Little poems in English. History of English poetry
The English language is very melodic and pleasant to the ear, and therefore its study can easily be called an exciting activity. But if you are a beginner, and it is still a very, very long time to reach the pinnacle of mastery, over time, learning English may cease to bring joy, and lessons - or rather, self-study will become less interesting and productive. To prevent this risk, there is effective method which in all respects is suitable for both children and adults. It's about learning English through poetry in English - that's where the really diverse vocabulary comes in!
Studying poetry in English is not easy, but at the same time it has several advantages:
- You will immediately learn a lot of new words, which, thanks to the presence of rhyme, are not difficult to memorize and master;
- You see how sentences are formed - knowing each word separately will help less in life than the ability to express a thought in English words;
- You get to know creativity English language- in particular, the work of famous American and British poets, who gave the world poems in english that have become widely known.
Poems of poets
If you decide to look for poems in English to learn it faster, you will most likely look for them on the Internet or in a library. In both cases, it is the poems of famous poets that are the first thing that comes to your hand.
Through the use of beautiful poems in English in teaching, it turns out that it is most effective to replenish the literary stock, and at the same time remember for yourself the existing grammatical rules and constructions. Even if the verse does not differ in special sizes, it will be of great service in learning the language, and the learning process itself will bring absolute pleasure.
Nevertheless, when starting to study English poetry, be sure to understand an important point for yourself - it will be easier for an adult to learn poetry in English than for a child. The main reason for this is more developed intellectual abilities and memory. Therefore, if a small child is engaged in English lessons, you should not try to learn the language through the poems of famous poets. For this case, short children's poems, which we will discuss later in the article, will be effective.
As for the poems that are the creation of real British poets, you can find some nuances in them. First, remember that poetry is predominantly an artistic style, and mastering it will be useful for scientific purposes. If you are learning a language for everyday conversational use, use this option, but at the same time think about more suitable ones.
Another nuance that is important to know about when taking on English poetry is that authors can use abbreviations in poems, so be prepared for the fact that you will not immediately understand every word, as well as the meaning of individual sentences.
To be convinced of the beauty of English poetry, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the work of several poets known for their poems. We offer their poems in English with translation — try to check for yourself whether you understand the meaning of the poem correctly.
Lord Byron's poem
Byron is one of the most popular representatives of English poetry. The famous "Sun of the Sleepless" is a perfect example of melodic poetry with deep meaning. The poem was written at the end of 1814, and after that it was completely set to music.
Sun of the Sleepless!
Sun of the sleepless! melancholy star!
(Sleepless sun, sad star)
Whose tearful beam glows tremulously far!
(How tearfully your beam always flickers),
That show's the darkness thou canst not dispel,
(How the darkness is even darker with him),
How like art thou to joy remember'd well!
(How it resembles the joy of former days)!
So gleams the past, the light of other days,
(So the past shines on us in the night of life)
which shines, but warms not with its powerless rays;
(But powerless rays do not warm us),
A nightbeam Sorrow watcheth to behold,
(The star of the past is so visible to me in grief),
Distinct, but distant - clear - but, oh how cold!
(Visible, but far away - bright, but cold)!
English poetry by Charlotte Brontë
Mine own style and special melody can be traced in the work of Charlotte Brontë. The British novelist poetess is often found in English textbooks today, because her poems are the best suited for mastering foreign vocabulary. Try to read the following poem aloud and figure out what its sentences are about:
LIFE, believe, is not a dream
(Believe that life is not a dream game)
So dark as sages say;
(Not fairy tales dark forest).
Oft a little morning rain
(How often light rain in the morning)
Foretells a pleasant day.
(He promises us a day of miracles)!
Sometimes there are clouds of glow
(Let the sky look gloomy) -
But these are transient all;
(The clouds will rush);
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
(And a shower of roses will revive)
Why lament its fall?
(withered slightly).
Rapidly, merrily,
(Crazy, irrevocable)
Life's sunny hours fly by
(The days of life are leaving);
Gratefully, cheerily,
(Cheerful, pleasant),
Enjoy them as they fly!
(They will leave us).
What though death at times steps in
(So what if death is always)
And calls our best away?
(Goes after life)?
What though sorrow seems to win
(After all, trouble seems terrible),
O'er hope, a heavy sway?
(When there is no hope)
Yet hope again elastic springs,
(Hope in spite of difficulties)
Unconquered, though she fell;
(We are held by every moment);
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
(She is the wing of calm)
Still strong to bear us well.
(And a spring of fresh strength).
Manfully, fearlessly
(Although many and difficult)
The day of trial bear,
(Obstacles will meet here),
For gloriously, victoriously,
(But nice and wonderful)
Can courage quell despair!
(Years of life are waiting for us)!
Short poems
Now that you already have an idea of \u200b\u200breal British poems, it's time to decide where to start learning poems in english with small children. Agree, the above poems were difficult even for your perception - so there is no doubt that a novice child cannot cope with such a volume of information. In this regard, the best option is the gradual development of short poems that use the simplest words and phrases. Often in books that involve independent study of a foreign language, those poems are specially published where the words are easy to pronounce and, in principle, light and often encountered - so it will be easier for the child to understand the meaning of the poem.
Analyze small size poems in english which are offered below. Will you be able to quickly understand the meaning of the poem on your own - or will you need additional help in this?
Snow on the ground.
(Snow on the ground).
Snow on the tree.
(Snow on the trees).
Snow on the house.
(Snow on the house).
(Snow on me)!
