[ELTWeekly Volume 6, Issue 11 | April 28, 2014 | ISSN 0975-3036]
By poetry analysis we mean to review the poetry with a critical eye. This involves consideration on the poem, analyzing the figurative speech, theme, mood, poetic devices, poet’s stance and of course you sharing your own attitude on the poetry.
STEPS FOR WRITING POETRY ANALYSIS
Read the poem: Try to gauge what is written in the poem.
Re-read: this time read a little slowly to develop more understanding of the poem. Take notes.
Start your analysis: with the description of the poem. Go through the title. What does the title suggest about the poetry? Consider the situation the poetry is creating. USE YOUR IMAGINITIVE DRIVE to create the illusion of the poem. How did you like it? What is the mood of the poem? Start answering the What When Where and How happenings.
Try to pay attention to the language of the poem: The selection of words, phrases, poetic devices, rhyme etc. See how the words are organized in the poem. Identify the metaphors, similes, alliteration, personification, tone, point of view, imagery and other poetic devices.
Move to the title of the poem: The title of the poem always tells you something about the poem. What does the title of the poem means? Take a look on the title and reflect in your words what does it mean. You will need this in the introductory paragraph. It always helps in the understanding of the poem if some background reading about the poet and the time in which the poetry was composed is done. The historical and the cultural context, the socio economic position and the political situation also contribute in poetry composition. These elements should always be kept into mind.
Now think about what the poem means: Not just what is written in the poem, try to enter into the literal meaning by reading between the lines. Try to figure out the meaning beyond the obvious. Do the words refer to something else too? What is the subject of the poem? What is the poem talking about? When and where is the poem happening? What is the poet’s attitude? Most poems convey the thoughts and understanding of poet’s experience. There lies a shift in between the beginning and the end of the poem in terms of language, thoughts and connotations. Explain how these shifts are conveyed in the poem.
Start writing your analysis now: Begin writing with the introductory paragraph which should include the title of the poem, the poet, and your explanation of the title. It should also include a brief statement about the significance of the title and the poet’s stance on it. This will lead to the body of the analysis. Discuss how the technicalities of the poem are dealt here. It should include your remarks about the usage of language, poetic devices, the theme and the tone of the poem. You should be explaining the shift in poetic devices and poet’s attitude from the beginning till the end. Now add your own interpretation into the poetry and analysis to give it a final touch. Don’t forget to integrate your personal research done on the poet’s life, the socio economic, cultural and political background in which the poem was composed where ever it is necessary.
Always remember to provide sufficient textual evidences to support your personal argument. When it comes to poetry analysis, there is no right or wrong, good or bad opinion about a poem. It is the distinct insight that matters.