Exploring Romantic poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how poets reflect the tropes of Romanticism.
Key learning points
- Romanticism arose from a conflicted time for society.
- Romanticism prioritised ideas of revolution, inspired by France.
- Romanticism focuses on subjective individual experiences.
- Romanticism displays affinity with or appreciation of nature.
Keywords
Romanticism - a cultural movement of the 18th and 19th centuries emphasising emotion, nature, and individualism
Trope - a common theme or device used repeatedly in literature or art
Affinity - a natural liking or connection to something or someone
Convention - a traditional or widely accepted way of doing something
Revolution - a significant change or overthrow of a system, often in politics or society
Common misconception
Students might think Romantic poems are only about love and beauty.
Romantic poems also explore deep emotions, the sublime in nature, individualism and sometimes darker themes like sorrow and longing, reflecting the complexity of human experience.
Teacher tip
If you have previously explored the 'Gothic' with students it may be worth using this in your initial discussions setting out what 'Romanticism' is and the crossover it has with certain parts of the 'Gothic' movement.
Equipment
Students will need access to the AQA 'Love and Relationships' anthology for Learning Cycle 2's Practice Task.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a proper noun?
Q2.Why is it important to consider the wider historical context of a literary text in your analysis?
Q3.Match each of these poems from the AQA Love and Relationships anthology to the person who wrote them.
Seamus Heaney
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Daljit Nagra
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Q4.What is emotive language?
Q5.Which of the following are examples of first-person pronouns?
Q6.What is being described here: 'A traditional or widely accepted way of doing something.'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When did the Romantic period occur?
Q2.Complete the missing word: 'Romantic literature often focused on __________ experience.'
Q3.Complete the missing word: 'Romantic literature often emphasised an affinity with __________.'
Q4.Which of the below are common tropes of Romanticism?
Q5.Which of the below poems from the 'Love and Relationships' anthology can be considered 'Romantic'?
Q6.Look at the opening of Byron's 'When We Two Parted': "When we two parted, In silence and tears, Half broken-hearted, To sever for years". What Romantic tropes does this opening contain?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Exploring Romantic poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Exploring Romantic poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
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