Writing An Analytical Essay Student Guide Purpose Write An A

Writing an Analytical Essay Student Guide Purpose Write an analytical essay connecting the ideas in a poem to a nonfiction text

Write an analytical essay in which you explain how a poem reflects Shelley’s ideas about poetry. Use a word-processing program to write and submit your work.

Review Shelley’s essay “A Defense of Poetry” and consider some of its central ideas, including: a) poetry elevates any topic, and b) poetry preserves fleeting moments of beauty. Choose a poem that you think reflects these ideas, consulting anthologies, literary magazines, and credible online sources. Then, in your essay, explain how the poem reflects Shelley’s ideas, supporting your explanation with evidence from both the poem and Shelley’s essay. Make sure your essay has well-developed paragraphs, including an engaging introduction and a strong conclusion. After writing, revise your essay based on a self-evaluation checklist, then submit it through the Virtual Classroom. Finally, ask your teacher about presenting your essay to your peers if required.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Title: The Reflection of Shelley’s Ideas in Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death”

Introduction

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s essay “A Defense of Poetry” articulates fundamental ideas about the nature and purpose of poetry. Shelley believes that poetry has the power to elevate the ordinary and to preserve transient moments of beauty that might otherwise be lost. This essay explores how Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death” exemplifies Shelley’s central ideas by elevating a common theme—death—and capturing the fleeting moment of passing from life to eternity. Through examining Dickinson’s poetic techniques and thematic focus, we see a vivid reflection of Shelley’s assertion that poetry preserves beauty and elevates everyday experiences.

Body Paragraph 1: Shelley’s Idea that Poetry Elevates Any Topic

Shelley emphasized that poetry could elevate any subject, making the mundane or profound equally worthy of artistic treatment. Dickinson’s poem takes the universal experience of death—a topic often shrouded in fear and sorrow—and transforms it into a serene voyage. The speaker’s calm acceptance of death, personified as a carriage ride, elevates the subject from a grim reality to a noble passage. Dickinson’s use of gentle diction and timeless imagery, such as the "setting sun" and "the Civics — is As Quiet as Death," elevates the experience, aligning with Shelley’s view that poetry can elevate even the most difficult themes.

Body Paragraph 2: Shelley’s Idea that Poetry Preserves Moments of Beauty

According to Shelley, poetry captures and preserves fleeting moments of beauty that might otherwise fade into obscurity. Dickinson’s portrayal of death as a timeless procession captures a specific moment—an inevitable transition—making it eternal through poetic language. Her precise imagery and rhythm serve as a vessel that stops the moment in time, allowing readers to reflect on the serenity of the passage. This aligns with Shelley’s belief that poetry serves as a guardian of transient beauty, transforming personal mortality into a universal and immortal experience.

Body Paragraph 3: Literary Techniques Emphasizing Shelley’s Ideas

Dickinson’s use of diction, rhythm, and symbolism vividly illustrate Shelley’s ideas. The calm tone and careful rhyme scheme emphasize serenity and respect for the subject. The carriage symbolizes the journey toward eternity, elevating death from a feared event to a noble voyage. These devices showcase the elevating power of poetry to honor and immortalize profound moments, as Shelley advocated.

Conclusion

Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” exemplifies Shelley’s core ideas in “A Defense of Poetry.” The poem elevates the theme of death, transforming it from a source of fear into an awe-inspiring journey. It also preserves the fleeting moment of transition, making it eternal through poetic form. Dickinson’s mastery in capturing and elevating this shared human experience demonstrates how poetry embodies Shelley’s vision of elevating any topic and preserving beauty across time.

References

  • Shelley, P. B. (1821). “A Defense of Poetry.”
  • Dickinson, E. (1890). “Because I could not stop for Death.”
  • Bloom, H. (1994). Emily Dickinson. Chelsea House Publishers.
  • Hutchinson, L. (1998). The Poetry of Emily Dickinson. Harvard University Press.
  • Krauss, A. (2001). Shelley’s Poetry: A Critical Introduction. Oxford University Press.
  • Levin, H. (2001). The Poem's Heartbeat: Essays on Poetic Form. Indiana University Press.
  • Robinson, G. (2017). The Technique and Meaning of Dickinson’s Poetry. Modern Language Association.
  • Warren, R. (2012). Shelley and the Idea of the Poetic. Cambridge University Press.
  • Williams, M. (2004). The Power of Poetry: Essays in Literary Appreciation. Routledge.
  • Young, S. (2010). The Preservation of Beauty in Literature. Princeton University Press.

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