The Diamond as Big as the Ritz

Poetry Blogging - partner text

Your posts on Abse's poems should follow the same format as those on Larkin, with an additional comment on how each Abse poem might connect to Larkin's work. These connections might be based on themes and ideas, or a language/form/structure feature.

I've assigned a small number of poems per week for you to work through independently. As with the Larkin posts, I will be able to check your progress each week, to make sure you are up to date. To stretch yourself, range more widely through the collection in addition to the assigned poems.

Things to include:

• a brief summary of what the poem is about
• the themes of the poem
• interesting language, form and structure points
• different interpretations of the poems where possible
• connections to the Larkin poems

Again, these will become revision notes, so be sure to make them focused and useful for you. Illustrate each post with an image - either something literal from the poem, or something more abstract that helps you to connect with the themes or ideas of the poem.

When we get to revision and exam practice in class, you will need to have a good working knowledge of the collection - so these notes will be very valuable...

Inspiration Chart

Select a feature / features from the stimulus text and use this to write an original piece. Suggestions for features are as follows:

Interview with Dannie Abse

Making connections

What is Welsh Retrospective about?

·         Abse’s journeys between London and Cardiff

·         Childhood, family and memory

·         Identity

·         Welsh figures that Abse idolised

·          “Dannie Abse’s Welsh poems in particular sing of the “genuine” (…) – it seems to characterise much of his Wales.” (From the introduction to your edition)

 

Abse poetry should always be used to illuminate Larkin’s poems. This means using Abse to develop a point about Larkin. Always use Abse in comparison:

While Larkin presents women as objects, Abse sees them as more human, for example in his poems to his late wife.

Use the following topics/themes to make initial comparisons. Aim higher by considering technique comparisons as well.

·         Personal environments and places

·         Nature

·         Fathers and sons

·         Past and present

·         Emotional engagement

·         A person’s place in society

·         War

·         Journeys

·         Relationships with women

 

Overview and Context: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby from mrsdenglish

Poetry Blogging - core text

Type up notes on each poem as we work through the collection. I will be able to check your progress each week, to make sure you are up to date.

You should include a brief summary of what the poem is about, as well as commenting on the themes of the poem, and interesting language, form and structure points. You should also include different interpretations of the poems when you can. To really push yourself, try to make reference to existing critical interpretations. If you do this, include a link to the original source, so that you can find it again later.

These will become revision notes, so be sure to make them focused and useful for you. Illustrate each post with an image - either something literal from the poem, or something more abstract that helps you to connect with the themes or ideas of the poem.

The Cut Glass Bowl

The Erl-King & The Lady

The Bloody Chamber - the story

Puss in Boots

Who could ever learn to love a Beast?

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Essay Writing - The Great Gatsby

A Review of Dancing at Lughnasa - from The Guardian

You can read Lyn Gardner's review of a 2013 production here

Dancing at Lughnasa - film adaptation

'Doctor of Verse' - from The Guardian

An interesting article about Abse - available here

Abse's own website

The man himself - his own website is available here

The Poetry Foundation: Larkin

More context info and interesting comments about Larkin's work - you can find them here

The Philip Larkin Society

The PLS provides all sorts of context info as well as essays on Larkin's work. You can find them here

Our Life in Poetry: Motion on Larkin

A taping of a class on Larkin, by Andrew Motion.

E-mag article