Writing about poetry

Rhythm/metre

• Pentameter
• Tetrameter
• Trimeter
• Dimeter

Metrical variation

• Foot
• Iamb ( _ / ) (iambic)
• Trochee ( / _ ) (trochaic)
• Spondee ( / / ) (spondaic)
• Anapaest ( _ _ / ) (anapaestic)
• Dactyl ( / _ _ ) (dactylic)

Rhyme

• Regular
• Irregular
• Internal

Sound Patterns

• Alliteration
• Assonance
• Consonance

Write about effect

emphasises / places emphasis upon / reinforces / highlights / draws our attention to / supports / suggests / implies/

Writing About Metre Examples

Song (When I am dead, my dearest)

The tetrameter of two iambs and an amphibrach is broken away from in the line "Sing no sad songs for me". This metrical variation coupled with the assonance serves to emphasis this line and highlight the importance that Rossetti attaches to the addressee moving on.


Good Friday

The stresses of the iambic feet in the line "Am I a stone, and not a sheep," land on a few key words including "stone" and "stone" that have religious

Scene 3

Poker night (original title for the play)

• Strong, masculine, violent
• Steve tells a joke about sex (and priorities) - masculine joking

"Hello the little boys room is busy right now"

• Feminine flirting
• First meeting and the conversation is about physical needs (mitch needs a wee)

"Gallantry"

• Old world style of courtship
• Rough relationship between Stanley and Stella is something Blanche can't relate to
• Stanley is not gallant

Scene 2

The paperwork represents the past - the baby represents the future
Blanche is sexual but will not have children - she has no future to offer it




"...thousands of papers, stretching back over hundreds of years effecting Belle Reve..."
- Since before the civil war
- A time of slavery and plantations




"epic fornications"
Resulted in two very different sisters
Stella presented as loyal and positive


When does the audience see blanche as a lost cause?
-When see passes cemeteries to Elysian fields - Alive but dead?
- She doesn't die
- She is always clutching at straws - latches onto the doctor - any hope of another chance


Property

• Stanley keeps going on about the Napoleonic code
• Eunice says "we own this place"
• Blanche doesn't own anything
• - Maybe why her body is so important to her
• - She bathes constanly

"I was flirting with your husband"

• Only thing Blanche knows how to do
• She believes that's what men want
• irresponsible - doesn't know how to be responsible

"Tragic nobility that redeems Blanche"

Scene 7 - Quotes

Quotes

STANLEY: (mimicking) 'soaking in a hot tub'? pg 69

STANLEY: And you run and get her cokes, I suppose? And serve 'em to her majesty in the tub" pg 69

STELLA: I've got things to do." pg 69

STANLEY: (mimicking) 'soaking in a hot tub'?

STELLA: Stanley, stop picking on Blanche. pg 69

STELLA: ... You've got to realise that Blanche and I grew up under very different circumstances than you did." pg 70

STANLEY: So I've been told. And told and told and told. You know she's been feeding us a pack of lies here?" pg 70

STANLEY: Some canary bird, huh! pg 70

STANLEY: But sister Blanche is no lily! Ha-ha! Some lily she is! pg 70

Stanley refers to Blanche as "Dame Blanche" a couple of time pg 71

STELLA: What - contemptible - lies!" pg 71

"Stella draws back"

STANLEY: For the last year or two she has been washed up like poison" pg 71

"Possess your soul in patience"

"Laughs harshly"

"In the first place Blanche won't go on a bus"

"The distant piano goes into a hectic breakdown"