The English Teacher and English Song: An Annotated Bibliography

Abstract

In interpreting English poetry for students, instructors often make use of non-literary aids. We call history to our assistance when we divide literature by periods. We suggest biographical interpretations of Shakespeare's sonnets and Dickens' novels. The more adventurous of us mention the insights of Freudian psychology. But one resource of which we make insufficient use is music. There is a long tradition, extending from medieval times to the present, of fine composers setting to melody the best works of the best authors. The song writers become critics: they expertly elucidate and interpret nuance and tone. Thus they provide teachers with a fine means of intensifying the poetic experiences of good readers and of communicating the effects of poetry to those students for whom the written word alone is insufficient.