Paper #1
English 21
L. Broughton

In Shakespeare's Sonnet 20, "A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted," the poet concerns himself with defintion of gender and desire. Give a close reading of this sonnet (text found in Norton Anthology, p. 811), focussed on the intersection of these themes, showing how Shakespeare uses sonnet form and literal and figurative imagery to give shape to his ideas. To begin this essay, answer the following questions in your notebook.

Which sonnet form has Shakespeare used? How does this affect the poet's expression of his ideas?

What is the poet's attitude toward his subject matter? How do you know?

What words or phrases does Shakespeare use to invoke the ideas of gender and desire? How do these affect the overall meaning of the poem?
Has Milton used any poetical devices? If so, what are they? What do they accomplish in the poem?

What types of images does Milton use? What effect do these achieve?

Remember that your paper should have a clear thesis based on your analysis of the poem. The text of your essay should develop this idea, using specific evidence, both quoted and paraphrased, from the poem to support your points. All quoted and paraphrased material should be properly documented--See English Department style sheet or MLA Handbook for correct format. Do not consult secondary sources to support your interpretation of the poem. However, you should consult the section on literary terms at the back of the Norton Anthology. You might also wish to consult other handbooks of poetical form, such as The Book of Forms, by Louis Turco.