Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1961 A Program-Approach to the Study of Poetry Rex Alan Romack Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses Part of the Educational Methods Commons, Poetry Commons, and the Secondary Education Commons A PROGRAM-APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF POETRY - THESIS PRESENTED TO THE FACUL TV OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EouCAT.ION EASTERN ILLINO�S UN�VERS�TV OF THE REQU .I REMENTS FO R THE DEGREE MASTER OF Sci ENCE ·, N EoucAT.i ON BV REX ALAN ROMACK JULV 1961 A PROGRAM-APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF POETRY APPROVED: 33507·tf:! . TABLE OF CONTENTS P AGE CHAPTER I. THE PURPOSE AND JUSTIFICATION OF THIS STUDY • • • • • • • • 1 11. THE lfvf>LEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM IN THE CLASSROOM • • 0 0 • s Ill. A PROGRAM APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF POETRY • • • • ••• • 0 13 IV. THE POEMS FOR USE WITH THE PROGRAM •••••••••••••11S BIBLIOGRAPHY •••••••••••••••••••••••• o • • • • 169 APPENDIX A • • • • • • • • • 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 •••172 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • ••• APPENDIX B • . .• . • , . 177 INDEX TO PROGRAMS AND POETRY • • • •••• • • • 0 • • • • • • • • • .1s7 CHAPTER I THE PURPOSE AND JUSTIFICATION OF THIS STUDY .. THE PROBLEM W � TH WHICH TH' � PAPER DEALS IS THAT OF' DESIGNING A · . PROGRAMED UN IT FOR THE STUDY OF POETRY• IT ·IS BELI EVED THAT STl:.IOENTS i. • �' IN THE FIRST VEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL ARE CAPABLE OF DERIVING GREATER BENE- FIT FROM THE STUDY OF POETRY THAN THEY DO NOW� IT IS ALSO BELIEVED THAT THE TEACHING PROCEDURE COMMONLY FOLLOWED IN MANY HIGH SCHOOL LIT- .. ,, . .. ERATURE CLASSES PRECLUDES THE POSSI BIL'ITY OF I NOi VI DUAL DERIVATION OF' .. THE FULL BENEFITS OF POETRY STUDVe IN THE USUAL TEACHING RELATIONSHIPt THE STUDY OF' POETRY BECOMES FOR EACH ACT OF RECITATION, A PERSONAL RE- . LATiONSHIP BETWEEN ONE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER• THE REST OF THE CLASS, ,· . ; �N SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THEY ALSO HAVE BOOKS, ARE FOR THE MOST.PART .. IN THE CHARACTER OF DISINTERESTED AUD� ENCEt OR FRUSTRATED WOULD-BE '· .. PARTICIPANTS. IN REGULAR TEACHING OF POETRY, IT IS RECOGN. ZED THAT A FEW OF THE BETTER OR MORE VOLUBLE STUDENTS BEAR THE BURDEN OF ANSWERING ·- w � " • THESIS PRESENTS A METHOD WHICH DEMANDS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION ON THE PART OF EVERY STUDENT. 0 0 BuT ACT.I VE PARTI CIPATION IN ITSELF IS NOT ENOUGHe FOR A PRO- GRAMED UNIT ON POETRY TO BE JUSTIFIED AS A LEARNING PROCEDURE, IT MUST �.. ..• � > STIMULATE INTEREST AND INSTILL THE DESI RE TO KNOW0 ·THEREFORE, ,IT IS � .. ' . FELT THAT THE KEV TO STIMULATING INTEREST AND KNOWLEDGE LIES WITHIN THE POEMS THEMSELVESo IT IS TOO MUOH TO EXPECT THAT STUDENTS CAN COME TO _ '• KNOW OR TO UNDERSTAND POEMS WITHOUT HELP; ii T IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PRO- 2 GRAM PRESENTED TO PROVI DE THAT HELPe TH.SNK ING ABOUT THE POEMS IS THE BEST AND PERHAPS THE ONLY WAY IN WHI CH PUMLS CAN EXTRACT THE VALUES \'Ill TH