Narrowing down the 2011 English Poetry Course

biggaman

Hey guys,

We're just finishing up our last poet in class.. so I guess it's high time i decided which ones I'm actually going to study.

We've studied Yeats, Dickinson, Boland, Rich and Kavanagh.

I don't find poetry interesting in the slightest, so I'm just wondering, is there any way I could narrow down these rather than having to learn all 5, and if so, what do you think would be the safest way to do it so I don't end up getting stuck with a horrible question in June?

Cheers

Violafy

It seems quite ridiculous that you've done three who came up last year, as it's 99% likely that no more than one of Yeats, Kavanagh and Rich will come up - if any of them do at all. Out of those five, definitely concentrate on Boland and Dickinson.

J_E

Only ones we're not doing are Hopkins and Rich.

higgz

Teacher is advising us to learn 3. I'm going with Boland, Frost and Wordsworth.

Sunny!!

Learn the 3 woman anyway! And i guarantee that one of the poets that came up last year will come up again:P:

Ayrtonf7

Apparently Wordsworth is a sure. But like to be honest, you cant really 100% predict, ever =/

Hmmm this is Wordsworths last year and hes never come up before. But they may just not put him up for the sake of not putting him up...

tom thum

Ayrtonf7 wrote: »

Apparently Wordsworth is a sure. But like to be honest, you cant really 100% predict, ever =/

Hmmm this is Wordsworths last year and hes never come up before. But they may just not put him up for the sake of not putting him up...

In fairness though, i dont think they would be out to trick us either. Im a mature student sitting my english. Im doing the PASS paper. Anyone have any opinion on the poetry section? What has ur teacher advised etc.? Cos id prefer to learn as little of it as possible. Thanks.

Ayrtonf7

Hmm there really is no way to 100% to predict the paper. If you were willing to set for like a 90% or something chance, then just learn the three women poets.

Once has come up nearly every year. (apparently It has something to do with sexisim?)

readystudypass

Ayrtonf7 wrote: »

this is Wordsworths last year

He's on the LC 2013 syllabus http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=17216&pcategory=17216&ecategory=17233&sectionpage=&subject=17601&language=EN&link=&page=

Shane101

I'm doing Boland, Dickinson and Hopkins.

ApeLove

Kavanagh and Yeats were both on last year so it seems unlikely that they'll come up again...I would concentrate on the three women. Boland might come up after all last year's controversy, but possibly with a really difficult question?
I'm concentrating on Dickinson, although I don't really like her work. Also studying Boland ans Frost, and skimming Kavanagh and Yeats.

teenagedream

In general for this year I would say:
Dickinson
Hopkins
Wordsworth
Frost.

biggaman

thanks for the input guys I know yeah, bit ridiculous the poets our teacher has chosen t study but sure just have to deal with that think ill focus on the 3 women poets anyways, surely one will come up again, I'm sure if it didn't everyone would be goin mental about anyways!

AislingMarie

I have a feeling that both Boland and Dickinson will be on the paper...
Boland as the Irish poet and Dickinson as the female!...

I also doubt that Rich will be on the paper I'm 99.9% sure she won't be there.

I'm doing Boland Dickinson, Wordsworth and Frost.

If I were you (planning to study the 3 females) I wouldn't bother with Rich and I'd study either Frost or Wordsworth instead.If you only want to study 3 poets that is!

There should be a female poet on but there is no rule that there has to be so I'd recommend you keep that in mind also.
If possible I'd say don't answer on a female because so many people just do females so it would make sense that the standard of the answer on Boland or Dickinson will be higher.

It's up to yourself of course!
Just my advice but sure I'm in the same boat as you.
I'm just praying for a nice paper in June!
Best of luck!=)x

Bottleopener

Most likely would be 4 of Boland, Dickinson, Frost, Wordsworth, Hopkins. In reality, this probably won't happen - and I'd guess that at least one of the ones that came up last year will come up. Rich is looking so unlikely right now that I have a horrible feeling they might sneak her on two years in a row.

Anyway, the only advice I can give is study 5 poets - that way you can't possibly be caught out. Even if you have some prepared in more detail than others, just go in with 5 prepared to be safe.

xclw

to be honest i wouldn't bother with yeats or kavanagh, they were both up last year i know that doesn't rule them out but i personally wouldn't.

you could always chance the 3 female poets but at the same time it is the leaving cert and i wouldn't take a risk.

i think boland will be a cert but her question will be really hard and awkward.
wordsworth hasn't come up and he's relatively easy to answer on.
frost isn't the hardest either.
hopkins is new to the course so i think he'll pop up.

surfergirl92

You know,I think if no female poet were to come up on the paper, Rich wouldn't be too happy!!:rolleyes:

I'm personally covering 4 poets:
Frost ( I actually like his poetry )
Boland ( Ugh,really doesn't appeal to me )
Rich ( Quite Repetitive,but ok )
Dickinson ( Quite an interesting mind she had eh!Bit depressing at times..)

So,one is gonna come up.I mean,it has to.:)If Hopkins,Wordsworth ( how much are his words worth? ) Sorry couldn't resist.:p Yeats and then X,were the poets to show up. X being one of the other 4.You'd still be covered.I don't plan to spend the valuable time I have left,learning reels of poetry,when it's only worth a small fraction of the marks compared to other areas.

