THE ROLE OF CONTENT AND FORM IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF POETRY: A COMMENTARY

In this paper the intention is to demonstrate that content and form, as used with reference to the critical appraisal of individual poems, have a role to play in the effective teaching and learning of poetry. The importance of content and form cannot be overemphasized. Indeed, the two are inseparable in conceptualizing, writing and criticism of any one poem. In the words of Reeves (1965): Content and form, or matter and style, are inseparable: You cannot alter the form or expression-the style-without altering the thing expressedthe matter of content. It should be pointed out, however, that it is sometimes necessary to separate content and form for the sake of discussion. In practice the two are inseparable; you can only talk of content in relation to form and vice versa.