Name ______________________________________
Poetry Packet
“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”
1. In the poem, the shepherd is speaking to his love. What does he want?
2. What items does he promise his love?
3. Why does he pick the items in the question above?
“The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd”
3. Why does the nymph appear to be not interested in the Sheppard?
4. Sir Walter Raleigh’s Nymph suggests that she might be the shepherd’s love if
5. Why is the nymph opposed to the shepherd’s idea of love?
6. What is the main enemy in the poem?
7 & 8 COMPARE SPEAKERS
The speaker in a poem is the voice that addresses the reader, much like the narrator in a work of fiction. A speaker
expresses ideas from a particular point of view.
Directions: The speakers in the two poems express very different attitudes about love. As you read both poems,
use this chart to make notes on the speakers’ differing attitudes toward love. Look for specific words and phrases
that indicate their feelings. An example has been done for you.
Shepherd’s Line
“I will make thee beds of roses”
Nymph’s Reply
“flowers do fade”
Name ______________________________________
Part of Poem
Sonnet 18
1st quatrain
Major Idea
2nd quatrain
3rd quatrain
Couplet
Sonnet 130
1st quatrain
2nd quatrain
3rd quatrain
Couplet
Sonnet 30
1st quatrain
2nd quatrain
3rd quatrain
Couplet
“Sonnet 18”
9. What images does Shakespeare use in lines 1-6?
10. Lines 9 to 14 contrasts the poet’s beloved with nature. How is the beloved better than a summer’s day?
11. How is it possible for the subject to become immortal?
Name ______________________________________
“Sonnet 130”
12. Describe the mistress based on the imagery of the poem.
13. What are the contrasting images presented in the poem?
14. What is ironic about the speaker’s description of his love?
15. Despite all of the negative reflections about his love, what is the overall tone and theme of the poem?
16. Compare/contrast the beauty expressed in Sonnet 18 and 130.
“Sonnet 30”
17. What paradox is presented?
18. What allows the paradox to be true?
19. The couple is compared to fire and ice yet their differences make them stronger, why?
20. How would you characterize the speaker’s view of romantic love?
“To His Coy Mistress”
21. The poem is broken into three main sections. Label the sections by line number and give a brief summary for
each section.
Name ______________________________________
22. Why does the poem say youth has no time for reflection?
23. What is ironic about Marvell’s physical description of love at the end of the poem?
“To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time”
24. What does the youth do wrong?
25. What does the speaker’s opinion on youth seem to be?
26. What is the enemy in both poems, and why is it the enemy?
Figurative Language: In the chart below provide the type of figurative language requested from each poem and
then provide and interpretation.
Poem
Figurative Language
Interpretation
“Coy Mistress”
Hyperbole –
“Coy Mistress”
Metaphor –
“Coy Mistress”
Simile –
“To the Virgins”
Hyperbole –
“To the Virgins”
Metaphor –
“To the Virgins”
Simile –