English Literature / Unit 19 ENL 1825 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Dating an Unfamiliar Passage
The idea
When a passage is unfamiliar, combine four clues. First, form: alliterative half-lines, rhyme royal, the sonnet, blank verse, the heroic couplet, the dramatic monologue or free verse. Second, spelling and diction, as the previous entry described. Third, subject and stance: heroic fate, courtly love, metaphysical argument, Augustan satire, Romantic nature, Victorian doubt or Modernist fragmentation. Fourth, any allusion to a datable event or idea, such as Darwin, the French Revolution or the First World War. Eliminate periods that contradict any clue, then choose the one that fits all four. One strong clue rarely decides alone; agreement among clues does.
In practice
Form, diction, stance, allusion.
Where people slip
A modern writer can imitate an old form. Use subject and diction to confirm the form's evidence.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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