Sunny!!

3 woman and yere sorted:D

biggaman

Cheers for the advice guys, I think i'm gonna go with the 3 women and then Yeats to a lesser extend, already have notes done for him so it's not that big a deal
Does that actually cover me to be guaranteed a question then or am I still leaving it that there may be a chance I don't get a question?

Salty

biggaman wrote: »

Cheers for the advice guys, I think i'm gonna go with the 3 women and then Yeats to a lesser extend, already have notes done for him so it's not that big a deal
Does that actually cover me to be guaranteed a question then or am I still leaving it that there may be a chance I don't get a question?

You have to study 5 to be guaranteed a poet, but you should be safe enough with your choices.:)

babsgirl

wordsworth,hopkins,boland and frost?:)

Bottleopener

Basically if you study 4 poets you've a 69/70 chance of being covered, assuming that the probability of each poet coming up is equal (people would argue this isn't the case, but calculations are easier this way :P)

If you study 5 you're guaranteed a poet.

If you study 3 the probability is 13/14

2 is 11/14

1 is 1/2

So basically your odds get progressively worse as the numbers studied go down :P. You don't want to be going into your Leaving Cert gambling, so just cover 5 and make sure there's no chance you are caught out :pac:

sarah.

biggaman wrote: »

Cheers for the advice guys, I think i'm gonna go with the 3 women and then Yeats to a lesser extend, already have notes done for him so it's not that big a deal
Does that actually cover me to be guaranteed a question then or am I still leaving it that there may be a chance I don't get a question?

I think you should go with Dickinson and Boland and if you like Rich! But Yeats was on last year so if I was you I'd so Frost maybe? Just a suggestion but you'll almost certainly be covered with what you have! Best of luck whatever happens!

MikeHough

whatre the chances of dis question comin up for G.man:
write an essay with the following heading:"Introducing Gerard Manley Hopkins"

seein as its his first year on the course like. i think twud be fairly fitting dont ye?

Salty

Bottleopener wrote: »

Most likely would be 4 of Boland, Dickinson, Frost, Wordsworth, Hopkins. In reality, this probably won't happen - and I'd guess that at least one of the ones that came up last year will come up. Rich is looking so unlikely right now that I have a horrible feeling they might sneak her on two years in a row.

Anyway, the only advice I can give is study 5 poets - that way you can't possibly be caught out. Even if you have some prepared in more detail than others, just go in with 5 prepared to be safe.

It would be fitting alright. But, according to my English teacher, the one thing that's definitely becoming more obvious in the HL paper in the last few years, is how increasingly specific the questions are getting.
There's no such thing as "Give your response to..." anymore.
Just learn the themes and you'll be grand.:P

Violafy

MikeHough wrote: »

whatre the chances of dis question comin up for G.man:
write an essay with the following heading:"Introducing Gerard Manley Hopkins"

seein as its his first year on the course like. i think twud be fairly fitting dont ye?

He was on the 2004 course, so no. :rolleyes: Anyway, it's unlikely that that would come up, because the questions for the last few years have gotten much more specific. I think it's more likely that something particular will be asked, eg the question on my mock paper was about how he celebrates the spirituality of the natural world or something. Although it'd be nice if he stayed away from the exam completely.

Bottleopener

I think they're basically doing that to stop people just spitting out sample answers :P

MikeHough

Violafy wrote: »

He was on the 2004 course, so no. :rolleyes: Anyway, it's unlikely that that would come up, because the questions for the last few years have gotten much more specific. I think it's more likely that something particular will be asked, eg the question on my mock paper was about how he celebrates the spirituality of the natural world or something. Although it'd be nice if he stayed away from the exam completely.

well dis guy is wrong so:

xclw wrote: »

hopkins is new to the course so i think he'll pop up.

thats what i was goin on.

ps i think hopkins is alrite

nommm

I hope Boland, Dickinson or Frost come up. I've also learnt Yeats and Kavanagh but I hate answering questions on them.

Salty

nommm wrote: »

I hope Boland, Dickinson or Frost come up. I've also learnt Yeats and Kavanagh but I hate answering questions on them.

I'm hoping for Boland or Wordsworth. They're so easy to answer questions on:)
I'm with you about Yeats and Kavanagh though, especially Kavanagh. Hate his work, hate writing about his work.:pac:

biggaman

After being out last night I haven't the patience to structure this reply properly and quote each post correctly so apologies for that

Well, the reason I chose those 4 poets is simple really, the 5 we have studied are Boland/Rich/Dickinson/Yeats/Kavanagh.

I don't have the personal ability/notes/time in english to study a new poet from scratch.. I honestly don't find poetry of any poet one bit interesting.

So I have good sets of notes done out for Yeats previously. And seeing as the 3 women poets are probably the next 3 likely (of the poets I have studied) to come up.. that is why I decided on those 4!

Probably Boland/Dickinson/Rich/Yeats in that order for emphasis on study btw

Thanks sarah., _meehan_ and Bottleopener for the replies! I can see you'll obviously be doing the probability question in the Maths Bottleopener :P