A poem unfolds newer and deeper meaning for you with every read. What appears simple and clear initially, becomes more and more profound with every new line. It is that underlying meaning that you should try to find...
Try this the next time you read a poem. When you read a poem, rarely do you go into the intricacies and the analysis of the same. The first read will only help with the sentiments. You'll like the poem for what it makes you feel and the feelings that it evokes in you. Maybe a step further and you can categorize it as a sad or a funny one. A poem should not be taken at face value though because a poem is not just a piece of art that has been penned down with no depth. There are layers to the poem and hidden meanings. There's the use of figurative language as well as the effects of the history and background of the era that comes about in the poem. When one gets to analyzing the poem therefore, there needs to be a careful study done of the way in which the poem was shaped and in understanding what the poem tries to portray. In this following article we will go through the process of writing a poem analysis paper and the kind of themes that have to be looked into.
How to Analyze a Poem
If you've ever sat through a poem analysis class you'll realize that the complete meaning of the poem can rarely be understood with the first read. Several aspects get added on to it, making it a true work of art each time that you take it up and read it. A poem analysis can get confusing if one does not know what to look for in that poem. That is why the art of learning to look beyond the obvious is what a poem analysis does for you. It helps you understand a little something more about the poem, the poet, as well as gives you a look into the figurative language that the poet uses to draw out the theme of the poem. Let us get into the details of how to write a poem analysis outline.
Reading and Penning Down Thoughts...
Read the poem through and through. Then close your eyes and write down all the thoughts that come to you. Any and everything that you think of? It needs to go down on paper. You might not understand the significance of this exercise right now, but when you start analyzing the poem in more depth, this will give it a more personal touch.
Researching the Background...
How does researching the background help one analyze a poem? What we write is always influenced by the time period as well as the personal experiences and the background of our lives. The same is the case with the poet. The themes that run through the poem are a clear indication of how a particular incidence in a poet's life has allowed him to pen that thought, or the history and the background of the era in which the poem was written has influenced the varied themes that run through the poem.
The Technical Details..
A poem, you will find, has many, many aspects to it. In its entirety, this is what lends a poem its layers. What is the structure of a poem? Here is what you should be looking out for:
Theme - The theme of the poem gives us an understanding of the kind of poem that it is. Is it a love poem, a war poem or a modern one?
Genre - The type of poem that it is also influences the way in which it draws itself out. Whether it is a sonnet, an epic, a lyrical ballad or something else will say a lot about the final work.
Figures of Speech - Figurative language is what embellishes a poem and gives it more character and depth. The intelligence of the poet and the way in which he is able to carve a simple poem into something of more depth is a challenging task. Some of the main figures of speech are irony, alliteration, metaphor, similes and more.
Meter and Rhythm - Every poem will follow a particular meter and a rhythm. This is what gives the poem its flow. Analyzing this aspect becomes very important as a result.
How to Go About it..
Now that you're done with all the research and analysis, start off the task
with an explanation of the things that you're going to talk about. What is the
core theme and the basis of the poem. This helps the readers understand right
at the outset the things that they can expect to study in the poem. Then you go
on to build the explanation such that the technical analysis of the theme,
genres and figures of speech and the explication of the poem will make the
objective of the poem clearer - In the way of how the poet has been able to use
these aspects to draw out the basic theme of the poem.Writing a poem analysis essay, outline or a paper does not remain a confusing or daunting task after you know the varied aspects that go into it. An analysis will unfold a newer and deeper meaning of the poem and that is something much more fulfilling than a simple read through a random poem.
Let's do it !it's easy if you want to try :D