How to Write a Poetry Analysis

How to Write a Poetry Analysis

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Poetry analysis, also sometimes referred to as a poem review, is a reflection of a poem that involves analyzing the poetic instruments, discussing the language and the figures used by the author, as well as sharing ones personal position on the poem. When it comes to poetry analysis, one has to go beyond just reviewing the words and phrases used, but instead see the bigger picture, try to read between the lines and understand what has driven the poet to use a particular word combination. Thus, poetry analysis requires some primary research on the author of the poem, as well as some background and history behind the poem’s creation.

Poetry analysis assignments are in fact, normally a lot more challenging than one would expect. One would think that analyzing a poem of a few stanzas, should not require more than any simple two-page essay on a common topic. However, poem reviews require deeper analysis, and thus, a better knowledge of the poetic figures and the way they can be used, and what their usage can imply or hint. Therefore, if you are not completely familiar with this type of academic assignment, we would advise that you prepare yourself for a few hours of painstaking writing. To make this laborious task a little easier, we have prepared a set of useful tips, stages to organize your work properly, and some advice on what one should, and shouldn’t, do when writing a poetry review.

Steps for Writing a Poetry Analysis Paper

1. Read the poem twice. Try to analyze your first impression of it and write down a few comments.
2. Research the author of the poem, if you are not familiar with him or her yet, and the history of the poem’s creation. Try to find out what inspired the poet and what gave rise to the idea for this particular poem, whether it was a reflection of something the poet personally experienced or witnessed, etc.
3. Read the poem once again, this time slower. Try to pay attention to the particular word selection, organization of the poem and poetic figures used, etc.
4. Start your poetry analysis with a description of the story, or situation, depicted in this poem. Make sure to answer these questions: Where? When? What happened what is described? Who is involved? Pay attention to how the author develops the story and what instruments are used to indicate the culmination of the poem.
5. Now move on to the technical side of your poetry analysis. Analyze the poem’s rhyme and meter, and the structure of each stanza. Define each poetic figure used and give specific examples of allegories, metaphors, hyperboles, personifications, similes, litotes, and other literary devices. Try to identify the mood of each stanza, whether it is ironic, sad, cheerful, bitter, romantic or philosophical, etc.
6. Give your personal reflection of the poem – what you think it is about (normally, there is a figurative sense behind every poem). Here you can go back to your primary research about the author and the poem’s history.
7. Give a conclusion. Mention, whether you enjoyed the poem and whether the poet, in your opinion, succeeded in bringing particular feelings and ideas to the reader (the one he supposedly intended to bring up, in your understanding of the poem).

Key Points to Consider

• Sometimes you are simply given a poem to analyze, without a particular title already assigned. In other cases, you have a thesis statement or an argument to base your poetry analysis on, and you have to argue for, or against, the statement given by your professor. It might seem easier to write about the poem in general, however, this isn’t always the case. Even if you are given the freedom to choose a poem for analysis and write it in your own way, we still suggest that you pick a certain critical question or subject for your poetry analysis, just like you would for a critical or argumentative essay. Use the analysis of poetic figures and literary devices, language and rhyme, to make your point and support your argument.
• When analyzing the theme that the author depicted in the poem, think of the time when it was written, and try to relate the events described by the poet to the general situation at the time. Another tip is to compare how this author describes particular events, to the way these same events were described in other literary pieces. This will give you a better idea of what distinguishes this particular poem, and thus, build your analysis around such differences.
• Think of who the author addresses in the poem. Is it to people in general, to his or her pen friend or colleague, to the reigning crown, to the rebellions or to nature, etc. Think of how the author feels about the supposed reader, whether he supports, condemns or accuses his readership.
• When reading the poem, for the second and third time, highlight or underline the phrases or separate words that are most powerful, colorful or distinctive. You might get a different impression every time, so it is useful to preserve your memories and feelings from every new reading.
• Sometimes it is more effective to read the poem out loud, using certain voice changes (speed, pitch, volume and mood of your voice), depending on how the poem develops.

