1. Monday, 18th March 2013
L.O:
To produce S.E.A paragraphs
successfully analyzing “the
poem”, using key terminology
2. Work out the poem for today using the
cross word!
3. A lil bit of background….
John Clare 1793-1864.
•John Clare was born in Northamptonshire in 1793. What little schooling he
received ended when he was 11, so he was largely self-taught.
•Clare became a hedge-setter and labourer, like his father. So he spent most of
his day in the open air - many of his poems are about the countryside and
seasons.
•Clare married Martha Turner in the same year, despite still being in love with
his first girlfriend, Mary Joyce.
•He was badly affected when he moved from the home of his birth to a village
just four miles away and became depressed, and was finally admitted to an
asylum for the insane in 1837.
•He escaped in 1841, and was found on his way home, under the impression
that he would meet up with Joyce - whom he believed to be his wife.
•Clare spent the rest of his life in Northampton General Asylum. He died in
1864.
5. First Love John Clare
I ne’er was struck before that hour Are flowers the winter’s choice?
With love so sudden and so sweet, Is love’s bed always snow?
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower She seemed to hear my silent voice,
And stole my heart away complete. Not love’s appeals to know.
My face turned pale as deadly pale. I never saw so sweet a face
My legs refused to walk away, As that I stood before.
And when she looked, what could I ail? My heart has left its dwelling-place
My life and all seemed turned to clay. And can return no more.
And then my blood rushed to my face
And took my eyesight quite away,
The trees and bushes round the place
Seemed midnight at noonday.
I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start –
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.
6. • Each of you will be given one part of the analysis
grid. You will write S.E.A. paragraphs in your groups
focusing on this area.
• You need to write at least two, detailed, paragraphs.
• In your analysis:
– Talk about the effect of the quote you have picked out on
the reader and the poem as a whole? (Why has the poet
included it?)
– How does it link to the theme or meaning of the poem?
– Are there any other similar examples of this in the poem?
– How does this relate to the context/form
7. Now…
• Swap books. You are going to improve each other’s
paragraphs.
– Is it in S.E.A structure.
– Have they used terminology correctly.
– Have they analysed fully. For example, have they:
• Fully explained the effect of a feature picked out? (to create a
more vivid image/to create rhythm/ to describe something
more powerfully/to emphasise its importance etc.)
• Linked this to the theme or meaning of the poem?
• Linked it to the form or context?
• Linked it to similar features in the poem?
8. First Love John Clare
I ne’er was struck before that hour Are flowers the winter’s choice?
With love so sudden and so sweet, Is love’s bed always snow?
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower She seemed to hear my silent voice,
And stole my heart away complete. Not love’s appeals to know.
My face turned pale as deadly pale. I never saw so sweet a face
My legs refused to walk away, As that I stood before.
And when she looked, what could I ail? My heart has left its dwelling-place
My life and all seemed turned to clay. And can return no more.
And then my blood rushed to my face
And took my eyesight quite away,
The trees and bushes round the place
Seemed midnight at noonday.
I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start –
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.