Just a few words mentioned in the poem, without any extra effort and without much difficulty, formed into melodic sentences in a rhymed version!
And here is another version of a short poem in English for memorization:
The leaves are falling
(Leaves are falling)
(In sequence).
(Summer is over)
School's begun.
(School has started).
The proposed version of the poem is light and exciting. it perfect option for learning English in elementary grades!
By the same principle, you can compose or find many more poems. A complete meaning, accessible to understanding, can be made up of only four lines of a poem. If the child does not have difficulties with quatrains, one can gradually take on longer poems:
(on a summer day)
has rain or sun,
(It happens rain or shine).
(But anyway),
(It's fun).
to stand in the rain
(Stand in the rain)
That's pouring down
(which pours from the sky),
(Or lie under the sun)
That paints me brown.
(Sunbathe).
The more poems you and your child can master, the more vocabulary and previously unknown words will remain in memory. Therefore, do not stop there - periodically study new poems in english- both children's short ones and more professional ones from real poets.
Congratulations in verse
Probably, in life, absolutely every person sooner or later faces the need to congratulate someone close on an important holiday. And it’s good if this is a person living in your country - in this case it’s not difficult to compose and beautifully present congratulations.
Nevertheless, there are more and more situations when you need to congratulate a person “abroad” on an important date. If one of your relatives and friends lives in an English-speaking country, be prepared to congratulate him not in Russian, but in your "native" English - and you must definitely prepare for this in advance.
Any person, be it a relative, colleague, partner, client, will be pleased to receive English congratulations. This is an original way to emphasize your predisposition and strengthen trusting relationships. And given that English is the most common and popular language in the world, it is doubly necessary to know and be able to compose congratulations in English. Besides, what if not congratulations in English - the perfect way to demonstrate your knowledge and success in learning the language!
You can decide for yourself whether this congratulation will be in prose or in poetic form. However, we guarantee that a poetic greeting will make a double sensation - after all, you need to spend twice as much time and effort on this. Your relatives or friends will definitely appreciate such a gesture.
We bring to your attention several common congratulations in English in poetic form. For example - a beautiful and pleasant birthday greeting:
Birthday girl, today's your day!
(Birthday girl, today is your day)!
Time to eat cake, sing songs and play!
(Time to eat cake, sing songs and play).
There are so many ways to have birthday fun.
(There are so many ways to have fun on your birthday).
Here's hoping you get to do every one!
(I hope you try them all)!
Another version of a creative poetic congratulation in English is given below:
Have an amazing birthday!
(May your birthday be amazing)
Have a wonderful life every day
(May every day life seem beautiful)
May you have plans for success
(And all things are shrouded in amazing success),
And try to avoid making a mess.
(You avoid polemics in vain).
Save problems with the "cold" reaction,
(You look at all the problems calmly)
Take from love hot satisfaction.
(And enjoy the passion from love).
May all dreams really come true!
(All dreams come true let them worthy)!
All the best! happy birthday to you!
(Best birthday, Se lja Vi)!
Why do you need to know English poems?
So, we have seen with you that English poems exist in a wide variety of variants and can have the most diverse purpose. Poems themselves are an integral part in the culture of every country and in every language. Using the poetic form, you can creatively express emotions and feelings, in addition, poems are always full of verbal variety. And rhyme, which is the main feature in any poem, helps to memorize words and set expressions in the best possible way. In English, both beginners and those who have been mastering the language for a long time use the poetic form for development. The more verses you learn, the more words remain in your memory - and in combination with various other words, they can acquire new meanings and meanings.
It does not matter at what age you start learning the language, but it is recommended to start classes as early as childhood. From an early age, you will be able to remember more information, although at first it will be given with great difficulty. Therefore, if your child has started learning English, offer him as many interesting exercises as possible. Small nursery rhymes can be an excellent basis for effective practice.
Finally, here are the main reasons why poetry in English is not only possible, but also necessary to study:
- All learned poems are to some extent deposited in long-term memory, which gives positive results in vocabulary replenishment;
- Each traditional poem contains patterns for constructing English sentences. The language is unique in that it has a clear order in which the members of a sentence are used. Thus, you learn in verse not only vocabulary, but also master grammar;
- By studying poems in a foreign language, you help develop memory and learn associative thinking. Poems in Russian are not always easy to come by, and for convenience we use associations, comparing words with certain pictures “in our head”. The same thing happens in English speech- this will certainly have a positive effect on your intellectual abilities.
Finally, learning English in poetic form is always interesting and fun! Many poems are playful and positive in their content. Such poems will help improve and improve the emotional mood, charge everyone with optimism, which means they will do their own, positive work in advancing linguistics. In schools, higher educational institutions also always practice a way of learning the language through the study of poems, allowing students to independently choose a poem to their liking.
It is not difficult to learn poetry in English. Look for simple poems right now and try to learn a few - just imagine with what pride you will recite the first English verse to your family and friends! We wish you success in your endeavors. And then - more: try to compose your own poem in English.
English-language poetry cannot be imagined without Robert Frost.
"Robert Lee Frost" Robert Lee Frost, March 26, 1874, San Francisco - January 29, 1963, Boston) - one of the largest poets in US history, four times Pulitzer Prize winner, ”says Wikipedia.
