Found Poem Assignment

Shakespeares comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, is written in melodic iambic
pentameter prose; within its dialogue and speeches, modern poetry can be
found. Much of Shakespeare’s prose is poetic it presents concise images that
appeal to the five senses; it is descriptive; it often relies on figurative language;
and it elicits strong emotional appeal in its readers. The plays melody, rhythm,
and literary devices such as irony, allusion, and juxtaposition were conventional
elements in the theatre of Shakespeare’s day.
Your task is to find a poem of your own within the dialogue of this play that
reflects your understanding of a key message (not merely a topic like love or
trust) within it. Consider Shakespeares purpose what is he conveying to his
audience through the lives of the characters in this play and the situations that he
puts them in?
Its important to strive for unity; do not just choose random lines. Your poem
must have meaning; you must select and arrange key lines in a way that clearly
reveals your insightful understanding of Much Ado About Nothing.
In your poem, focus on one or more of these key ideas in the play:
1. Redemption is possible when a person becomes aware of his or her
shortcomings and makes amends.
2. Truth is the most important virtue.
3. The course of true love never did run smooth. Lysander, A Midsummer
Nights Dream, William Shakespeare.
4. Appearances can often be deceptive.
5. Choose your friends wisely!
6. How one treats others is a greater measure of character than ones
manners or personal style.
7. Once lost, honor and certainty are difficult to restore.

The minimum length of this poem is 20-30 lines. You can quote entire lines of
Shakespeares work, but do not use whole passages. You may decide that part of
a particular line is all you want to use, and that is fine, too.
The bulk of this assignment is choosing sections of the text that you want to use,
then narrowing down exactly what will appear in your poem and arranging those
lines in a way that best conveys what you want to say. You must have a message:
all writing has an audience and a purpose!
This is an individual assignment. Your poem needs a title!!
Please hand in a citation (source) list with your finished work. For example: line
1: III, ii, 12; line 2: I,iii, 10; etc.
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Part B Reflection

Write a brief reflection on your poem. What is your message? How does your
poem illuminate the text of Much Ado About Nothing? What poetic or literary
devices are you employing (since you are making deliberate choices regarding

which lines to include)? How does the structure of your poem support its
meaning? Give me a behind the scenes look at how you shaped your poem!

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