The Language Of Poetry (intertext)

The Language of Poetry This accessible satellite textbook in the Routledge INTERTEXT series is unique in offering students hands-on practical experience of textual analysis focused on poetry. Written in a clear, user-friendly style by an experienced writer and practising teacher, it links practical activities with examples of texts. These are followed by commentaries and suggestions for research. It can be used individually or in conjunction with the series core textbook, Working with Texts: A core book for language analysis. Aimed at A-Level and beginning undergraduate students, The Language of Poetry: focuses on the ‘look, the sound, the movement and the appeal of poetry uses clusters of poems to highlight differences in structure, tone, quality and form explores historical, contemporary, regional and social differences in language and style combines a highly individual and fascinating selection of poems from the canonical to the fringe, among them an Old English lament, a haiku and a poem by Benjamin Zephaniah includes a selection of suggestions for project work has a comprehensive glossary of terms John McRae is Special Professor of Language in Literature Studies at the University of Nottingham. He has been at the forefront of work on the language and literature interface for many years and is the co-author of The Routledge History of Literature in English. The Intertext series Why does the phrase ‘spinning a yarn’ refer both to using language and making cloth? What might a piece of literary writing have in common with an advert or a note from the milkman? What aspects of language are important to understand when analysing texts? The Routledge INTERTEXT series will develop readers’ understanding of how texts work. It does this by showing some of the designs and patterns in the language from which they are made, by placing texts within the contexts in which they occur, and by exploring relationships between them. The series consists of a foundation text, Working with Texts: A core book for language analysis, which looks at language aspects essential for the analysis of texts, and a range of satellite texts. These apply aspects of language to a particular topic area in more detail. They complement the core text and can also be used alone, providing the user has the foundation skills furnished by the core text. Benefits of using this series: Unique—written by a team of respected teachers and practitioners whose ideas and activities have also been trialled independently Multi-disciplinary—provides a foundation for the analysis of texts, supporting students who want to achieve a detailed focus on language Accessible—no previous knowledge of language analysis is assumed, just an interest in language use Comprehensive—wide coverage of different genres: literary texts, notes, memos, signs, advertisements, leaflets, speeches, conversation Student-friendly—contains suggestions for further reading; activities relating to texts studied; commentaries after activities; key terms highlighted and an index of terms The Language of Poetry • John McRae LONDON AND NEW YORK First published 1998 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003. © 1998 John McRae The author has assert