Dos and Don’ts

Dos Do read the poem at least three times, since every time you will notice more details, and get a broader understanding of the whole piece and its separate parts. Do use the present tense to describe and analyze the events and characters of the story. Do enhance your analysis with direct quotations from the poem. When you mention a particular poetic device or a situation from the poem’s plot, prove your words with the quote that refers to it or uses the device you are analyzing. Do be sure that you identify each poetic device properly. Be able to distinguish between metaphor (a poetic comparison) and metonymy (using a symbol to stand for something it represents), a hyperbole (an exaggeration) and a synecdoche (when a part is used instead of the whole).

Don’ts Don’t read someone else’s critical analysis of the poem you chose, including free online samples, before you form your own opinion about the poem. Poetry analysis is all about how you perceive and understand the poem, so the more unique your perception is, the more your analysis will benefit. It will be hard to form your own original opinion, having already read about how someone else understands this poem. Don’t be afraid to interpret the poem in your own individual manner. Take guesses, listen to your senses, slowly read the poem stanza by stanza, stopping from time to time and closing your eyes, picturing the described events, characters, nature, etc. Don’t plagiarize from online samples. It will be very easy to see that the examples you give, and quotes you use, are not your own.

Common Mistakes

• Writing a shallow, superficial poetry analysis is probably the most common mistake students make. Go beyond simply describing the story and the theme of the poem. Try to guess what message the author intended to bring across, what he or she really meant when using the description of natural phenomena or inanimate objects.
• Dryly analyzing the technical side of the poem, forgetting about the personal reflection and feelings that lay behind the words and phrases, is also a common mistake. It is wonderful if you feel confident about defining various literary devices, if you think this is your strength. However, forgetting to dedicate at least a couple of paragraphs to the emotional side of the poem will result in a failed poetry analysis. If you find it hard to form your personal opinion on the piece, try to picture the situation or events in the story, take the place of the character and vividly imagine your reaction.
• Not providing examples from the text is also considered a serious flaw. You have to be able to support any argument with a quote, to demonstrate that a certain poetic figure is indeed present in the text by citing the example. However, there is no need to quote a whole stanza if you are talking about a certain literary element. Be precise and specific in your quotations.
• Being template-like in your analysis is a rather frequent problem for students, who get confused by the poem, or are afraid that they didn’t understand it properly. When it comes to poetry analysis, there is no right or wrong opinion on the poem. It is your individual perception that counts. Do not be afraid to express what you personally felt when you read the lines, what pictures it evoked in your mind and what memories it stirred. The more unique your reflection of the poem is, the more valuable your poetry review will be to anyone who reads it.

Now that you have acquainted yourself with the basic poetry analysis writing tips and rules, you can check best poetry analysis samples to link theory with practice.

You can find more information at   How to write poetry analysis

You can also read      The Close Reading of Poetry

Suggested Pattern of the Poem Analysis

1. Present a sketch of the poet as a creative personality mentioning literary traditions and tendencies of the epoch he / she was influenced by as well as innovative aspects of his / her style of writing.

2. Define the  form of the verse: a  ballad , sonnet ,limerick , lyric poetry, free verse, elegy, blank verse, etc.

3.“Translate”  the  poem  into  the  common  language  to  demonstrate  your understanding of it. Doing this avoid the use of the figurative language.

4. Trace the imagery pattern  of  the poetic  text,  considering visual  and aural images  in the poem. Define the dominant sensory image/s and state their role in the virtual world formation.

5. Specify the mood/ slant of the poetic text. To do this think about the emotions and feelings the poem triggers in you and name them. Consequently, the mood can be meditating ,bitter , nostalgic, elated, ironic etc. Consider the textual means that create the slant.

6. Identify the sound features of the verse. Think how the alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, euphony, cacophony, sound  symbolism help the author convey the mood and message of the poem.

