Objectives
Put simply, students will study African American formalist poetry using the lens of double-voicing (signifyin'). Students will come to understand why African American poets sometimes chose traditional forms to express their ideas. This will begin with close readings of early African American poets Lucy Terry and Phillis Wheatley. To introduce the sonnet form, students will discuss a quote from Maya Angelou relating to Shakespeare's Sonnet 29, "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes," and then study the poem for form and content. A deeper analysis will show the ways in which Shakespeare and his sonnet can relate to a modern and perhaps non-white audience. This will constitute the first classroom activity.
At a time appropriate to the historical era being studied in class (in this case, the Civil War), students will study Natasha Trethewey's sonnet cycle, "Native Guard." They will explore how the cycle gives a voice and perspective to otherwise "forgotten" parts of history. They will also analyze Trethewey's use of vocabulary and the variations she introduces to the sonnet form. This will be the second classroom activity.
Finally, when students reach the 20 th century, they will read and respond creatively to Marilyn Nelson's crown of sonnets, A Wreath for Emmet Till. This is the final classroom activity included in this unit.
Obviously, these activities are not designed to be consecutive. Rather, they offer a teacher an ongoing pattern to insert throughout an African American Literature course, an American Literature course, a poetry course, or an American History course. As Trethewey's and Nelson's sonnet cycles are grounded in history, they provide excellent opportunities for collaborative study between English and Social Studies.
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