How do you analyze poems?

Answer 1

Some of the ways one can analyze a poem are listening to a reading (for rhythm, flow, contrast, etc.); structure (rhyming patterns, open or freestyle, etc.); words (complex, simple, native, foreign, connectives, punctuation, etc.); content, purpose and meaning; and emotional impact (how it makes one feel).

Answer 2

The very first step in critical appreciation of a poem is that of determining whether you initially liked or disliked it and to what extent. This is not to say that further readings and thoughts about the poem will not alter your initial opinion. Here are some points to check: Title - Is it appropriate to the subject, tone and genre? Does it generate interest, and hint at what the poem is about? Subject - What does the basic situation appear to be? Who is talking, and under what circumstances? Try writing a paraphrase to identify any gaps or confusions. Shape - What is it appealing to: the intellect or emotions of the reader? What structures such as progressions, puns, comparisons, analogies, bald assertions, acrostics, repetitions, etc, have been used? Are these aspects satisfyingly integrated? Does structure support content? Tone - What attitude to the subject is expressed? Is it appropriate to content and audience: assured, flexible, sensitive, etc.? Word Choice - Are these appropriate and uncontrived, economical, varied and energizing? Can each word be understood properly, considering its common uses and associations? Are there any innovations? List the verbs and see if they truly push the poem along. Are words repeated? Do they set mood, emotional rapport, and distance? Personification - Is this striking or persuasive? Does it add to unity and power? Metaphor and Simile - Are these fresh and convincing? Do they combine on many levels? Rhythm and Metre- Are these natural and inevitable? Do they integrate the poem's structure? Rhyme - Is this fresh and pleasurable? Is it unassuming but supportive? Dynamics - Is the poetic force pure, unpolluted and unadulterated? Weight - Is the poem light, medium or heavy? Overall Impression -Is the poem original, honest, coherent, expressive, and significant?

Answer 3

STEP 1: DRAMATIC SITUATION. Start with seeing if there's a dramatic situation you can figure out. Who's the speaker? Who are they talking to? What do they seem concerned about? An awful lot of poems drop you into a middle of a situation -- and the best way to start is to look for clues as to what situation you've been dropped into. STEP 2: RULES OF NOTICE. According to the literary theorist Peter Rabinowitz, there are certain "rules of notice" that operate in literary forms -- certain rules about "what's important." These rules tend to be shared between writers and readers -- so that the writers rely on readers to notice important things. In most poems, the poet expects you to take special note of ... (1) titles, (2) first and last lines, (3) similes and metaphors, (4) other unusual or surprising uses of language, (5) allusions (references to a world "outside the poem") (6) general statements about life ("philosophical bits") (7) contradictions (8) hard to understand bits (9) repeated words or phrases Having written that, I realize that it's easy to end up with a list that just kind ... of grows and grows. STEP 3: RULES OF COHERENCE. Rabinowitz also describes a "rule of coherence." Readers generally expect a work of literature to have some level of coherence. In other words, you look for an interpretation that will account for most of the details in the poem. (That's a little controversial, because plenty of theorists will tell you that any type of unity of meaning is an illusion, but all the same, we expect it.) So a final thing I'll do is go back and ask myself how the leftover bits contribute to whatever I think the theme of the poem is.

Answer 4

There are many ways to analyze a poem.

The number of stanzas. -The number of lines in each stanza. (Sometimes the organization of the poem helps determine the meaning). -The meter. (Is there a beat, rythym -The rhyme scheme/pattern. -The thematic structure (does it have an introduction, a problem or situation? How does the plot develop-is the problem explained any further? Is there a climax, conclusion, or solution to the problem? How so?) Where in the poem is the introduction, problem, climax, resolution? -What literary terms (i.e.-similie, rhyme, personification, assonance, alliteration, etc.) does the author use in the poem. What effect do these techniques have on the people, things, ideas, and meanings of the poem? -What is the poem about? -How do the literary terms used help the speaker in the poem convey their message? -How do the different parts or events in the poem contribute to the overall big picture-the meaning?

Try to use this as a starter. The teacher is probably looking for more about meaning and not just literal structure of the words. Analyze its ideas and concepts, how the relate to the message, and if they are symbolic of anything that has happened a long time ago (like Bible stories) or something that was going on at the time the poet was writing.

Answer 5

First be sure of your definition of a poem. If you accept, for example, that it is "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings," then ask yourself if you can zoom in on that author's feeling by reading the poem, preferably aloud. What did you feel or where did you imagine yourself while reading the poem.

Examine the context of the poem by answering the question "What was the author's purpose or goal in writing this poem? Is he/she playing with words, honoring a friend, admiring nature, or celebrating history etc.? Is it musical?

Does it have an effect on me? Does it offer advice or have a philosophy? Or does it simply entertain?

Then using a glossary of poetry terms we can tell how the author achieved his/her goal. How many stanzas, verses in each, rhyme; what kind of rhyme?

Does it fit into a literary movement or type of poetry. Does it have a unique structure or a classical structure? Can you spot examples of metaphors and

simile? Is the language violent enough to prose to be called poetry?

Does it imitate any previous poem or set a standard for other poems that followed?. What were they?

Answer 6

Here's a good way to critique poetry:

1. Read the poem two or three times to get a good idea of how the poem flows
2. Figure out what style the poem is - see the link below if you're not sure
3. Look at the structure of the poem - how is it punctuated? where does it pause or move quickly? how many syllables or words are on each line?
4. Figure out what voice is being used - first, second, or third point of view
5. Figure out theme and mood for the poem
6. Think about the techniques the poet used to convey his or her meaning - did they use symbolism? irony? metaphors?
7. Look for meaning in the poem - is it obvious or subtle?
8. Break up the poem and look at each verse separately - is everything (form, voice, etc) consistent through the poem, or do they change?
9. Now put it all together and write your critique!

Start with the basics - voice, style, flow - and move to the abstract - nature of the poem, emotions it evokes - and then analyze whether the poem has been structured successfully to convey its meaning or not.

Answer 7

first write introduction of the poet and then take important lines from the poem and elaborate it and then conclusion

Answer 8

You have to analyze an article in order to critique it. You want to assess the author's use of literary elements, instead of summarizing it.

Answer 9

u read through the poem and then make the important point that u read about :P