7. Define the rhyming pattern of the poem. State what effect it creates (if any).

8. Ponder upon the meaning and function of the basic EM and SD within the framework of the poetic text.

9. Work over the system of symbols in the poetic text: cultural/shared ,literary/personal . State the role they play in conveying the implicit meaning of the poem.

10.Delineate the settings of the poem. Consider the symbolic meaning of time and place in the poetic text.

11. Mull over the layout of the poem (if any). Explain the way it helps the author to convey the message of the poem.

12. State the message of the poem as it presents itself to you.

                                                                 (From http://ru.scribd.com/doc/49842463/Poem-analysis-scheme)

Useful English Expressions For Text Analysis

1. The story is written in a matter-of-fact (tragic, ironic, humorous, epic, satirical, elevated, etc.) tone (style, key).
История написана в прозаическом (трагическом, ироническом, юмористическом, эпическом (героическом), сатирическом (насмешливом), благородном и т.п.) тоне (стиле, ключе).

2. The story is written with a touch of irony/The story is tinged with irony (tragedy, sadness, humour, epos, satire, etc.).
История написана с оттенком иронии (трагедии, печали, юмора, эпоса, сатиры и т.п.).

3. The text/passage under analysis presents ...
Текст/Отрывок в рамках данного анализа представляет ...

4. The author employs a number of stylistic devices that produce ... effect.
Автор использует ряд стилистических приёмов, которые производят ... эффект.

5. The author links ... to ...; the author likens ... to a human being.
Автор связывает ... с ...; автор уподобляет ... человеку.

6. The author employs ...
Автор употребляет ...

7. The author enhances the desired effect with the help of ...
Автор усиливает желаемый эффект с помощью ...

8. The author imposes his perception of the thing described on the reader.
Автор навязывает своё восприятие вещей читателю.

9. These epithets daze the emotional force they carry.
Эти эпитеты ошеломляют своей эмоциональной силой.

10. The powerful effect produced by these expressive means is unquestionable.
Мощный эффект, производимый этими выразительными средствами, не подлежит сомнению.

11. The author's object in employing these stylistic devices is quite evident.
При использовании этих приёмов, цель автора вполне очевидна.

12. ... is described in a few masterful strokes.
... описан несколькими мастерскими штрихами/в нескольких чертах.

13. Due to the vivid stylistic colouring ...
Благодаря яркой стилистической окраске ...

14. ... draws the reader's attention to ...
... привлекает внимание читателя к ...

15. The author emphasizes ...
Автор подчёркивает ...

16. The author lends some stylistic colouring to the description of the man's portrait.
Автор прибегает к использованию некоторых стилистических окрасок для описания портрета человека.

17. ... contribute largely to the vividness of ... representation.
... в значительной степени способствуют живости (яркости) ... представления.

18. This device colours the utterance emotionally.
Этот приём подчёркивает эмоциональность высказывания.

19. This stylistic device aims at a mocking effect.
Этот стилистический приём направлен на эффект насмешки.

20. The humorous effect is achieved by ...
Юмористически эффект достигается путем ...

21. The metaphor strikes the reader with its vividness and makes him feel ...
Эта метафора поражает читателя своей живостью (яркостью) и заставляет его чувствовать ...

22. The desired effect is strengthened by ... (is more enchanted by ...)
Желаемый эффект усиливается путем ... (становится сильнее за счет ...).

23. The similes the author resorts to make the description far too picturesque and very illustrative.
Сравнениями автор добивается очень живописного и показательного описания.

24. This metonymy may be interpreted as the author's attempt to ...
Данная метонимия может быть истолкована как попытка автора ...

25. These devices help to depict ...
Эти приёмы помогают изобразить ...

26. The author's irony is directed at ...
Авторская ирония направлена на ...

27. Within this phrase we can see some other expressive means...
В рамках данной фразы мы можем видеть некоторые другие выразительные средства ...

