Final answer:
The question pertains to the use of assertive and aggressive tones in poetry and how poets express emotions while meeting or challenging conventional expectations. The student should consider language intensity, structure, and tone while analyzing different poems. Examples include Whitman's boldness and Dickinson's subtler aggressive tones.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject matter of the question falls into the category of English literature, focusing on poetry. The student is exploring how poets convey emotions assertively or aggressively in their works. By analyzing various textual examples and poets' intentions, the student can distinguish how writers meet or challenge conventional expectations within the genre to achieve rhetorical effectiveness.
In crafting a poem reflective of assertiveness or aggressiveness, pay close attention to the emotional intensity of language used and the structure of the poem. Assertive language is clear and direct without being hostile, while aggressive language is often confrontational and intense. Features such as enjambment, word order, and tone play pivotal roles in conveying these attributes as seen in the provided examples from poets like Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Theodore Roethke.
For instance, in Whitman's verse, the use of dazzle and bold swimmer exemplifies a more assertive tone that encourages embracing life's experiences fully. In contrast, Dickinson's deliberate choice of word order in her poem about a snake might carry more subtle aggressiveness, suggesting a lurking danger in a seemingly serene setting.