IB Global Lit Homework: “Requiem” by Anna Akhmatova
requiem: a mass for the dead; a prayer for departed souls
Your homework is to read and take notes on Akhmatova’s “Requiem,” which appears on pages 32-41 in your packet.
- Read the poem through once to get a sense of its overall impact. You won’t get everything on this first reading, but it’s important to have a sense of the poem as a whole.
- On your second reading, refer to the notes on the poem (notes begin on page 47 of the packet).
- On your third reading, annotate (take notes on) the poem. Consider how Akhmatova’s use of imagery, diction (word choice) and other significant elements (perhaps structure, patterns, or allusions) contribute to the theme/subject of the poem: a lament for the victims of Stalin’s terror.
- In our next class, we will discuss the poem in detail. You may be asked to share your ideas (orally or in writing) about any section of the poem.
- Guiding questions for each section: How does this section contribute to the poem’s meaning? How does Akhmatova use language to memorialize the victims of the terror?
