ENGLISH 3310 IMITATION ASSIGNMENT FALL 2019

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 Friday, November 8. 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 15^th through 17^th 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.