METAPHYSICAL POETRY
ENGLISH IVAP
HP Components
Unit Name: Metaphysical Poetry
Short, Descriptive Overview
TEKS :
SPEAKING/LISTENING
(17) Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions.
Students understand the function of and use of the
conventions of academic language when speaking and
writing. Students will continue to apply earlier
standards with greater complexity. Students are
expected to:
(A) use and understand the function of different
types of clauses and phrases (e.g., adjectival, noun,
adverbial clauses and phrases); and
(B) use a variety of correctly structured sentences
(e.g., compound, complex, compound-complex).
(18) Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting,
Capitalization, and Punctuation. Students write legibly
and use appropriate capitalization and punctuation
conventions in their compositions. Students are
expected to correctly and consistently use conventions
of punctuation and capitalization.
(19) Oral and Written Conventions/Spelling. Students
spell correctly. Students are expected to spell
correctly, including using various resources to
determine and check correct spellings.
(20) Research/Research Plan. Students ask openended research questions and develop a plan for
answering them. Students are expected to:
(A) brainstorm, consult with others, decide upon a
topic, and formulate a major research question to
address the major research topic; and
(B) formulate a plan for engaging in in-depth
research on a complex, multi-faceted topic.
(24) Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students will
use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others
in formal and informal settings. Students will continue
to apply earlier standards with greater complexity.
This unit is an introduction to the Western poetic canon and establishes the basis for poetic analysis.
The term metaphysical was applied to a style of 17th Century poetry first by John Dryden soon after
the popularity of William Shakespeare’s sonnets. Often highly intellectual, combining disparate ideas,
unusual imagery is generally involved. Chief among the metaphysical poets are John Donne, George
Herbert, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell, and Henry Vaughan.
READING
WRITING
(13) Writing/Writing Process. Students use
(1) Reading/Vocabulary Development. Students
elements of the writing process (planning,
understand new vocabulary and use it when
reading and writing. Students are expected to:
drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to
(A) determine meaning of technical
compose text. Students are expected to:
academic English words in multiple content areas
(A) plan a first draft by selecting correct
(e.g., science, mathematics, social studies, the
genre for conveying intended meaning to multiple
arts) derived from Latin, Greek, or other linguistic audiences, determining appropriate topics through
roots and affixes;
a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, background
(B) analyze textual context (within a sentence reading, personal interests, interviews), and
and in larger sections of text) to draw conclusions developing a thesis or controlling idea;
about nuance in word meanings;
(B) structure ideas in a sustained and
(C) use relationship between words
persuasive way (e.g., using outlines, note taking,
encountered in analogies to determine meanings
graphic organizers, lists) and develop drafts in
(e.g., synonyms/antonyms,
timed and open-ended situations that include
connotation/denotation);
transitions and rhetorical devices to convey
(D) analyze and explain how English
meaning;
language has developed and been influenced by
(C) revise drafts to clarify meaning and
other languages; and
achieve specific rhetorical purposes, consistency
(E) use general and specialized dictionaries,
of tone, and logical organization by rearranging
thesauri, histories of language, books of
the words, sentences, and paragraphs to employ
quotations, and other related references (printed
tropes (e.g., metaphors, similes, analogies,
or electronic) as needed.
hyperbole, understatement, rhetorical questions,
irony), schemes (e.g., parallelism, antithesis,
(3) Reading/Comprehension of Literary
inverted word order, repetition, reversed
Text/Poetry. Students understand, make
structures), and by adding transitional words and
inferences and draw conclusions about structure
and elements of poetry and provide evidence from phrases;
(D) edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and
text to support understanding. Students are
spelling;
and
expected to evaluate changes in sound, form,
(E)
revise
final draft in response to feedback
figurative language, graphics, and dramatic
from
peers
and
teacher and publish written work
structure in poetry across literary time periods.
for appropriate audiences
(7) Reading/Comprehension of Literary
Text/Sensory Language. Students understand,
make inferences and draw conclusions about how
an author's sensory language creates imagery in
literary text and provide evidence from text to
(15) Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts.
Students write expository and procedural or workrelated texts to communicate ideas and
information to specific audiences for specific
purposes. Students are expected to:
Students are expected to:
(A) listen responsively to a speaker by framing
inquiries that reflect understanding of content and by
identifying positions taken and evidence in support of
those positions; and
(B) assess the persuasiveness of a presentation
based on content, diction, rhetorical strategies, and
delivery.
