Abstract
This paper looks at the poet Anne Bradstreet, known as the 'Mother of American Poetry', her life as a female Puritan writer in 17th century New England. The author analyzes one of her celebrated works, "To My Dear And Loving Husband", discussing her open feelings of physical and spiritual love for her husband, and how these emotions interact with Puritan beliefs.

From the Paper
"Bradstreet's work, although sometimes very un-Puritan, is not completely rebellious when she does not follow the standard convention of Puritanism. One must keep in mind that the standard convention is based almost exclusively on men, Rosenmeier 4. She struggles with ?the tension and conflicts of a person struggling for selfhood in a culture that was outraged by individual autonomy and that valued property to the extent that it praised God.?

Tags:New, England, love, Puritan, heaven, poetry, Simon, husband, wife

Abstract
This paper explains that, in "The Rape of the Lock", Pope satirizes the human condition, and, in "Tartuffe", Moli're satirizes the religious. The author points out that Pope's "The Rape of the Lock", written in the traditional the heroic couplet form, is considered one of best illustrations of what is termed a mock-epic poem. The paper relates that, in "Tartuffe", Moli're also uses satire to comment on society; through the exaggerated characters of Tartuffe and Orgon, he exposes religion and gullibility.

From the Paper
"Pope also takes a shot at male mentality. For instance, men are depicted as shallow as women are. The Baron devises new "strategems" (3:120) to achieve his own ends. After he successfully attains the lock of hair, he exclaims, "The glorious prize is mine!" (3:162) This scene reveals the lack of character of men who seek only to achieve a prize."

Tags:human, religious, mock-epic, couplet, poem

Abstract
This paper analyzes Hoffmann's cautionary tale of "Harriet and the Matches". The paper provides a stanza by stanza analysis of the poem and highlights the poem's couplet form and sing song rhythm. The paper also discusses whether the cautionary tale, which teaches the dangers of children lighting matches, is a suitable tale for children since the ending could give a child nightmares although the message is clear enough.

From the Paper
"In order to read The Dreadful Story of Harriet and the Matches, the reader must speak German or find a translation. Using Google, the poem is easy to find. The reader only has to type, "Harriet and matches", and hit search, blurbs and links for many different websites pop up, but the reader need not look farther than the first link. Upon clicking the afore mentioned link, the reader is taken to a webpage that is part of the site, oldpoetry.com. At the top of the page there is a thin banner that has the name of the website and buttons the reader can click to navigate around the site. Under the banner is a translation of the poem, The Dreadful Story of Harriet and the Matches. Above the poem, there is a picture of the original poem, written in German, with the original pictures. "

Tags:nightmares, fire

Abstract
This paper explains that Shakespeare modified the traditional Petrarchan sonnet format into what is now called English or Shakespearean sonnet, which he used for all of his 154 sonnets. The author points out that, when reading a Shakespearean sonnet, it is important to know that he intended each quatrain and the couplet to be read as distinct from the others because each contains a particular idea that the speaker is trying to express; however, the poem requires that all of the lines be part of a single movement. The paper reviews sonnets 29 and 116 to demonstrate Shakespeare's skill as a writer and his flare as a user of language when he speaks to his audience through the medium of poetry. The paper includes several quotations from sonnets 29 and 116.

From the Paper
"The appeal of this sonnet for the average person is that everyone has felt lost and lonely in the world and a true friend can make all the difference in the way we feel about ourselves and our lives. Anyone can appreciate the sentiments conveyed here without necessarily knowing the circumstances under which the poem was written. As mentioned earlier, this is one of the many poems addressed to a young man. According to Thomas M.Greene, "The poetry reflects a sense of inner depletion, emptiness, poverty, which the friend is asked or stated to fill up.""

Tags:iambic, pentameter, rhyme, scheme, young, man, universality, love

Abstract
This paper explains that Donne's "Sonnet 10" argues that Death is simply living a masquerade; therefore, we do not have to accept the fact that Death is the end of everything. The author points out that the poem follows the Italian sonnet form with a standard "abbaabba" rhyme scheme consisting of fourteen lines and ends with a dramatic couplet, which is generally associated with Elizabethan sonnets. The paper relates that Donne's point is that Death itself is really asleep; in the end, we will wake from our sleep with Death, which leads us to eternal life.

