Unit II: Poetry HPSC English Literature College Lecturer Strategy

While many candidates find poetry in in HPSC English Literature College Lecturer exam’s syllabus intimidating due to its symbolic language and layered meanings, the right approach can make this unit your strongest asset.

The beauty of poetry questions lies in their predictable patterns – once you understand the framework, you can craft compelling answers that demonstrate both analytical depth and literary appreciation.

Building on Your Foundation

If you haven’t already, make sure to read our Unit I: Drama blog where we covered essential techniques for literary analysis and answer structuring. The foundational skills discussed there – understanding themes, character analysis, and textual evidence – apply equally to poetry. We’ve also created a detailed video guide that walks through these concepts step-by-step.

In this blog, we’ll provide you with proven templates, thematic breakdowns for each prescribed poem, and sample answers that follow HPSC’s marking criteria. By the end, you’ll have ready-made formats and the confidence to tackle any poetry question that appears on your exam.

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S.No.	Author/Poet	Works/Poems
1	Geoffrey Chaucer	The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
2	Edmund Spenser	The Faerie Queene
3	Philip Sidney	• Sonnet 1 (“Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show”) • Sonnet 2 (“Not at first sight, nor with a dribbed shot”) • Sonnet 31 (“It is most true that eyes are formed to serve”) • Sonnet 31 (“With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb’st the skies”) • Sonnet 39 (“Come Sleep! O Sleep, the certain knot of peace”)
4	William Shakespeare	• Sonnet 18 • Sonnet 24 • “Venus and Adonis”
5	John Donne	• “The Flea” • “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” • “The Ecstasy” • “The Good Morrow”
6	John Milton	Paradise Lost Book I
7	Andrew Marvell	“To His Coy Mistress”
8	John Dryden	Absalom and Achitophel
9	Alexander Pope	The Rape of the Lock
10	Samuel Johnson	“The Vanity of Human Wishes”
11	William Wordsworth	• “Tintern Abbey” • “Ode on the Intimations of Immortality”
12	Samuel Taylor Coleridge	“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
13	P. B. Shelley	• “Ode to West Wind” • “To a Skylark”
14	John Keats	• “Ode to a Nightingale” • “Ode on a Grecian Urn” • “Ode to Autumn”
15	Alfred, Lord Tennyson	• “The Lotus Eaters” • “Ulysses” • “In Memoriam A.H.H.”
16	Robert Browning	• “My Last Duchess” • “The Last Ride Together” • “Lost Mistress”
17	Matthew Arnold	• “Dover Beach” • “The Scholar-Gipsy”
18	D. G. Rossetti	• “The Blessed Damozel” • “The Portrait”
19	W.B. Yeats	• “The Second Coming” • “When You Are Old” • “A Prayer for My Daughter”
20	T. S. Eliot	• “The Waste Land” • “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
21	W. H. Auden	• “In Memory of W. B. Yeats” • “The Shield of Achilles”
22	Sylvia Plath	• “Daddy” • “Lady Lazarus”
23	Walt Whitman	• “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” • “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”
24	Emily Dickinson	• “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” • “Success is Counted Sweetest” • “I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed”
25	Nissim Ezekiel	• “Night of the Scorpion” • “Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T. S.” • “The Patriot” • “The Professor”
26	Kamala Das	• “The Freaks” • “A Hot Noon in Malabar” • “The Sunshine Cat” • “The Looking Glass”

Template

This proven 10-mark template breaks down poetry answers into six strategic components that examiners may reward, ensuring you maximize your scoring potential while covering all essential analytical elements.

1. Poet & Poem Identification (1 mark)

2. Literary Devices/Techniques (2 marks)

3. Language and Dialogue (1.5 marks)

4. Theme Analysis (1.5 marks)

5. Historical/Period Context (1.5 marks)

6. Conclusion (1 mark)

1. Poet & Poem Identification (1 mark)

This opening section secures you an easy mark by correctly identifying the poet and poem from the given stanza. HPSC typically provides 4-6 lines from any poem stanza in the syllabus, and your task is to demonstrate immediate recognition.

