Poetryand Lyrics as ArgumentInterpretthe poem or song lyrics and support your position using evidence fromthe text.Lookat condensed language and not only form an interpretation of thewords but also argue your position: That is the assignment whenwriting an essay about poetry. As a reader, you examine and evenevaluate the work. As an essayist, you write about your understandingof the piece. Choose a central idea such as figurative language,theme, topic or even cultural relevance and use the poem/lyrics tosupport your interpretation.EssayStructure:Anargumentative essay about poetry or lyrics carries the same structureas most essays: introduction, body and conclusion. For theintroductory paragraph, use a strong quotation from the poem as thehook, give some background and end the introduction with your thesisstatement: one sentence stating your interpretation of the poem. Forexample, you might write, ‘Sylvia Plath’s exaggeratedcomparisons in her poem ‘Daddy’ display her guilt over her father’sdeath.’ Use multiple claims to support your thesis statement,each with a unique point: the sing-song rhyming, the narrator’sidentity crisis and her admission of a suicide attempt, for example.End with a conclusion that mirrors the introduction, except insteadof a hook, relate your interpretation to concerns in the worldoutside the poem.YouMay Wish to Consider:LanguageSincepoetry and lyrics often time use so few words, each one counts. Poetsand songwriters commonly used figures of speech to enhance meaning.Similes, with their telltale ‘like’ or ‘as’ inthe middle of comparisons, are easy to spot. However, look especiallyfor metaphors, the comparison of two things seemingly unalike; theirmeaning often goes deeper than that of similes.ArgumentWritingan argumentative essay about poetry means taking an interpretiveposition and supporting it with evidence. Use evidence from the poemor lyrics and explain your interpretation of each quotationexplicitly. Quotations can be direct or indirect, or you maysummarize pieces of the poem. Relate all evidence and explanations toyour central idea. It may also be useful to consider the historical,political or social context of the poem if it bolsters your claim.For example, when writing about Wilfred Owen’s ‘Dulce et DecorumEst,’ it is important to note that the poem is from the WorldWar I era, as the imagery relates directly to tactics used in thatwar.CulturalRelevanceConsiderthe importance of the message to a particular community. Why isthis song/poem important? What does it say to the audience and forthe audience?AssignmentDetails:Length:350-500 wordsVisualElement: It must be accompanied by a visual elementIncludea copy of the poem/songMLAformat and work cited are not requiredDueDate: See Canvas
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