I will not bore the reader with a detailed biography of the author, if you wish, you can easily find it yourself in the same Wikipedia. Let's talk about the work of Robert Frost. AT world culture firmly entered his work called “ The Road Not Taken". This philosophical and at the same time very simple poem speaks of the problem of choice and the decisions that everyone needs to make. In American schools and universities, he is often quoted at graduation ceremonies, wishing yesterday's pupils and students good luck in choosing a life path:
two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted to wear;
Thought as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubt if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
There are many versions of the artistic translation of this poem. Very often, novice authors and translators try their hand at this particular work. I want to bring to your attention the translation of Grigory Kruzhkov.
Another road
In the autumn forest, at the fork in the road,
I stood, thinking, at the turn;
There were two ways, and the world was wide,
However, I could not split
And something had to be done.
I chose the road that led to the right
And, turning, disappeared into the thicket.
Unworn, or something, she was
And more, it seemed to me, overgrown;
And yet, both were overgrown.
And both beckoned, pleasing to the eye
Dry yellowness of loose foliage.
I left the other in reserve,
Although I guessed at that hour,
That it is unlikely that a chance will come back.
Still I will remember sometime
Far this forest morning:
After all, there was another way before me,
But I decided to turn right -
And that solved everything else.
It's interesting that " The Road Not Taken” more than once hit the screens in movies. Here is an excerpt from the movie "Dead Poets Society" (" Dead Poets Society”), in which the new eccentric teacher John Keating, whose methods of teaching literature are very different from the traditional ones, tells his students about the importance of the ability to make their own choices, to find themselves, to reflect, not to conform to conventional wisdom just because everyone else does.
Another poem that I want to talk about today is called “ If” and written by Rudyard Kipling.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream and not make dreams your master;
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you"ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build "em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
to serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds" worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And-which is more-you "ll be a Man, my son!
There are also many literary translations of this poem. Different authors also translated the title of the poem in different ways: “If”, “Testament”, “Commandment”, “When” ... The most famous are the translations of S. Ya. Marshak and M. L. Lozinsky. And most of all I liked the translation that I found in LiveJournal. - here you can get acquainted with the author, but for now I will share with you her excellent translation.
If you don't lose your head,
Though everyone is crazy, blaming you for that,
If you completely trust yourself,
At the same time, loving their critics;
If you know how to wait tirelessly,
Or, being slandered, do not lie,
Or, hatred forgiving patiently,
Do not try to show superiority;
If you dream, you are not enslaved by a dream,
If you think not for the sake of thoughts themselves,
Kohl, having met with Triumph and Trouble,
You will equally doubt them;
Kohl endure, when your own word,
Having altered, they will feed fools,
Or the ruined business of life again
With dried glue, fasten in pieces;
If you are able to put everything at stake,
Risking everything that I managed to win,
And, having lost, return to the start,
Without making it clear that he regretted it;
If you make the heart, nerve and veins
Serve you, though they can no longer bear,
Though everything in you is dead, only Will with power
He repeats: "Hold on!" in order to help them;
If you remember who you are, talking to the crowd,
With kings you do not lose simplicity,
If an enemy or friend has no power over you,
If you appreciate everyone, without preferences, you;
If you know the importance of each second,
Like a sprinter running
Then you receive the whole Earth as a gift,
And above all, son, you are a Man!
Another author I can't help mentioning is Adrian Mitchell ( Adrian Mitchell 24 October 1932 – 20 December 2008), British poet, writer and playwright. He is often called the British Mayakovsky, since the social problems of society, as well as historical events, often became the theme for Mitchell's work. The author's works are almost always very ironic. In 2003, Adrian Mitchell re-read his famous lines from “ To whom it may concern”:
I was running over by the truth one day.
Ever since the accident I"ve walked this way
So stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Heard the alarm clock screaming with pain,
Couldn't find myself so I went back to sleep again
So fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Every time I shut my eyes all I see is flames.
Made a marble phone book and I carved out all the names
So coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
I smell something burning, hope it's just my brains.
They're only dropping peppermints and daisy-chains
So stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Where were you at the time of the crime?
Down by the Cenotaph drinking slime
So chain my tongue with whiskey
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
You put your bombers in, you put your conscience out,
You take the human being and you twist it all about
So scrub my skin with women
Chain my tongue with whiskey
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
I invite you to listen to this poem performed by the author himself:
One day the truth knocked me down
And I've been walking around crippled since that day
So fill my legs with plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
I heard the alarm clock, he squealed in pain
I did not comprehend myself and dozed off again
So put pearls in my ears
Fill my legs with plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
I close my eyes and see one fire
I made a marble directory of all names
So glue my eyelids with honey
Put pearls in my ears
Fill my legs with plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Something is smoking, I hope my brains
Flower petals scatter from them
So stuff my nostrils with onions
Glue my eyelids with honey
Put pearls in my ears
Fill my legs with plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
Where were you at the time of the crime?
Near the Cenotaph *
mud kneaded?
So hammer my whiskey jaw
Stuff my nostrils with onions
Glue my eyelids with honey
Put pearls in my ears
Fill my legs with plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
To the bombers! Don't blame yourself
All human carefully wring out
And scrape my skin with a woman
Forge my whiskey jaw
Stuff my nostrils with onions
Glue my eyelids with honey
Put pearls in my ears
Fill my legs with plaster
Tell me lies about Vietnam.
*Cenotaph- a monument to the British who died in the First World War.
Translation by Kirill Medvedev.
My favorite piece by Adrian Mitchell is “ The Castaways or Vote for the Caliban” This is a cheerful, amusing and at the same time subtle philosophical poem without rhyme. It tells about people who ended up on a desert island. Each of them quickly found something to their liking. I dared to translate.
