Tuesday 27 January 2009

HOMEWORK due Thursday 26th February: How did you vote in the poll and why?

Vote in poll on the right hand side, then leave a comment explaining why you chose a particular poem as your favourite so far. I have left an example to get you started.

Hints:
Try to think about HOW the poems are written, not just their plot/characterisation.

If you have trouble with the poll, just write your vote in as a comment.

Sunday 25 January 2009

Aesop - tell us a story...

http://www.aesops-fables.org.uk/

The Hare and the Tortoise is probably the most famous but have a look at some others.

You can also enter proverbs on this site to find their meanings and origins:

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/proverbs.html

Sisyphus - nearly there... oh no.

Sisyphus is one of the most discussed and debated of all of the Greek myths. It is a simple tale of eternal punishment.

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was the King of Corinth
1, the son of Aeolus2, King of Thessaly. After enraging Zeus, Sisyphus was condemned to Tartarus, the part of Hades reserved for particularly wicked people. There he was compelled for eternity to roll a stone to the top of a steep hill, but before he could get it to the top, it rolled down again.

Others have written that for betraying the gods in favour of the mortals, Sisyphus was condemned to punishment. He was sent to perform the task of pushing a huge rock along a steep slope. Before he could topple the stone on the other side of the peak of the mountain he could not be free. Each time Sisyphus neared the peak the stone rolled back to the ground leaving him tired and throwing him in despair again and again. In pursuit of the realisation of his own will against the will of the gods Sisyphus is thus still undergoing the perpetual punishment.

Darwin - going ape?

http://darwin-online.org.uk/biography.html

Think about what Darwin was famous for. Duffy's poem is set 7 years before he published "The Origin of Species," his most famous and controversial work.

Encyclopedia Mythologica

A good reference tool for lots ot Duffy's poems:

http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/

A great revision tool

http://www.southdartmoor.devon.sch.uk/english/duffypowerpoint.ppt

Take your time, think and use it to help you with several key exam skills.


FIND A SAMPLE EXAM PAPER HERE:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/eng_lit_a_trb_new.php

Use the drop down menu on the top right hand side and select "Unit 1". Scroll through to find the Struggle for Identity in Modern Literature options at the end.