An advanced study of poetry and drama with the purpose of understanding Catholic literature and cultivating skills in scholarly research, textual analysis, and academic writing and documentation. Such skills are fostered by closely reading and analyzing poems and plays by accomplished writers. Students focus on the distinctive conventions of the genres of poetry and drama in order to interpret these works critically, while interacting thoughtfully with themes presented therein; there is a particular focus on analyzing and making use of effective patterns of language, lyrical and theatrical presentation, and figures of speech. Students continue to develop their academic prose, with attention to advanced grammar, diction, phrasing, organization and argument-building in the thesis-driven essay.