A Pacific Ocean-
A blue demi-globe.
Islands like punctuation marks.
A cruising airliner;
Passengers unwrapping pats of butter.
A hurricane arises
Tosses the plane into the sea.
Five of them flung onto an island beach
Survived.
Pacific Ocean -
blue hemisphere
Below, like punctuation marks, islands,
The plane is buzzing.
Passengers rustle oil wrappers.
Suddenly a hurricane is coming
He throws the plane into the ocean.
Five passengers
Cast ashore on the sandy shore
Saved.
Tom the reporter.
Susan the botanist.
Jim the high jump champion.
Bill the carpenter.
Mary the eccentric widow.
Reporter Vol.
Botanist Susan.
Jim, high jump champion.
Carpenter Bill.
And the eccentric widow Mary.
Tom the reporter sniffed out a stream of drinkable water.
Susan the botanist identified the banana tree.
Jim the high-jump champion jumped up and down and gave them each a bunch.
Bill the carpenter knocked up a table for their banana supper.
Mary the eccentric widow buried the banana skins, but only after they had asked her twice.
Reporter Tom immediately knew where to look for drinking water.
Botanist Susan easily recognized the banana tree.
The champion jumper, Jim, picked a bunch of bananas from the top.
Carpenter Bill made a table for their banana dinner.
Mary, an eccentric widow, buried the banana skins, but only after being asked to do so twice.
They all gathered sticks and lit a fire.
There was an incredible sunset.
Next morning they held a committee meeting.
Tom, Susan, Jim and Bill
Voted to make the best of things.
Mary, the eccentric widow, abstained.
They were all looking for firewood, and then they lit a fire.
The sunset was incredible.
The next morning they held a meeting.
Tom, Susan, Jim and Bill
We voted on how best to arrange everything.
Mary, an eccentric widow, abstained.
Tom the reporter killed several dozen wild pigs.
Tanned their skins into parchment
And printed the Island News with the ink of squids.
Susan the botanist developed the new strains of banana
Which tasted of chocolate, beefsteak, peanut butter,
Chicken and boot polish.
Reporter Tom killed several dozen wild pigs,
Made parchment out of their skins
And wrote on it in octopus ink the news of the island.
Botanist Susan has developed new varieties of bananas,
Flavored with chocolate, steaks, peanut butter,
Chicken and shoe polish.
Jim the high jump champion organized organized games
Which he always won easily.
Bill the carpenter constructed a wooden water wheel
And converted the water "s energy into electricity
Using iron ore from the hills, he constructed lamppost.
They're all worried about Mary, the eccentric widow,
Her lack of confidence and her-
But there wasn't time to coddle her.
Jumping champion Jim organized sports competitions,
And henceforth they easily won.
Carpenter Bill built a wooden water wheel
And he began to turn the energy of water into electricity
With the help of iron ore, he built a street lamp.
Everyone was worried about Mary, the eccentric widow,
For her self-doubt -
But anyway, there was no time to babysit her.
The volcano erupted, but they dug a trench
And diverted the lava into the sea
Where it found a spectacular pier
They were attacked by the pirates but defeated them
With bamboo bazookas firing
Sea-urchins packed with home-made nitro-glycerin.
There was a volcanic eruption, but they dug a trench,
sent lava into the sea
Where she, frozen, became a beautiful marina.
They were attacked by pirates, but they defeated them.
With bamboo bazookas
What was shot sea urchins with homemade nitroglycerin.
They gave the cannibals a dose of their own medicine
And survived an earthquake thanks to their skill in jumping.
Tom had been a court reporter
So he became a magistrate and solved disputes
Susan the Botanist established
A University which also served as a museum.
Jim the high-jump champion
Was put in charge of law enforcement
Jumped on them when they were bad.
Bill the carpenter built himself a church,
Preached there every Sunday.
They treated the cannibals to their new medicine
Survived the earthquake thanks to the ability to jump.
Tom used to report from the courtroom,
Therefore, he became a judge and settled all disputes.
Botanist Susan founded the university,
Which also serves as a museum.
High jump champion led
Law enforcement -
With a swoop, he stopped any disobedience.
Carpenter Bill built himself a church
I read sermons there on Sundays.
But Mary the eccentric widow...
Each evening she wandered down the island "s main street,
Past the Stock Exchange, the Houses of Parliament,
The prison and the arsenal.
Past the Prospero Souvenir Shop,
Past the Robert Louis Stevenson Movie Studios, past the Daniel Defoe Motel
She nervously wandered and sat on the end of the pier of lava,
breathing heavy,
As if at a loss,
As if at a lover
She opened her eyes wide
To the usual incredible sunset.
Only Mary, the eccentric widow...
Every evening she wandered through the central streets of the island,
Past the currency exchange, past the Parliament House,
Past the prison, past the armory
Past the Robert Louis Stevenson Motion Picture Studios, past the Daniel Dafoe motel.
She wandered nervously and then sat down on the edge of the lava jetty.
Breathing heavily,
As if confused
As if looking at a lover
Wide eyed
She contemplated the usual incomparable sunset.
This poem leaves questions, but does not provide answers. In a sense, it is about all of us, about what we do and why we do it. The fact that each of us lives in his own world, and for all the fuss we sometimes do not even notice that these worlds of ours most often do not intersect. Maybe that's how it should be, or maybe it shouldn't be. Someone recognizes himself in the workaholic Susan, someone is closer to the rogue reporter Jim, and someone is always looking for himself as Mary, not understanding stereotyped values and disturbing those around him with his melancholy.