IN THE POEMSe 8uT THE THINKING OF YO UNGER STUDENTS IS NOT APT TO BE PURPOSEFUL OR 'I N THE PROPER Focus. ' . IT NEEDS DIRECTION, AND TH IS DI. RECTION CAN BE SUPPLIED THROUGH THE MEANS OF WELL CHOSEN AND CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED QUESTIONS• THESE QU ESTIONS, WHILE SEEMINGLY ARTLESS ENOUGH, LEAD THE STUDENTS STEP BY STEP TO WARD THE DESI RED GOAL� THE P·R0IMARY OBJECT.I VE FOR THE STUDY OF POETRY I S9 AS THE COMMi s- SION ON ENGL� SH OF THE COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM�NAT� ON SOARD PUTS IT, 11THE RECOGNITION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY IN WHICH WRI TERS USE . -� WO RDS TO RECREATE IN MEANINGFUL FORM THE SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE OF OUR RACE. POETRY ENABLES HI M (THE STUDENT) TO KNOW SOMETH·�·NG ABOUT THE HERITAGE \'IE AS A NATION ARE TRYING TO PRESERVE.11 A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE FOR POETRY STUDY IS THE ESTABLI SHMENT AND THE NURTURING OF AESTHETIC APPRECIATION AND ENJOYMENT. THESE QU EST�ONS AR� DES�GNED �N LARGE PART ' TO ENABL E STUDENTS TO SHARE THE EXPERI ENCES OF OTHERS, AND TO HEI GHTEN THEIR AWARENESS OF LITERATU RE AS ART. A FURTHER FACT WELL KNOWN TO EDUCATORS IS THAT LEARNING IS RE- '• INFORCED BY A SENSE OF ACCOMP�ISHMENT. WHEN A PERSON ACHI EVES AND IS •· AT ONCE AWARE OF HIS ACHI EVEMENT, TRUE LEARNING TAKES PLACE. THE PRO- GRAM ENSURES THAT EACH STUDENT WILL HAVE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF ACHI EVE- MENT EXPERI ENCES THROUGH THE INCLUSION OF QUESTIONS OF SUCH SIMPLICITY THAT THE IR ANSWERS MUST BE OBVIOUS. THE BODY OF THis THESIS CONSISTS OF A PROGRAMED UNIT IN WH ICH THE . .. PREDETERMINED VALUES OF FORTY POEMS ARE REP RESENTED, SPACE IS PROVIDED FOR THE STUDENT1S ANSWER, AND TH E CORRECT RESPONSE IS PRESENTED ON THE SUCCEED I NG PAGE. THis ARRANGEMENT CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. As· THE CORRECT ANSWER TO EACH QUESTION IS GIVEN IN THE TEXT, ii T IS FOL- LOWED BY A NEW QUESTION AND SPACE FOR THE STUDENT1S NEXT ANSWER. THE QUEST.IONS STUDENTS ARE EXP ECTED TO ANSWER FOLLOW VARYING PAT- TERNS; HOWEVER, EACH SET OF QUESTIONS IS DESI GNED TO· DEVELOP CERTAIN DESIDERATAe· THE MEAN·ING OF THE POEM !� S, OF COURSE, 'I MP ORTANT AND ATTENTION 11 s PAID TO MEANING. IN ALMOST EVERY CASE. IT IS NOT EXPECTED THAT STUDENTS BE WELL ENOUGH EXPERI ENCED IN POETRY TP EX TRACT THE K�RNEL OF MEANING FROM A COMPLEX POEM INDEPENDENTLY. THE QUESTIONS ARE pU R- POSELY DESI GNED TO AID STUDENTS· IN DISCOVERING .FOR .THEMS.ELVES THE MEAN,INGS (oR, PERHAP S, � MEAN°iNG) FOR THE POEM WITH WH ICH :THEY ARE CUR- RENTL Y I NVOLVEDo WH· ENEVER IT HAS BEEN DEEMED NECESSARY, EXPW�'CATORY NOTES HAVE BEEN INSERTED AND THE IMMEDI ATE QUESTION DIRECTED . TO THE EXPL•I CATION. TH IS HAS SEEMED A WI SE AND JUSTI F.1 ABLE• PROCEDURE, ,_ ' ENABLING STUDENTS TO GRASP. CONCEPTS WHI CH OTHERWI SE WOULD BE BEYOND THEM. CoNsiDERABL E CARE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO AVo'.