1. Consider the deliberate juxtaposition of “rude” matters or topics and erudition in two or all three of the poets. What, in your view, leads the writers to make this juxtaposition?
Note: in Latin, what is “rude” (rudus) is simply matter that has not yet been turned into art.
2. Choose two poems by John Donne to compare and contrast based on their adoption of a similar theme or concern, such as seduction, love agonies, loss, death, separation, or union.
3. Queering the Renaissance: choose any two poets and discuss the place of queer or homosexual desires in their texts.
4. Surprise endings: choose two poets and discuss the sense of the ending, especially endings that come as a surprise.
5. Write a thoughtful paper on how you deal with moments of alienation in reading literary texts, particularly in the contexts of race, sex, and gender.