Of course, my story about poets writing in English can be continued endlessly. There are still many outstanding names not named. Among them are William Shakespeare, and Edgar Allan Poe, and Charlotte Bronte, and William Wadsworth, and Edward Lear ... I can only hope that with my story I have awakened the curiosity of readers, and perhaps someone will want to continue the study of English-language poetry himself.
If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
The history of English poetry lasts from the middle of the 7th century to the present day. During this time, English poets won recognition in Europe, and their poems spread throughout the globe. The earliest poems of the region now called England, with a high degree probabilities were transmitted orally, so they have not survived to our time, and the dating of early poetry is complex and often contradictory. The first surviving manuscripts date back to the 10th century. Poetry in those days was written in Latin, Brittonic (the forerunner of Welsh) and Old Irish. Presumably, it was created already at the beginning of the VI century. The surviving verses in Anglo-Saxon, the immediate predecessor of modern English, may possibly date back to the 7th century.
With the development of trade and the growth of the influence of the British Empire, English began to be widely used outside of England. In the 21st century, only a small percentage of English speakers live in England, and outside the country there are a huge number of native speakers who are able to write poetry. Under the influence of English, national poetry developed in a number of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India. Since 1921, Irish poetry has more often been seen as a separate line of study.
VII-X centuries
First famous work English poetry is a hymn about the Creation of the world. Bede attributes its authorship to Caedmon (created: 658-680), who, according to legend, was an illiterate shepherd and improvisational poet. As a rule, the history of Anglo-Saxon poetry is conducted from this starting point.
Poems from this period are often difficult to date or even chronologically, for example, the great epic Beowulf dates from 608 CE to 608 CE. e. up to the year 1000, and researchers have never come close to agreeing on this issue.
Most scholars agree that the most likely date for the creation of the Dream of the Rood is the 8th century. Fragments of it in the form of runes were carved on the Ruthwell Cross (dated to the 8th century or earlier). Presumably, poems dedicated to such historical events, like the Battle of Brunanburg (937) and the Battle of Maldon (991), were written shortly after these events and can be dated quite accurately. In general, however, Anglo-Saxon poetry is classified according to surviving sources rather than specific dates. The most important manuscripts of the late X - early XI centuries. - Cædmon manuscript, Vercelli Book, Codex Exoniensis (Exeter Book) and Beowulf manuscript (Nowell Codex). Beowulf is the only heroic epic that has survived in its entirety. Individual works (Waldere and Finnsburg Fragment) exist in excerpts. Other genres include spiritual poems, elegies, proverbs, riddles.
Anglo-Norman period and late Middle Ages
With the Norman conquest of England in the early 12th century, Anglo-Saxon as a literary language quickly fell into disuse. French became the official language of parliament, secular society and the courts. French dialect high society became Anglo-Norman, and Anglo-Saxon became so-called Middle English. Although Anglo-Norman or Latin was preferred among the intellectual elite, English literature did not die out at all, but continued to develop. At the turn of the thirteenth century, Layamon wrote the famous "Brutus" in Middle English. Other significant works of the transitional period include popular romances and songs. In time, English regained prestige, and in 1362 replaced French and Latin in Parliament and in the courts.
Since the 14th century, key works of English literature have been created. These include the works of the “poet Gawain” (Pearl Poet) “Pearl” (Pearl), “Patience” (Patience), “Purity” (Cleanness) and “Gawain and the Green Knight”; "Visions of Peter the Ploughman" (Piers Plowman) by Langland; "Confessions of a Lover" Gower; works of Chaucer, one of the most famous English poets of the Middle Ages. Scottish poetry flourished in the 15th century (James I, Robert Henryson, William Dunbar, Gavin Douglas).
Renaissance in England
The Renaissance in England began later than in other European countries. It is customary to limit it to a time frame from 1509 to the Restoration (1660). A number of factors paved the way for the introduction of new ideas long before the Renaissance: many medieval poets showed an interest in Aristotle and the works of the European predecessors of the Renaissance, in particular, in the work of Dante. The introduction of printing by William Caxton contributed to the rapid popularization of writers and thinkers. Caxton published the works of Chaucer and Gower, which reinforced the idea of inheriting the poetic tradition in connection with European counterparts. New ideas and methods were also carried in their writings by English humanists like Thomas More and Thomas Elyot. The establishment of the Church of England in 1535 hastened the expansion of the Catholic worldview that dominated intellectual and artistic life. At the same time, the long sea voyages made possible by the naval power of England provided the creators with new information and sources of inspiration.
The beginning of the 16th century, with a few exceptions, is not particularly noticeable in its poetic output. In 1513 Douglas completed the translation of Virgil's Aeneid. The poetry of John Skelton can be considered a transition between the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The most significant English poet of this period was Thomas Wyatt, who was one of the first to write sonnets in English.
