Thanks for all the essays I’ve received so far. They’re
looking good. I intend to write one as well; I’ll share it when I’ve got them
all marked. If you still owe me an essay,
make sure I get it today, please.
Today, we get cracking into Keats’s sensual masterpiece, The Eve of St Agnes. Maybe it’s not as weird
and grotesque as Isabella, or as perfect
as the Odes, or as full of ideas as Lamia,
but this is one beautiful, lyrical piece of writing. I don’t think I really got
it at uni, but the opening lines were imprinted on my brain, word-for-word, for
20 years before I finally got to teach it. If you can, read it out loud – it sounds
amazing. I hope you enjoy it!
Here’s today’s work (to be completed by Monday):
1) Find out about who Saint Agnes was. Make some notes. Make sure you understand the traditions associated with her feast day. These websites will help you:
2) Read the additional contextual information about St Agnes, Keats’s
relationships with women, and the origins of the poem on this document:
As you know, there will be a
quiz next week!
3) Read and annotate lines 1-75 of The
Eve of St Agnes. You can find my annotations here, or
use this or this.
There is a lot of stuff online to help you with this poem. This study guide looks particularly useful; it contains a commentary and
sections on themes, poetic form and methods.
4) Make a copy of (or download) this
The Eve of St Agnes on a page document
and fill in these sections:
That’s it for now. Don’t forget
to get email your Section C essays as soon as possible. I’ll be back on Monday
with a quiz and more work on the poem.
Thanks,
Mr M
P.S. I’m finishing the Keats bio today
and the final chapters are bloody heartbreaking! That guy is tragedy
personified!
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