(25) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students
speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions
of language. Students will continue to apply earlier
standards with greater complexity. Students are
expected to formulate sound arguments by using
elements of classical speeches (e.g., introduction, first
and second transitions, body, and conclusion), the art
of persuasion, rhetorical devices, eye contact, speaking
rate (e.g., pauses for effect), volume, enunciation,
purposeful gestures, and conventions of language to
communicate ideas effectively.
(26) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students
work productively with others in teams. Students will
continue to apply earlier standards with greater
complexity. Students are expected to participate
productively in teams, offering ideas or judgments that
are purposeful in moving the team towards goals,
asking relevant and insightful questions, tolerating a
range of positions and ambiguity in decision-making,
and evaluating work of the group based on agreedupon criteria
support understanding. Students are expected to
analyze how the author's patterns of imagery,
literary allusions, and conceits reveal theme, set
tone, and create meaning in metaphors, passages,
and literary works
(8) Reading/Comprehension of Informational
Text/Culture and History. Students analyze, make
inferences and draw conclusions about the
author's purpose in cultural, historical, and
contemporary contexts and provide evidence from
text to support understanding. Students are
expected to analyze the consistency and clarity of
expression of the controlling idea and ways in
which organizational and rhetorical patterns of
text support or confound the author's meaning or
purpose.
(9) Reading/Comprehension of Informational
Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make
inferences and draw conclusions about expository
text and provide evidence from text to support
understanding. Students are expected to:
(B) explain how authors writing on the same
issue reached different conclusions because of
differences in assumptions, evidence, reasoning,
and viewpoints;
(C) make and defend subtle inferences and
complex conclusions about ideas in text and
organizational patterns; and
(D) synthesize ideas and make logical
connections (e.g., thematic links, author analysis)
among multiple texts representing similar or
different genres and technical sources and support
findings with textual evidence.
(11) Reading/Comprehension of Informational
Text/Procedural Texts. Students understand how
to glean and use information in procedural texts
and documents. Students are expected to:
(A) draw conclusions about how patterns of
organization and hierarchic structures support
understandability of text; and
(B) evaluate structures of text (e.g., format,
headers) for clarity and organizational coherence
and for effectiveness of graphic representations
(A) write an analytical essay of sufficient
length that includes:
(i) effective introductory and concluding
paragraphs and a variety of sentence structures;
(ii) rhetorical devices, and transitions
between paragraphs;
(iii) a clear thesis statement or controlling
idea;
(iv) a clear organizational schema for
conveying ideas;
(v) relevant and substantial evidence and
well-chosen details;
(vi) information on all relevant
perspectives and consideration of validity,
reliability, and relevance of primary and
secondary sources; and
(vii) an analysis of views and information
that contradict the thesis statement and evidence
presented for it; produce a multimedia
presentation (e.g., documentary, class newspaper,
docudrama, infomercial, visual or textual
parodies, theatrical production) with graphics,
images, and sound that appeals to a specific
audience and synthesizes information from
multiple points of view.
(21) Research/Gathering Sources. Students
determine, locate, and explore the full range of
relevant sources addressing a research question
and systematically record information they gather.
Students are expected to:
(A) follow the research plan to gather evidence
from experts on the topic and texts written for
informed audiences in the field, distinguishing
between reliable and unreliable sources and
avoiding over-reliance on one source;
(B) systematically organize relevant and
accurate information to support central ideas,
concepts, and themes, outline ideas into
conceptual maps/timelines, and separate factual
data from complex inferences; and
(C) paraphrase, summarize, quote, and
accurately cite all researched information
according to a standard format (e.g., author, title,
page number), differentiating among primary,
secondary, and other sources.
(22) Research/Synthesizing Information. Students
clarify research questions and evaluate and
synthesize collected information. Students are
expected to:
(A) modify the major research question as
necessary to refocus the research plan;
(B) differentiate between theories and the
evidence that supports them and determine
whether the evidence found is weak or strong and
how that evidence helps create a cogent argument;
and
(C) critique the research process at each step
to implement changes as the need occurs and is
identified.
(23) Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas.
Students organize and present their ideas and
information according to the purpose of research
and audience. Students are expected to synthesize
research into an extended written or oral
presentation that:
(A) provides analysis that supports and
develops personal opinions, as opposed to simply
restating existing information;
(B) uses a variety of formats and rhetorical
strategies to argue for the thesis;
(C) develops an argument that incorporates the
complexities of and discrepancies in information
from multiple sources and perspectives while
anticipating and refuting counter-arguments;
(D) uses a style manual (e.g., Modern
Language Association, Chicago Manual of Style)
to document sources and format written materials;
and
(E) is of sufficient length and complexity to
address the topic.
