AP Literature Romantic Poetry Unit: During this unit we will explore, working in small
groups, the six major British Romantic poets. With your group, you will be asked to create a
presentation and to serve as discussion leaders for that day. You will have all of Monday 3/3 to
work on preparing—anything else will need to be done out of class. I would suggest that group
members try to read most of the suggested poetry over the weekend. Obviously the early groups
have more immediate time pressure. Presentations should include the following:
1. Biographical/Bibliographical Information: Become familiar with your poet’s life,
especially experiences, relationships, and travels that may be especially relevant to his
work.
2. Graphics/Pictures: Please show us some images of the poet, as well as graphics that
could connect to some of the poetry.
3. Overall Analysis/Relation to Romanticism: You should discuss generalizations that
can be made about the poet’s work, based on your careful reading and study. Of course,
supporting examples should be given. Use the background handouts as references.
4. Sharing and analysis of 2 poems (choose shorter ones or excerpts from the longer
ones): Select two poems (I will advise some of you in terms of suggestions) to share
with the class. Prepare some comments as well as questions for the class. Be able to
point out important devices, ways in which the poems display elements of Romanticism,
as well as your ideas on possible meanings and interpretations.
5. An interactive activity for the class to assist in understanding the poem. It could
involve journaling, a white board or partner discussion, a game, etc.
6. Links to useful websites as well as suggested poems for further reading.
There should be a record (whether Power Point, Prezi, video, or something else) of what is
presented. The work should be shared equitably.
Unit Schedule:
3/3—work day
3/4--3/7 and 3/10—3/11 —presentations
3/12—3/13--TBD
Suggested reading for each Romantic poet:
Blake: from Songs of Innocence: The Lamb, Holy Thursday, The Little Black Boy, Nurse’s
Song
From Songs of Experience: The Tyger, The Chimney Sweeper, The Sick Rose, The Garden of
Love, London, A Poison Tree
Proverbs of Hell
Wordsworth: We are Seven, Tintern Abbey, She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways,
Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, London 1802, In London, 1802, I Wandered Lonely as a
Cloud
The Prelude (excerpts)
Coleridge: This Lime-tree Bower my Prison, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan
Byron: When we two parted, The Girl of Cadiz, Darkness, Stanzas to Augusta, So we’ll go no
more a –roving.
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and Don Juan (excerpts)
Shelley: Ozymandias, Sonnet: England in 1819, Love’s Philosophy, Ode to the West Wind
Keats: Ode on a Grecian Urn, On First looking into Chapman’s Homer, When I have Fears, La
Belle Dame sans Merci, To Autumn, Bright Star