a performance is a way of entertaining an audience with speech, acting or music

how speakers use their voice to convey their feelings is known as tone

to change your speaking pace is to change how quickly or slowly you speak

we call performers fluent if they speak without hesitation or mistakes

'The Haunted Palace' poetry reading version 1 - bad version

British English CC

'The Haunted Palace' poetry reading version 2 - good version

Performing your chosen Gothic poem

English

In 'Gothic Poetry', pupils take inspiration from Edgar Allen Poe to write their own gothic poems, developing their understanding of genre and poetic devices. In 'A World at War: Poetry', pupils need to write their own poems in the style of different poets throughout the unit, deepening their understanding of poetic voice and style. 

In 'A Monster Within', pupils explore the role of gothic monsters in several prose extracts. In 'Gothic Poetry', pupils focus on the work of Edgar Allen Poe to explore how gothic conventions can be used in poetry. 

In this unit, pupils read and explore two nineteenth-century gothic poems by Edgar Allen Poe. They first read and analyse 'The Raven' and 'The Haunted Palace' in isolation, before comparing them to each other and developing a personal response. Finally, they practise performing one of the poems.

Gothic poetry

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

the way a speaker uses their voice to convey meaning 

Use a bigger piece of paper so it is easier to read from. 

Make more eye contact with your audience. 

Have someone hold up the paper so you can look up as you read. 

What advice would you give to someone who reads from a piece of paper in their performance? 

You can make your voice go up high when you say those words. 

You can pause before and after key words. 

You can make your voice go down when you say those words. 

Select the best ways in which we can emphasise the important parts of the poem when reciting one aloud. 

When you give feedback to someone, it is important that you are: 

treat it as a pause to draw attention to key words

treat it as a sign to speed up and speak faster 

When you see a dash in a poem, how should that affect the way you say those lines?

It sharpens students' judgement of good work. 

It allows students to share in the good work of the classroom.

If a piece of music is discordant, what is it like?

The man opens the door and a raven flies in. 

The man becomes convinced that the raven knows about his lost wife Lenore. 

Over and over again, the man asks the raven about Lenore. 

The man is so overcome with grief that he becomes insane. 

Starting with: 'It was on a bleak December night', put the events of 'The Raven' in chronological order. 

Match the imagery in 'The Haunted Palace' with their mostly likely meanings. 

The raven is cruel and merciless in his treatment of the man. 

The man fears that he will be destroyed by the raven. 

The man will never escape the unhappiness that has come over him. 

The darkness of the night echoes the darkness in the man's soul. 

The last two lines of the poem 'The Raven' are: "And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor/shall be lifted - nevermore!" Which of the following is the best interpretation?

The ruin of the palace has made everyone miserable. 

There is no genuine happiness, only mocking laughter. 

There are only tears left and the speaker is in mourning. 

All the laughter has left the valley and the palace. 

The last line of 'The Haunted Palace is: "And laugh - but smile no more." What is the best interpretation of these lines? 

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Adult supervision recommended

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Performing your chosen Gothic poem

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.