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Year 8

Analysing 'The Haunted Palace'

I can analyse literary techniques in 'The Haunted Palace'.

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New
New
Year 8

Analysing 'The Haunted Palace'

I can analyse literary techniques in 'The Haunted Palace'.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Poe uses persona to create a nostalgic mood towards the past.
  2. Poe uses a semantic field to chart the decline of power and beauty.
  3. Poe uses similes to depict the destruction of the palace.

Common misconception

That the persona is the same as the writer.

Emphasise the difference. Draw attention to the different personas in 'The Haunted Palace' and 'The Raven'. Same writer, different personas.

Keywords

  • Persona - Persona is the word for a speaker who is a character in the poem.

  • Bereaved - A bereaved person has experienced the death of a loved one.

  • Semantic field - Semantic field is a group of words all relating to the same topic.

  • Nostalgic - To be nostalgic is to think about the past with fondness.

When making inferences, remind students that they are speculating but their speculations should be rooted in the text.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Haunted Palace'. There is a copy available in the additional materials.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does the word sinister mean?
Correct answer: dangerous and frightening
dangerous and supernatural
upsetting and challenging
Q2.
Which word is the best antonym (opposite) for the word bleak?
gloomy
stark
dismal
Correct answer: vibrant
Delightful
Q3.
A seraph is
a type of bird
a type of vampire
Correct answer: a type of angel
a type of ruler
Q4.
How does the mood of 'The Haunted Palace' change from the beginning to the end?
The mood at the beginning is bleak and becomes more cheerful.
The mood is bleak from the beginning to the end of the poem.
Correct answer: The mood at the beginning is joyous and melancholic at the end.
The mood of the poem moves from bleak to cheerful and finally to misery.
Q5.
In what ways are 'The Raven' and 'The Haunted Palace' similar?
Correct answer: Both poems are examples of the Gothic genre.
Correct answer: Both poems have otherworldly elements.
Both poems are about the loss of a loved one.
Both poems feature magnificent buildings.
Q6.
The king in 'The Haunted Palace' is presented as magnificent but also stern. Which of the following quotations support that interpretation?
Correct answer: "glory"
"seraph"
"echoes"
"discordant"
Correct answer: "dominion"

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
If someone is bereaved, what has happened to them?
They have been visited by something supernatural.
They have experienced the loss of something valuable.
They are fearful of what the future might hold.
Correct answer: They have experienced the death of a loved one.
Q2.
Match the words with the correct definition.
Correct Answer:persona ,a speaker who has a role within a poem.

a speaker who has a role within a poem.

Correct Answer:discordant ,tuneless, harsh and unpleasant to listen to

tuneless, harsh and unpleasant to listen to

Correct Answer:semantic field ,a group of words that all relate to a specific topic

a group of words that all relate to a specific topic

Correct Answer:lute ,a musical instrument that is a bit like a guitar

a musical instrument that is a bit like a guitar

Q3.
Which is the best interpretation of "like a ghastly rapid river" taken from Poes 'The Haunted Palace'?
It represents the nostalgic thoughts and feelings of the persona.
Correct answer: It represents the speed at which the glory of the palace is swept away.
It expresses how difficult it is to stay safe in this world.
Q4.
What might be the effect of neither the persona nor the king having a name in Poe's 'The Haunted Palace'?
It makes it easier for the reader to care about their troubles.
Correct answer: It creates a sense of mystery in keeping with the mood of the poem.
It is typical of the Gothic genre.
Q5.
If you were writing about nostalgia in 'The Haunted Palace", which quotation would you use?
"a hideous throng rush out"
"discordant melody"
Correct answer: "the olden Time long ago"
"blushed and bloomed"
Q6.
The following words from the 'The Haunted Palace' belong to which semantic field: "Luminous...radiant...sparkling"?
Correct answer: light
water
sound
buildings

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