Books
Drabble M., Stringer J. - Guide to English Literature-2003
Ionkis G.E. - English poetry of the XX century (1917-1945) - 1980
Dyakonova N.Ya. - English romanticism (From the history of world culture) - 1978
Jusserand J. - The history of the English people in its literature (History of the languages of the peoples of Europe) - 2009
David Hume. England under the House of Stuart
- volume 1
- volume 2
Mikhalskaya N.P. — History of English Literature — 2007
Dyakonova N.Ya. - From the history of English literature (Pax Britannica) - 2001
Kagarlitsky Yu.I. — Literature and theater of England in the eighteenth-twentieth centuries. Authors, plots, character-2006
Nowadays, children are taught foreign languages from an early age. Linguists note the high efficiency of early learning, provided the right approach to classes. Lessons for children must necessarily take place in the format of the game, which is facilitated by bright educational materials, funny songs, funny quizzes. One of the methods of early "study" is considered poetry in English for children, which helps to quickly memorize words and phrases. He will talk about them in today's material. Let's give simple English rhymes for kids, learn colors in poetic form with preschoolers, and learn the basics of the present simple with primary school students. Let's start studying!
Before engaging in any activity, you need to understand what benefits it brings. If we talk about the impact of poems with English words for children, then we can highlight several important functions. Among them:
- Formation of interest in the language;
- Memory development;
- Easy and interesting vocabulary learning;
- Practicing the correct pronunciation of words.
In addition, through reading poetry, an initial acquaintance with the grammatical construction of phrases occurs. It is clear that the rhyme will not replace the study of grammar rules, but due to a good example, the child will be able to independently begin to build similar phrases and expressions.
And of course, poems in English introduce children to poetry, instill a sense of the rhythm of the language and teach them to compose rhymes on their own. In a word, the usefulness of this method in teaching foreign language no doubt. But how to instill in a child a craving for knowledge?
To keep learning interesting, show your children that English is a lot of fun. Act out skits, read poems in roles, explain words with gestures, dance and sing, but in no case force them to practice. The parent should interest the child in English, and not force the child to memorize words that are incomprehensible to the child.
Do not forget about your own positive example, because children imitate their parents in many ways. Show sincere interest, use English words more often in conversations, watch films in the original voice acting, and the child will be drawn to foreign language classes.
Taking into account the above tips, we will turn theory into practice: we will get acquainted with the work of English poets and begin to learn rhymes in English with children.
English rhymes for kids 4-5 years old
This section contains short rhymes of various topics: poems about spring and colors; greeting, family description, humoresque, etc. These funny quatrains are easy to learn, so any kid will quickly remember them.
All English poems are presented with translation, and to help mothers who do not know the language, the works are provided with a transcription of pronunciation in Russian letters. Note that poems in English for children are better remembered when the child understands what is being said and can retell the content in his own language. Therefore, in many works, the translation is not literal, but adapted to the structure of the Russian language.
Catch me! (Catch me)
*For variety, you can add the names of other animals or the names of heroes and characters
Cow (Cow)
Pig
Seasons &Colors (Seasons and Colors)
Other English topics: Seasons in English: Word Meanings, Songs and Poems to Remember
Christmas (Christmas)
Family (Family)
| This is daddy | /Zis from dedy/ | This is daddy |
| This is mummy | /Zis from mami/ | And here's mommy. |
| This is sister | /Zis from sEaster/ | This is sister |
| This is brother | /Zis from brother/ | This is my brother. |
| This is me, me, me | /Zis from mi, mi, mi/ | And this is me, me, me |
| And my whole family. | /End May Wall Family/ | That's my whole family! |
Good night (Good night)
| good night mother | /Good Night Mother/ | Good night mommy |
| good night father | /Good Night Fazer/ | And good night daddy |
| Kiss your little son. | /Keys yur little sun/ | Kiss your baby son. |
| good night sister | /Good Night Sister/ | good night sister |
| good night brother | /Good Night Brother/ | And Good night, brother, |
| good night everyone. | /Good to find IvriOne/ | Good night to everyone. |
Poems in English for preschool children
English poets and writers in poetic form present the most popular topics for teaching preschoolers. As a rule, these are numbers, colors, names of animals, poems about the seasons and nature in English.
numbers
| one, two, | /one tu/ | One, two |
| I love you! | /I love you/ | I love you! |
| three, four, | /Free Four/ | Three four |
| Touch the floor! | /Touch the flower/ | Hands to the floor, live! |
| five, six, | /Fife Six/ | Five six |
| Mix and mix! | /mix and mix/ | We mix everything we have! |
| Seven, Eight | /Seven ate/ | Seven eight |
| It is great! | /it from great/ | Very splendid! |
| Nine, ten | / Nain ten / | Nine ten |
| Play again! | /Play Agein/ | Let's play together again! |
Seasons and weather (Seasons and weather)
Rain (Rain)
My cat (My cat)
My dog (My dog)
What is…? (What is it…?)
| What is blue? | /Wat from blue/ | What is blue? |
| The sky is blue! | /The sky from blue/ | Sky is blue! |
| What is green? | / Wat from green / | What's green? |
| The grass is green! | /The gras from green/ | The grass is green! |
| What is yellow? | / Wat from Yellow / | What is yellow? |
| The round sun is yellow! | /Ze Round Sun from Yellow/ | Round yellow sun! |
| What is orange? | / Wat from orange / | What's orange? |
| The pumpkin is orange! | /Ze pamkin from orange/ | Orange pumpkin! |
| What is brown? | /Wat from brown/ | What is brown? |
| Brown is the Earth and the ground! | /Brown from the Irz and the ground/ | Brown land! |
| What is red? | / Wat from red / | What is red? |
| The butterfly is red! | /Ze butterfly from red/ | The butterfly is red! |
| What is pink? | / Wat from pink / | What's pink? |
| The flower is pink! | /The flower from pink/ | The flower is pink! |
| What is purple? | / Wat from the ashes / | What's purple? |
| The eggplant is purple! | /The egplant from the ashes/ | Purple eggplant! |
| What is white? | / Wat from White / | What is white? |
| The snow that falls is white! | /Ze snow zet falls from white/ | Falling snow is white! |
| What is black? | /Wat from black/ | What is black? |
| Black is the sky at night! | /Black from The Sky at Night/ | Black skies at night! |
Other English topics: Present simple for kids: simple explanations and interesting exercises
We improve English at school with the help of poetry
And finally, consider poems in English for school-age children. At this time of child development, it is important to select works close to the curriculum.