�D BEIN� DIDA'C Tl'C OR DOG- ·MA TIC ABOUT THE MEAN INGS OF POEMS. .STUDENTS ARE LED TOWARD THE PRECEP T THAT THE IR INDIVIDUAL INTERP RETATION OF ·A POEM il.S ALLOWABLE AS LONG AS ' :IT .CAN BE JUSTIFIED IN THE L. �GHT OF WHAT THE POEM ACTUALLY SAYSo PROSODY, OR �H E ACTUAL MECHAN ICS OF PO£M CONSTRUCTION� IS CON- SIDERED OF IMPORTANCE FOR STUDENTSo THEY ARE MADE ACQUAI NTED WI TH VER- SIFICATION IN :I TS SIMPLEST FORM, AND THE QU ESTIONS ASK THEM TO DISCOVER THE STRU CTURE OF POEMS---STANZA9 RHYME-SCHEME, METER, AND ALL,TERATIONe . IN THE BEL iEF THAT EXPLOR. AT.-ION OF THE POET1S CRAFTMANSH.IP .IS OF NO IM- -- PORTANCE AS AN INTRINSIC VALUE, BUT CAN YIELD A GREAT DEAL OF ENJOYMENT 4 IF CONSI DERED A. GAME, THE, SUBTLETIES. OF POETRY AND POETIC DICTION HAVE .. BEEN :IGNORED WITJ-1 ONE. EXCEP Tl.ON1 .ALL'I TERAT. IONe THE CONCEPT OF ALL I TER- ATION IS SO READ ILY GRASPED AND EXAMPLES! OF ;I T IN THE POEMS .SO EAS ILY "· DISCERNED, THAT MUCH :ATTENTION HAS BEEN PAID IN THE CONSTRUCTION. OF THE QUESTIONS TO THE. IDENTIF l:CATION OF TH IS QUAL ITY. THE ACT.iVITY OF THE PUP! LS IN RESPECT TO VERSIFICATION! IS BY NO MEANS COMPL ! CATED; THEY· DEAL : Vl lTH. S.IMPLE FO RMS.1 AND THE MATER!'AL , IS SO PRESEN.TED THAT. IT IS IN THE NATU RE OF A CHALLENGE TO THEM TO SEE HOW WELL XHEY CAN DISCOVER THE 'P OET1 S CRAFTe A 'F EW POEMS ARE ;1 NCLUDED WH.ICH HAVE STRU CTl:.IRES OF SUCH IRREGULARI TY . AND .COMPLEXITY; THAT THEY CANNOT EAS ILY ..BE CLASSl.FIED. STUDENTS LEARN FROM THESE THAT NOT ALL POETRY IS RULE-OF-THUMB, BUT THAT .THE POET. FREQUENTLY ACH I EVES HIS EFFECT BY SEEM. INGLY IGNORI NG THE DICTA BY: WH ICH L.ESSER POETS :AND MERE VERSIFIERS MUST FUNCTION.: TH E IMPORTANCE OF, AND THE DEPENDENCE ON, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN POETR� t& STRESSED. AGA�N, THE SUBJ ECT js PRESENTED AS SIMPLY AS POSSIBLEe S.iNCE TH:l s PROGRAM IS OF THE· NATURE OF AN INTRODUCTION TO POETRY, ONLY: THREE FIGURES OF SPEECH---THE METAPHOR,. THE SIMIL.E , AND PERSONIFICATl'ON---ARE IDENTIFIED •.THE QUESTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO FIX FIRMLY THESE THREE IN THE MINDS OF STUDENTS BY POINTING OUT EXAMPLES ' TO BE LABELED BY .THEM·AND BY :ASK ING THEM TO FIND EXAMPLES ON THE.IR OWN ACCOUNT. POETRY ITSELF CAN AND SHOULD ,TEACH. THE QUESTIONS LEAD ST.UDENTS TO THE DI SCOVERY OF FACTS RELATED TO THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF OU R SOCIETY. IT IS AN AL MOST APPALLING FACT THAT CH I LDRE� COME INTO HIGH SCHOOL WIT� NO SURE CONCEPTION OF WHAT TIME ACTUALLY MEANS1: WI TH ·NO CERTA IN SENSE OF CHRONOLOGY t AN.0 WI TH AN E_QUAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE .5 SPATI ALtORGANIZATION,OF THE WO RLD•l.N WHICH .THEY L.'IVEe .THEY'ARE LARGELY UNACQOA. INTEO WI TH LEGEND OR MYTH, WI TH .MOST H,, STORI CAL ALLUSIONS . (ESPEC IALLY TO· Tf.IE DISTANT PAST), ANO WITH GEOGRAPHICAL REF'ERENCES4. Tf.IAT·SOME,ACQUAI NTANCE WITH�MYTH1 WITH HISTORY, ANO WITH LOCATION IS' ESSENTIAL FOR' THE' UNDERSTANDING OF LITERATURE1 AND LIFE1 SEEMS UNDENI ABL Ee THROUGWTHE U.T. ILIZAT ION .OF THE ALLUSIONS ANO REF'ERENCES:CONTA. INED IN THE . POEMS DEALT WITH IN THIS TH ESIS, STUDENTS BECOME MORE',FAMlt.IAR WITH THE WO RLD OF MYTH AND HISTORY. AT THE SAME T.IME . (AND"OFTEN BY THE SAME QUESTI ONS) STUDENTS ARE LED TOWARD A SURER SPACE,..TIME ORIENT.;TIONe THE QUEST IONS POSSESS ANOTHER VALUE FOR STUDENTS IN THAT.