From the Paper
"Donne begins by addressing Death with a serious, yet cynical attitude. His tone is straightforward and he appears to be very confident when he tells death that it has nothing to be proud of, although "many have called thee/Mighty and dreadful" (1-2). Donne tells Death that this fact is simply "not so" (2). Again, we get a sense for Donne's tone with this line he is meeting Death face to face without fear or intimidation. Donne then introduces us to an interesting paradox when he says, "For those whom thou thinkest thou dost overthrow,/Die not" (3-4). This is important because it sets the mood for the entire poem. Donne is speaking to Death without absolutely any reservation. He points out that even those who do die, have not been actually overthrown by Death. In essence, Donne has absolutely no respect for Death."

Tags:italian, elizabethan, masquerade, tone, sleep

Abstract
This paper explains that William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130" is his joke, which becomes a true token of love when read between the lines. The author points out that Shakespeare depicts his lover's attributes with very non-traditional and realistic references that come across as very insulting, which undermines the Petrarchan form of love poetry that generally viewed love in an idealized way and often idolized the lover. The paper relates that the joke becomes a rather serious issue with its last couplet when, by recognizing his lover's ordinary characteristics and loving her this much anyway, he reinforces the depth of his love.

From the Paper
"With "Sonnet 130," Shakespeare uses this type of comparison but in a very unique and memorable way. Coral lips, rosy cheeks, and eyes the are bright as the sun are mentioned in this poem, but they are a joke that forces us to see real beauty in real life. Love is often blind but it does not need to be and Shakespeare show us how love can be honest and beautiful in its own way. In the end, Shakespeare is suggesting that love and lovers do not need to be as beautiful as these love sonnets make them to be true love."

Tags:sarcasm, petrarchan, ordinary, love, real-life

Abstract
This paper consists of three poems, one using couplets as stanzas, one in terza rima, and one an Italian sonnet.

From the Paper
"My love was whisked away from me. Upon a ship sent out to sea. He went to fight the latest war. Amid the battle's deafn'ing roar. A soldier in a quest to win. A war that should have never been. I sent my prayers, I sent my love. I begged the Father up above. To send my sweetheart home to me. And end the war that keeps us free. My Father heard my heartfelt plea. Today my love returned to me..."

Tags:poem, poetry, stanza, couplet, Italian sonnet, terza rima

Abstract
Using Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" as a starting point, this creative writing assignment develops the "tale" of someone or something. The writer rhymes it in couplets, provides a prologue and the tale and cover personality, includes humor (or lack thereof) appearance, destination, and other incidents that mirror the tales and characters used by Chaucer in his lengthy descriptions.

From the Paper
"Greyhound signs showed us the way. We travelers waited for a bus this day. Students with their books. Nubile girls who invited their looks. A businessman who missed his flight. Now he'd have to ride all night. But one man stood out from the rest. For his was an unusual quest."

Tags:poetry, chaucer imitation, rhyming

Abstract
The paper discusses how the 17th century language used in this poem revolves around an iambic pentameter, which relies on rhyme schemes of couplets over the 12 lines of his poem. The paper explains that in breaking the language of the poem down, one can realize that that the rhyme endings rely on an abcdef format, as none of the line endings are the same in their sound and musical affect. The paper notes that in particular, Bradstreet uses certain word choices that impart the true feeling of the poem.

From the Paper
"The title of this poem insinuates a feeling that this is merely a simple love poem between husband and wife. However, the ambiguous references to other feminine entities and the manner of materialism in the East (Asia) suggests there is a greater religious symbolism in the word choices that Bradstreet uses. The poem is about a wife's longing to eternally preserve her love in the marriage vows she has taken with her husband. In many ways, Bradstreet elicits the Puritanical views of love that include a sense of predestination in her tone about their past, present and future love."

Tags:bradstreet, poem, love

Abstract
This paper examines how, like all of Geoffrey Chaucer's "General Prologue", the passage about the Prioress is written in iambic pentameter form consisting of rhyming couplets. It discusses how the text introduces us to the Prioress and how it goes on to give a detailed account of her character with an emphasis on her physical description.

From the Paper
"The passage tells us little of the Prioress's spirituality or of her understanding of her sacred vocation. Chaucer leads us to wonder about a woman whose conscience and charity work is depicted through concern for mice and dogs and whose interest in sacred ritual is the song not the substance, "Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne". However, her concern with emotion, tenderness and the diminutive could also be seen as part of the late fourteenth century shift in sensibility which led to the flowering of English mysticism - an emotional style in the arts and the ascendancy of the heart over the reason in religious matters. "

Tags:iambic, pentameter