For example, first graders learn the alphabet, colors, numbers, animal names. Also for elementary school suitable poems about spring or winter in English. And at the age of 9-11, the guys are already actively studying grammar, so works about the conjugation to be, present simple, interrogative sentences, irregular verbs etc.
What is your name + Numbers (What is your name + numbers)
| Two and Four and Six and Eight, | Two and four, six and eight |
| What's your name? | What is your name? |
| My name is Kate. | My name is Katya. |
| One, Three, Five, Seven, Nine and Ten | One, three, five, seven, nine and ten |
| What's your name? | What is your name? |
| My name is Ben. | My name is Ben. |
Pronouns (Pronouns)
Have + Present Simple
| Anya has a pencil, | Anya has a pencil |
| Dima has a pen, | And Dima has a pen. |
| She draws with a pencil | She draws with a pencil |
| He writes with a pen. | And he writes with a pen. |
Present Simple questions (Questions Present Simple)
Days of the week (Days of the week)
*In England, Canada and the USA, the new week starts on Sunday.
| My T-shirt is blue and my hat is pink. | My T-shirt is blue and my hat is pink. |
| Tell me what do you think? | Tell me what do you think? |
| My trousers are yellow, my socks are green. | My pants are yellow and my socks are green. |
| Tell me what do you think? | Tell me what do you think? |
| My jacket is purple, my shoes are white. | My jacket is purple, my boots are white. |
| Tell me what do you think? | Tell me what do you think? |
| My gloves are brown | My gloves are brown |
| My scarf is black. | My scarf is black. |
| Tell me what do you think? | Tell me what do you think? |
| Do you think they're good or bad? | Do you think she is good or bad? |
| Do you like the clothes I'm wearing? | Do you like the clothes I'm wearing? |
| Or do you think I just look mad! | Or do you think I'm just looking like a fool. |
Spring (Spring)
| Birdies build your nest; | Birds are nesting. |
| Weave together straw and feather, | Straw with feathers all together |
| Doing each your best. | Weaving diligently. |
| Spring is coming, spring is coming, | Spring is coming, spring is coming |
| Flowers are coming, too; | And the flowers are blooming |
| Pansies, lilies, daffodils | Pansies, lilies, daffodils |
| Now are coming through. | Almost everyone is here. |
| Spring is coming, spring is coming, | Spring is coming, spring is coming |
| All around is fair; | And beauty all around |
| Shimmer, quiver on the river, | A fast river shimmers; |
| Joy is everywhere. | Everywhere life is beautiful, friend! |
This is how they teach English in verse for children. Now you yourself have seen that funny quatrains are easily perceived by ear and quickly sink into memory. Good luck in learning English and see you soon!
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This program can be used in teaching elective specialized literature courses in the humanities classes of secondary secondary school. This elective course "English Poetry" has an educational and upbringing focus and, along with the expansion of the language horizons and skills, contributes to the spiritual and aesthetic development of students.
The main goal of the program is to introduce students to British poetry.
The elective course introduces students to the main stages in the development of English poetry from the Middle Ages to the end of the 20th century and contributes to the development of students' oral speech skills.
English literature has a great upbringing, educational and developmental potential and, in accordance with this, serves to form the qualities of a personality, its orientation, which will ensure the use of the creative abilities of each student.
Raising the cultural level of older students by means of the English language is becoming increasingly important.
The elective course "English Poetry" is implemented through a system of improving language training, which is focused on developing students' ability to communicate in a foreign language, which allows them to participate in various situations of intercultural communication.
The course lays the foundation for the development of educational and cognitive abilities of students necessary for further study of the English language and for self-education.
The main goals are the following:
Meeting the needs of students in language, cultural education (in the field of literature);
Deepening and expanding students' knowledge of reading and translating authentic texts.
Tasks:
Develop translation skills into Russian and English;
Enrich students' vocabulary;
Realize interest in the subject, deepen linguistic knowledge in all types speech activity;
Expand ideas about the socio-cultural portrait of the country of the language being studied;
Prepare students for mastering the subject at a high level in an in-depth program;
To form students' readiness for cultural self-development.
This program is designed for students in grade 11, it is designed for 17 hours per academic year, once every 2 weeks. The program contains new knowledge that is of cognitive interest to students.
This elective course is built on the basis of the following principles:
Multicultural development of students, involving a dialogue of cultures and bilingual verbal behavior of students;
Reliance on interdisciplinary knowledge and skills of students;
Competence-oriented equipment.
The learning process for this course involves the use of various methods and forms of organizing the speech activity of students:
Application of various reading strategies depending on the communicative need;
Methods of working with various sources (viewing, selection, analysis, adaptation for further use);
Technique for preparing and conducting discussions, role-playing games, interviews;
Carrying out independent work.
The program provides for the establishment of the degree of achievement of the final results through the control system in the form of oral answers, tests, written works - essays, interviews and in the form of participation in the defense of design works.
