Poetry Essay

Poetry Essay - Instructions

Requirements: Each essay must be written in five paragraphs (introduction with thesis, three body paragraphs, and conclusion) spanning at least three pages plus a Works Cited page, all written in MLA style. Essays must have proper parenthetical references and citations. Each essay must use two poems as the primary sources and at least one other (credible) source to support the rebuttal. Students may also find it useful to use critical sources about the poems they have chosen to support their argument.

Prompt: Does poetry play a role in our society today?

(Hint: YES. Just kidding. But not really.)

Your essay should defend ONE of the roles that poetry plays in our modern society, using two poems as examples to support your argument (presumably from the collection in your anthology). One of the poems should be one that is commonly read in order fulfill this role in society, and the other should be one that was written or created to fulfill this role in society. You will dedicate one body paragraph to each poem, explaining how that particular piece of poetry satisfies a necessary or important function of our civilization. In the third body paragraph, you will rebut the opposing argument and use support from another, secondary source.