Literary critics use the term “image” to describe a moment when the language of a work of literature appeals explicitly to our visual sense. Such moments might become a crucial part of a larger structure of visual experience, encapsulate a central idea or emotion, lavish enormous verbal ornament upon a scene, or impact us with their beauty, violence, or incongruity. The Siege of Jerusalem is a poem that is full of arresting, and often very disturbing, images of warfare and violence. At times these are incongruously placed alongside images that describe beauty – a sunrise or sunset, for example, or perhaps beautiful armament or decoration.
Your assignment is to choose at least three images from The Siege of Jerusalem. For each image, please be sure to quote from the original text and provide a citation. Then offer a very brief descriiption of how the image fits into the surrounding action/narrative (since you are quoting the passage and the assignment is short, please don’t spend too much time on plot summary). Next, offer an analysis of each image. You might consider questions such as the following: What is the effect or impact that the image has on the reader? How does the image lend meaning or complexity to the larger message(s) of the poem? What remains difficult or ambiguous when attempting to interpret the image?
You are not required to use external sources other than your text and the links provided above; if you choose to do so, however, you are required to cite those sources (failing to do so constitutes plagiarism). As always, your writing will be graded not only for how well you fulfill the instructions, but also for the quality of the writing itself, including clarity, grammar, and mechanics. Please see the “Writing Guidelines” document at the top of the main Moodle page for tips.
