ENGLISH 2310 IMITATION
ASSIGNMENT
GRADY FALL 2017
Submissions
should be typed, double-spaced with one-inch margins, and should be based on
one of the choices below. Imitations are
due to my inbox (fgrady@umsl.edu)
on Monday, November 6. Check with me if you do not receive
confirmation of receipt within a day.
1. Translate
a portion of the The Battle of Maldon back into the aa/ax alliterative form in which it was originally
composed. Choose one of these two passages to turn into Modern English
alliterative verse: the eleventh paragraph,
from “Then an armed Viking stepped toward …” to “…they gave up their lives,” or
the 15th through 17th paragraphs:
“Leofsunu spoke…” to “…as
long as he might wield weapons.” Include a paragraph of your own
describing how your verse is a good example of Anglo-Saxon poetic form.
2. Write a sonnet cycle of three
sonnets, on whatever theme inspires you. Provide a paragraph of analysis for each poem, describing its
conceit, its rhyme scheme, and any other information relevant to its structure
or interpretation. Remember, as part of a cycle your sonnets should all be
connected to the same story or theme, perhaps reflecting on different aspects
of the same subject or using different conceits or metaphors to describe the
same thing or idea. The length (14 lines) and the meter (iambic pentameter)
will be closely scrutinized. Please
feel free to come to me (or any other poets you know) for help with the form or
rhythm of your work.
3. Write a modern Defence of Poesy, using Sidney as your
model. You might want to expand your
discussion to include those literary genres and modes not available in the
sixteenth century, like film and television.
Remember that Sidney’s account responds to and is in part structured by
potential objections to his claims, and to contemporary critiques of poetry and
drama by writers like Stephen Gosson. He also
supplies plenty of examples, good and bad. This imitation should the length of
a regular essay for the class, i.e. 1700-2000 words.