Essay 1 – Close Reading

3-4 pages (not including title page or Works Cited)

This assignment is a formal essay with a normal essay structure. It is not simply a detailed ‘explication’ of the text, and it should make an interpretative argument. Your evidence, however, will be based on a close reading, which will necessarily involve a significant amount of ‘explication.’ Explication focuses on how a text means, not simply what it means. Very often, ‘what’ is an interpretation a reader derives from understanding ‘how.’

You are not limited to the following topics, but you can use them as prompts to begin your work. You may only use readings assigned for this course, although you may read ahead if you choose. ( pick one topic of the followings)
1 ) Using close reading skills, please discuss the relationship between image and text in Blake’s poetry.

2 ) Blake’s poetry is particularly religious, but it is also very political. How is each important to understanding how his poems work?
Please use the MLA format for citations in your essay, and follow the essay template on the course website. If it is helpful, you may refer to secondary sources in your close reading, but this is not necessary.
Poetry : “The Tyger”, “The Lamb”, “The Little black Boy” ,
“London” , “Sick Rose”

You can focus on one poem / one point and then make an argument, or you can compare 2~3 poem if they are relevant