Getting to grips with poetry and its terminology can be one of the most intimidating parts of literary study. The Poetry Toolkit helps with this problem by giving clear and concise guidance about reading and discussing poetry in an easy-to-use format. By providing accessible commentary on the formal traditions of poetry across the ages and by emphasizing the empowering effect of technical vocabulary, this book encourages confidence and enjoyment. Its simple and clear explanations of key terms, genres and concepts enable readers to develop a richer, more sophisticated approach to reading, thinking and writing about poems. Moving from introductory overviews to short sections on key concepts, forms and topics, each entry includes a technical definition, a review of its historical and cultural significance, illustrative examples from a range of poems and finally additional reading and suggestions for further work. The Poetry Toolkit offers a practical solution to the difficulties of reading and writing about poetry. It offers any student of poetry the key tools needed to read, study and write about poetry with confidence.

Table of Contents

Introduction; How to Use This Book; List of Glossed Terms; PART I: Introducing Poetry; Chapter 1. Types and Traditions; PART II: Guide to Poetic Forms and Terms; Chapter 2. Form; 2.1 Variable Forms; 2.2 Fixed Forms; 2.3 Visual Forms; 2.4 Hybrid Forms; 2.5 'Formless' Forms; Chapter 3: Prosody; Chapter 4: Rhyme; Chapter 5: Stanzas; Chapter 6: Wordplay; 6.1 Tropes; 6.2 Schemes; Part III: Close Reading; Chapter 7: Close Reading; 7.1 Readings; 7.2 Exercises; Suggestions/Answers; Further Reading; Index.

About the Author

Rhian Williams is the Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the AHRC 'Brownings Correspondence Project' at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.

Reviews

The book is very easy to use, helpfully structured, and ideally suited to first-year undergraduate students of English poetry.--Forum for Modern Language Studies Vol.47, No.3