20
noun) in the poem.
The use of (poetic technique/device/feature) helps to
bring out/present/convey/
express
…
The use of (poetic technique/device/feature)
foregrounds/highlights/emphasises/
accentuates
…
The word “…”
suggests/implies/connotes
…
D.
Writing Practice
Teachers may encourage students to approach the poem as an unseen text to practise
the steps of analysis and annotation, instead of relying on secondary sources or online
materials before formulating their own interpretation on the poem.
Teachers may advise students to take note of the year the poem was written or the year
of birth and death or the poet and bring in their understanding of the historical events,
literary and social conventions of the era to make sense of the poem. However, analysis
must still be based on close reading and evidence. Conclusions cannot be drawn from the
biographical and historical information. Textual support should be provided to
substantiate and justify points made in the analytical paragraph.
The table below suggests some ideas that students may cover in their analytical
paragraphs. They are by no means exhaustive and teachers should accept any other
reasonable interpretations and answers backed up by textual evidence.
Aspects
Suggested points
Content/subject and
theme(s)
Beauty of nature (i.e. a peaceful autumn scene at Coole
Lake)
The passion and energy of the swans vs. the aging weary
soul of the speaker
Passage of time and transience of humans
Permanence and immortality of nature as represented
by the ever lively swans
Speaker, tone and
voice
The speaker is an aging man who visited the lake 19
years ago
Calm, serene and placid tone in Stanza 1
Tone gets nostalgic and sentimental in Stanza 2
More melancholic and poignant tone from Stanza 3
onwards as he laments his aging and loss of energy
Envious and admiring tone in Stanza 4
A sense of regret and loss in the tone towards the end of
the last stanza
Setting and
Set in the woodland beside a lake at twilight, on a dry