. “DEATH BE NOT PROUD” BY JOHN DONNE