Romantic poetry and paired texts: Romanticism and Nature

In this lesson, we will be introduced to William Wordsworth and what happened in his life which might have influenced his writing. We will explore the form of lyric poetry, before reading and beginning to analyse one of his most famous poems.

In this lesson, we will look at the difference between metaphor, simile and personification. We will then find examples of these types of figurative language in Wordsworth's poem and write about the effect that they might have on a reader.

In this lesson, we will explore why nature was such an important and commonly used theme in Romantic writing. Afterwards, we will analyse how Wordsworth explores his own perceptions of nature and expresses how it makes him feel.

In this lesson, we will be introduced to John Keats, one of the best known writers from the second generation of Romantics. We will briefly look at some key events in Keats' life, before learning about the form of an ode. We will then read 'To Autumn' for the first time to get a general understanding of the attitudes which Keats expresses.

In this lesson, we will consider how Keats uses personification to make autumn seem like a magical and busy time of year. We will think how and why the way Keats presents autumn changes throughout the poem, before writing up our thoughts at the end of the lesson.

In this lesson, we will focus on Keats' views on the power of nature and the ways in which autumn's power grows and wanes as the season continues. We will start by considering the imagery of the first stanza, before continuing to examine the rest of the poem to chart the power which Keats finds in nature.

In this lesson, we will be introduced to Charlotte Smith and the events in her life which influenced her writing. We will look at the form of a sonnet, before reading and annotating the rhyme scheme of Smith's 'To A Nightingale', in order to ascertain which form of sonnet it is.

In this lesson, we will explore the meaning of Charlotte Smith's 'To A Nightingale' by breaking the sonnet down into sections and carefully analysing the language Smith uses.

In this lesson, we will continue to examine Charlotte Smith's 'To A Nightingale' and consider how her use of rhetorical questions and symbolism convey her emotions to her reader.

In this lesson, we will look at the way Charlotte Smith writes about the themes of power and freedom in 'To A Nightingale', and consider how her poem might be a reflection of her own feelings at the time she was writing.