~ Searching for Hidden Meanings ~

Searching for hidden meanings

 Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.

 Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), English poet. A Defence of Poetry 
(written 1821; published 1840)

In this task you will be working in groups, exploring the hidden meaning and symbolism of poetry.

Right click on this link to Symbolism to open it in another window, so that you can also flick back to this page when needed.

Right click here to open a blank note-taking document for the 1st and 3rd exercise.

1. Read through the definition of symbolism and make notes for your own reference.

2. Read the "The Road not taken" (also found p.15 in your text, "Blue Light, clear atoms"). We have already discussed this poem so you can move quickly onto the next one...

3. Read "The Lightning Is A Yellow Fork" and write a short paragraph in answer to the question: What symbolism do you find in this Emily Dickinson poem?

4. Browse through the links provided -  except Analyze a Symbolic Image in Poetry which no longer works!

5. Use this information, plus the handouts already received to interpret a poem by Robert Frost from your text, "Blue Light, clear atoms",  (p.15-19) but excluding The Road not taken. Right click here to do this electronically.