Lesson Overview 

So these poems are written by Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I.  While there are some other poems by Raleigh that we will get to in the next lesson - for this lesson - for this Group Work - the focus is on the relationship between the soveriegn and one of her most famous subjects.  To make matters even more interesting there is a modern poem in the mix - written that is written from the Queen's point of view - but like Grendel did with Beowulf, through a very modern lens that the students should both readily identify with - but also see once again that things were not that different then - than they are now (in fact that is one of the big aims of this Group Work).

Here are some of the ideas and points that the Group Work attempts to cover - see the actual Group Work handout for more.

• The literal meaning of Raleigh's poem to Elizabeth

• the metaphors that are used to describe their love (ie floods and streams)

• bringing in what Ralieigh says about "quiet" and comparing it to what we just saw in Howard's poem "Now Do All Things".

• The idea of choosing to not pursue his love - a noble idea in our age of gratification.

• Why is a mute beggar twice cursed?

• The modern poem - "Glorian Dying" and its take on these feelings

• Analogies - like on the SAT 

• back to Grendel and its epigraph

There is also a detailed homework at the bottom - giving them plenty of time to get their copies of Macbeth.

Thoughts on the Lesson 

Above all, the goals of this lesson are affective.  I want students to see that people loved, cared, worried, and got anxious - in much the same way as we do.  This include Monarchs and famous explorers as well.