Poetry+Readings

= Poetry Readings =

Here are some readings for pieces of poetry in your lessons. Listening to it read rather than reading it yourself can help you to understand the content as well as perceive the nuances of the poem.

Paradise Lost- Opening lines recited by members of the public. This video gives a interesting human face to the epic poem.

An Appreciation of John Milton's Paradise Lost This video examines a few key lines from Paradise Lost. "The mind is its own place and in itself/Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." Quick and interesting, this video gets right to the point about the character of Satan.


 * A Reading of "The Man with the Hoe", by Edwin Markham-** This poem is a personal favorite of mine. Think about what the words mean as you watch it.

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 * The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost-** A dramatic reading of the poem. As you listen, think about what Frost means. It can't be simply that the road less traveled was a better road; he emphasizes several times that the roads were basically identical. What was it, then, that made all the difference?

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 * Ozymandias, by Percy Bysshe Shelley-** The images here add context and interest to the poem. As you watch, think about what happened to the monument. The king is gone, and so is his work. What remains is the work of the artist.

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 * "The Tyger" by William Blake.** The poem enhances a short, fascinating documentary set in an iron factory in London. The video is a good example of how many threads can be pulled from a well-written poem. As you watch, think about why the videographer chose "The Tyger" for his documentary. How do the setting and the poem enhance each other?

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 * Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe.** This video is a thought-provoking 3D animation set to a reading of the poem.

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 * Beowulf, part 1**. Readings and explanation of the setting, events, and time period of the epic poem.

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 * Beowulf, part 2**.

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 * Beowulf, part 3.**

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