ENGL 4623, ENGL 5653, AMST 5843: Emily Dickinson Mercer

Spring 2010

Minimum Requirements for Final Portfolio

(Subject to announced changes)

Explications of at least 2 poems (minimum 2 full pages each) plus scansions (each on separate page)

5653 students: Do not use the same poem on which you are writing your research paper. The research paper is separate from the final portfolio.

Complete analysis of 1 poem:

Paraphrase of poem (one paragraph or more); see guidelines for writing a paraphrase

Central idea or unifying effect of poem (one sentence or more); relate each element to this idea or effect

Analysis of diction and figures of speech (one paragraph or more)

Complete scansion and rhyme scheme (on separate page at end of analysis)

Analysis of relationship between sound and meaning, including significance of words used in sound devices and comment on scansion and rhyme scheme (one paragraph or more)

Comparison/contrast with other ED poems (one paragraph or more)

Analysis of a theme or technique used in at least 7-10 poems (minimum 3 full pages). Use the checklist that will be provided. In the body paragraphs, integrate your discussion of the poems; do not discuss poems separately.

Examples of general themes

(need to be focused):

poetry, reading, or letters

marriage

suffering or grief

love or sex

family

bees, birds, or some other creature

sunrises and/or sunsets

acceptance or rejection of Christian doctrines

anger at God

Jesus

deathbed scenes

dead bodies

Examples of techniques

(need to be focused):

dashes

imperfect rhymes

speakers clearly different from ED

inconclusive endings

variant readings

colors

biblical allusions

irregular meters

“common meter”

diction relating to home or some other subject

a particular figure of speech, such as personification or metonymy

* * *

• Items in the portfolio should be accompanied by the graded weekly writing assignments with which they correspond.
• Items in the portfolio must reflect your original work on the poems rather than merely on what has been said in class or taken from some other source. Outside research is not required for any of the papers in this portfolio. If you do use ideas or quotations from sources, you must document them parenthetically and provide a works-cited page in MLA form.
• These are minimum requirements. For a superior grade, you are encouraged to submit additional items. You may include other weekly writings and/or any additional work you have done on Emily Dickinson as long as you have not submitted it for extra credit.