Criteria for evaluation of oral and written works:
Compliance with the given topic;
Linguistic correctness;
Reasoned expression of opinion.
Requirements for the level of mastering the course.
At the end of the course, students should:
demonstrate the level of formation of language, speech, sociocultural, subject and informational competence, which consists in the skills and abilities of searching for new information;
be able to translate excerpts from works fiction;
be able to write creative work(essay, project, article);
be able to participate in the discussion;
be able to make oral presentations in English using multimedia tools.
The following should be considered as the determining criteria for the level of formation of communicative skills:
For reading - the ability of students to find the necessary information in English, to understand and identify the main facts, to separate the main facts from the secondary ones, to complete a number of tasks;
For listening - listening comprehension of a small message, built on the study of material in a sound recording; the ability to ask two or three questions, perform a series of tasks;
For writing - the student's ability to correctly, in accordance with the communicative task, fill out a table, diagram and write a plan;
For oral-speech interaction - the student's ability to build a coherent statement on the topic, possession of different speech forms, compliance with the communicative task.
Methods and techniques used in the elective course "English Poetry".
Usage modern technologies in the learning process in order to involve students in interactive teaching of the English language (the use of information technology).
Organization of educational activities in various modes
Individual;
steam room;
Group.
3) The use of multi-level learning in the organization of reading, speaking, listening and writing.
4) Conducting lectures, seminars; preparation, presentation and protection of projects using a computer.
| Topic | Number of hours |
|
| W. Shakespeare | ||
| Richard Michael Fox | ||
5. Educational and thematic plan
| Topic | The form of organization of the activities of the teacher and the student | form of control |
|
| The dawn of English literature. Poem Beowulf. | Lecture with elements of conversation. Commenting on the concepts of new vocabulary. | Conversations, discussions |
|
| Folk ballads about Robin Hood | Presentation and development of terms. Reading, analysis, translation. | Oral survey on lexical units. Discussion on the topic "Robin Hood - the national hero of England." |
|
| Renaissance in England. William Shakespeare. Sonnets W. Shakespeare | Lecture with elements of conversation. Reading and analysis of sonnets, their translation. | Discussion topics on questions. Discussion on the theme "My favorite sonnet of Shakespeare". |
|
| John Milton - 17th century English bourgeois revolution poet | Presentation and development of new vocabulary. Reading and analysis. | Oral survey on lexical units. |
|
| Oliver Goldsmith is a representative of the sentimental trend in English literature of the 18th century. Poem "Abandoned Village" | Lecture with elements of discussion. Reading and translation of poetry. | Analysis. Translation. |
|
| Robert Burns is the most democratic poet of the 18th century. | Introduction, development of lexical units. Reading and translation of poetry. | Oral presentations of projects on the topic "Enlightenment in the UK". |
|
| William Wordsworth. "Poets of the Lake District" | Introduction and development of lexical units. Lectures with elements of conversation. | Essay writing "Poets of the Lake District". |
|
| George Gordon Byron - a fighter for the freedom and independence of peoples. | Lectures with elements of discussion. Reading and translation of poetry. | monologues. Answering questions (role-play, press conference) |
|
| Percy Bysshe Shelley - representative of English revolutionary romanticism | Presentation and development of new vocabulary. Mini-lecture with elements of conversation. Reading, analysis and translation of poems | Oral survey on lexical units. Translation analysis. |
|
| John Keats - English Romantic poet | Introduction and development of lexical units. Lecture with elements of conversation. Practical Grammar. Role play preparation. | monologues. Answers on questions. Grammar test. Role-playing game. |
|
| Thomas Moore "Irish Melodies" | Mini lecture. Reading, analysis, translation. | Answers on questions. |
|
| Elizabeth Barreta Browning "The Cry of the Children" | Mini lecture. Reading, analysis of translations. | literary test. |
|
| Williams Jones - representative of the revolutionary Chartist poetry | Introduction and development of lexical units. Lecture with elements of discussion. | Conversations. Discussions. |
|
| Robert Bridges "London Snow" | Mini lecture. Reading and translation. | Discussion on questions. |
|
| Jonathan Denwood - English working class poet of the early 20th century | Mini-lecture with elements of conversation. | Translation analysis. |
|
| Richard Michael Fox | Presentation of new vocabulary. Reading and analysis. | Answers on questions. |
|
| Edward Lear is the best writer of short poems | Lecture with elements of conversation. Reading and translation of poetry. Project preparation. | Translation analysis. Preparation of projects on the theme "English poets of the 20th century". |
Implementation of control.
The control parameters are the formation of students' skills in using reference and popular science literature, as well as a computer when performing various kinds tasks, projects. The current control provides for testing the ability to use reference and popular science literature, a computer in the search for given information and is carried out on the following topics of the course:
- "Robin Hood is the national hero of England";
- "My favorite Shakespeare sonnet";
- Enlightenment in Great Britain;
- "Poets of the Lake District";
- English poets of the 20th century.
The final control includes the defense of projects on the topic “English poets of the 20th century. Their contribution to world literature.
Forms of control:
Oral responses on the topic;
Written assignments;
Quizzes;
Analysis of translations;
Open discussions and conversations.
- Literature:
- Volosova T.D. "English literature". M., Enlightenment, 1974
- Gekker M.Yu. "English literature". M., Enlightenment, 1975
- Pagis N.A. "The Wonderful World of English Literature". M., Flinta, Nauka, 2003
- Anikst A. and Kornilova E. "Selected English Poems of Classical and Modern Poets". M., Education, 1952