Pro Tip: Use the Poem + Poet + Period/Genre formula for maximum impact:

“This stanza is from ‘[Poem Title]’ by [Poet Name]. This is a famous [period/genre] poem that deals with [main theme].”

Examples:

• “This stanza is from ‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ by Geoffrey Chaucer. This is a famous medieval poem that deals with social commentary and human nature.”
• “This stanza is from ‘Tintern Abbey’ by William Wordsworth. This is a famous Romantic poem that deals with nature and memory.”
• “This stanza is from ‘The Waste Land’ by T.S. Eliot. This is a famous modernist poem that deals with post-war disillusionment.”

2. Literary Devices/Techniques (2 marks)

Failed to recognise the poem? Here is Universal Backup Template (works for ANY poet):

“The poet uses imagery and symbolism to convey deeper meaning. There is metaphor and simile in describing _. The poet also employs alliteration and rhythm to create musical effect and enhance the theme.”

Recognised Stanza and Poem? Use These Ready-made templates:

Language and Dialogue (1.5 marks)

This section requires you to demonstrate understanding of how poets adapt their vocabulary and tone to suit their era, audience, and artistic goals.

Period-Specific Templates:

Medieval (Chaucer):
“The language is Middle English with archaic vocabulary. The tone is conversational yet satirical. The poet uses colloquial expressions suitable for the medieval period and pilgrimage theme.”

Renaissance (Sidney, Shakespeare, Spenser):
“The language is Elizabethan English with elaborate vocabulary. The tone is elevated and courtly. The poet uses sophisticated expressions suitable for the Renaissance period and royal court theme.”

Metaphysical (Donne, Marvell):
“The language is complex intellectual English with philosophical vocabulary. The tone is argumentative yet passionate. The poet uses learned expressions suitable for the 17th century and metaphysical theme.”

Neoclassical (Pope, Johnson, Dryden):
“The language is formal classical English with satirical vocabulary. The tone is witty yet critical. The poet uses balanced expressions suitable for the 18th century and social satire theme.”

Romantic (Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats):
“The language is simple natural English with emotional vocabulary. The tone is spontaneous and heartfelt. The poet uses common expressions suitable for the Romantic period and nature theme.”

Victorian (Tennyson, Browning, Arnold):
“The language is refined Victorian English with moral vocabulary. The tone is serious and reflective. The poet uses dignified expressions suitable for the Victorian period and social theme.”

Modern (Yeats, Eliot, Auden):
“The language is fragmented modern English with symbolic vocabulary. The tone is complex and alienated. The poet uses experimental expressions suitable for the modern period and crisis theme.”

Contemporary (Plath, Whitman, Dickinson, Ezekiel, Das):
“The language is direct contemporary English with personal vocabulary. The tone is confessional and honest. The poet uses authentic expressions suitable for the modern period and individual theme.”

Unable to identify language and dialogue? Safe backup: “The language suits the period and effectively conveys the poet’s message through appropriate word choice and tone.”

4. Theme Analysis (1.5 marks)

Identify 2-3 major themes from the above list present in the given stanza. Universal Themes in Poetry: Most poems in the syllabus explore these recurring human concerns:

• Love and relationships
• Death and mortality
• Nature and environment
• Social criticism
• Religious faith
• Individual vs society
• Time and change
• Beauty and art

5. Historical/Period Context (1.5 marks)

This section requires no detailed explanation since you’ve already qualified the screening test and are now preparing for the descriptive exam. You already possess comprehensive knowledge of all literary periods, historical backgrounds, and contextual information for every poet in the syllabus.

Note that this section comes after the first four headings because it provides the broader context that encompasses and explains the specific textual elements you’ve already analyzed – the poem’s devices, language, and themes all make sense within their historical and literary framework.

6. Conclusion

Needs no explanation!

Conclusion: Your Path to HPSC Literature Success

We have covered the complete all units with sample papers and comprehensive answers. By memorising and reading answers, you can confidently score maximum marks in any HPSC Literature Descriptive exam. Click here to get your copy of 800+ Pages.