District Required Fiction (e.g., genres, titles, periods)
Poems from the above named British poets; Arp, Thomas ,and Greg Johnson. Perrine’s Literature:
Structure, Sound and Sense.
Enrichment Fiction Focus (e.g., suggestions of genres, titles,
periods)
District Required Nonfiction Focus (e.g., titles, types)
Enrichment Nonfiction (e.g., other suggestions of titles, types)
Writing Focus (e.g., Purpose, Process)
Viewing/Representing Focus
Speaking/Listening Focus
Background information on Metaphysical poetry, poets, esp. John Donne
Reader-response journals to explore levels of meaning; Timed Writes to analyze in a timed situation;
Partner, group, and individual explication
Background Powerpoint on Metaphysical poets; Partner Teach a Poem
Partner, small group, large group explication and oral interpretation
Generalizations/Enduring Understandings
Guiding/Essential Questions
Concepts
Topics
Essential Facts
Processes and Thinking Skills
Oral interpretation
Love takes many forms.
To be human is to endure conflicts regarding love.
True love endures past death.
What is the definition of love?
What creates enduring love?
How can secular and religious coexist?
The Risk of Knowing
Spiritual love; everlasting love; Types of poetry—lyric, sonnet (Elizabethan and Italian), ode, aubade,
villanelle, hymn, song, concrete (shape) poetry
poetic elements (diction, syntax, figurative language, structure, imagery, sound effects,
speaker/addressee, tone)
AP strategies (TPCASTT)
poetry analysis metaphysical conceit
Cavalier
Sacred and Secular syllogism
dramatic monologue
A metaphysical conceit poetically compares an abstract idea, generally faith or love with a common
object; these comparisons are often witty and unusual.
The Metaphysical poets experimented with the Elizabethan sonnet form.
Lyric poetry was the most popular poetic form used at this time.
Metaphysical poetry is usually in the form of an argument.
This type of poetry is represented primarily by John Donne, Andrew Marvell, Robert Herrick, and
George Herbert
TASKS:
 Identifying types of poetry – sonnet, concrete, lyric, villanelle, aubade, etc.
 Applying the elements of poetry
 Evaluating poetry using AP strategies
 Introducing the Elizabethan Age and the Cavalier and Metaphysical poets
 Explicating and oral reading of a self-selected poem
 Discussing and analyzing various poems, interpreting various elements (diction, syntax,
figurative language, imagery, and sound effects) using AP strategies, i.e TPCASTT
 Practicing AP released exam multiple choice poetry questions
AP Strategies
TP-CASTT; Understanding a Poem; AP Released Multiple Choice Practice and Question 1 prompts
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students' writing assignments, both before and
after the students revise their work, that help the students develop:
 An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice,
and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure
 A wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively
 A balance of generalization and specific, illustrative details
 Logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as
repetition, transitions, and emphasis
 A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and coordination
The course includes frequent opportunities for students to write and rewrite formal, extended analyses
and timed, in-class responses. The course requires:
 Writing to explain: Expository, analytical essays in which students draw upon textual details
to develop an extended explanation/interpretation of the meanings of a literary text
 Writing to evaluate: Analytical, argumentative essays in which students draw upon textual
details to make and explain judgments about a work's artistry and quality, and its social and
cultural values
 Writing to understand: Informal, exploratory writing activities that enable students to discover
what they think in the process of writing about their reading (such assignments could include
annotation, freewriting, keeping a reading journal, and response/reaction papers)
The course teaches students to write an interpretation of a piece of literature based on careful
observation of textual details, considering the work's:
 Structure, style, and themes
 Social and historical values it reflects and embodies
 Such elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone
Language of Instruction
Vocabulary
Support Materials
Cavalier Poets
Types of poetry—narrative, lyric, sonnet (Elizabethan and Italian), ode, hymn, song, aubade, villanelle
poetic elements (diction, syntax, figurative language, structure, imagery, sound effects,
speaker/addressee, tone)
AP strategies (TPCASTT)
poetry analysis
metaphysical conceit
Sacred and Secular
In context
Teacher generated; College Board materials; http://www.allshakespeare.com/sonnets.php
http://www.shakespeare-sonnets.com/ http://www.poetry.org http://www.online-literature.com
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page