Discussion Question

Compare and contrast William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 55” with Walt Whitman’s “Full of Life Now.” In doing so, you should decide how, or whether, they take on a similar problem. What are they after? How do they go about it? How do they apply form differently to get at their basic idea? How does the poetic form affect meaning? You may access author biographies to help answer.

Compose a thoughtful, documented essay that analyzes and discusses the poetic works from class through
one of the writing
suggestions below. This essay should include a clearly defined and well-thought-out idea you are attempting
to prove (a thesis).
Also included should be critical analysis of your topic. Concluding remarks or a summation of your ideas
must also be included.
To repeat: it is essential that your paper clearly states a forceful thesis that grabs your readers’ attention.
Moreover, all major
ideas, details, and examples must be fully explained. (That is, if you bring up an idea, explain it. Simply
stating a claim about the
issue, the poetry, or the world is not enough—explain all claims and concepts fully.) Additionally, how your
issue ties into the
poetry should be made obvious and explained fully throughout. Finally, final drafts of all formal essays must
include preliminary
drafts, peer-review comments, and any other written feedback.
This essay should be a minimum of three pages (900 words). Also, your essay should use and cite at least
three scholarly
research sources using MLA style, both in-text and in a “Works Cited” area. Your essay should also meet all
the “essentials” and
“guidelines” below.
The following percentages will be used to assess your paper. A clearly defined, well-written basic idea (a
thesis) for your paper
counts for 25 percent of your grade. Meeting MLA style requirements (as regards sources and citations and
their integration) and
meeting the style requirements below count as 25 percent of your grade. How well you carry your argument
through your paper,
through the use of your own ideas and sources, counts as 25 percent of your grade. Your control and use of
language, and general
conventions of formal written English, count as 25 percent of your grade.
Essentials of a quality essay:
• Your writing should have an obvious main point that centers the thinking and research.
• Your thoughts should remain focused on the point throughout.
• Your paper should use examples from the poetic works and research sources to support claims.
• This essay should use and cite a minimum of three scholarly sources.
• Your essay should be at least 900 words.
Style guidelines:
• Use a serif font—Times, Jenson, Garamond, Baskerville, and Caslon are all serif fonts. Calibri is not OK.
• All margins should print at a maximum of one inch. (This includes the top and bottom of each page.)
• Line spacing: Double. Font size: no larger than 12. Unnecessary extra spacing between paragraphs: none.
• Upper-left of only page one only: your name, course title and meeting time, the date, and the instructor’s
name
please include a work cited page with references.