28. The author strives for a ... effect.
Автор стремится к ... эффекту.

29. The humorous effect is achieved by the incongruous combination of the solemn form and insignificant meaning.
Юмористический эффект достигается путём нелепого сочетания торжественных и маловажных форм.

30. Here the author bursts with emotions. He is unable to conceal his feelings towards his own creation and pours on him the full measure of his disgust (sympathy, love, etc.)
Здесь автор взрывается эмоциями. Он не в силах скрывать свои чувства по отношению к своему собственному творению и выплескивает их на него в полной мере (сочувствие, любовь и др.)

31. This is the case of climax. The sentences are so arranged that each of the consecutive sentences is more important, more significant and more emotionally coloured than the preceding one, all of them forming a chain of interdependent elements.
Это момент кульминации. Предложения расположены таким образом, что каждое последующее из них является более важным, более значительным и более эмоционально окрашенным, чем предыдущее, все они формируются в цепочку зависимых друг от друга элементов.

32. The starting point of the climax is .../the peak of the climax is .../the climax serves to ...
Отправной точкой кульминации является .../пиком кульминации является .../кульминацией служит ...

33. The denouement is unexpected.
Развязка неожиданная.

34. The idea of the passage is as follows / may be summed up in the following words).
Идея текста (отрывка) выглядит следующим образом .../может быть выражена следующими словами ...

35. The idea lies on the surface.
Идея лежит на поверхности.

36. The analysis would be incomplete if we did not touch upon man's individual speech.
Анализ был бы неполным, если бы мы не коснулись индивидуальной речи человека.

37. The author individualizes his character's speech for a definite purpose. By doing this he gives us some additional information concerning his character. It shows ...
Автор индивидуализирует речь своего персонажа для определенной цели. Делая это, он даёт нам некоторую дополнительную информацию о его характере. Он показывает ...

38. The syntax of the dialogue is very simple; plenty of ... make the speech expressive and emotionally coloured.
Синтаксис диалога очень прост; большинство ... делает речь выразительной и эмоционально окрашенной.

39. The narrative part of the story is illustrative of literary-bookish English. It contains bookish words (ex.), long sentences with different participial and gerundial constructions (ex.).
Повествовательная часть истории иллюстрирует литературный английский язык. Она содержит книжные слова (например: ...), длинные предложения с различными причастиями и герундиальными конструкциями (например: ...).

40. The speech of the characters is full of colloquial words (ex). The author's aim here is ...
Речь персонажей наполнена разговорной речью (например: ...). Здесь целью автора является ...

41. The text contains some realias (ex.), terms (ex.), professionalism (ex). They make us feel (understand) ...
Текст содержит некоторые реалии (например: ...), способы выражения (например: ...), профессионализм (например: ...). Они заставляют нас чувствовать (понимать) ...

42. The passage (story) is wholly narrative; wholly a dialogue; partially narrative and partially a dialogue.
Вся история представлена в виде повествования; диалога; частично повествования и частично диалога.

43. The plot of the passage (story) is built around (is unfolded around; deals with) ...
Часть истории построена вокруг (разворачивается вокруг, имеет дело с) ...

44. By the way of conclusion I'd like to ...
В заключении я хотел бы ...

Некоторые другие выражения:
to have a keen eye for details иметь острый глаз на детали/подробности
to make ample use of широко использовать
to bring forth the idea "родить" идею
to convey the idea сообщать/выражать идею
to manifest itself проявлять себя
to be used to convey использованы для передачи
to expose подвергать
to have a great emotional impact on the reader иметь большое эмоциональное воздействие на читателя
to produce a powerful effect on the reader производить сильное воздействие на читателя
to resort to прибегать к
to draw the reader's attention to обращать внимание читателя на
to open with начинать с
to impart an idea сообщать идею
to be concerned with иметь дело с
to be akin to poetry быть сродни поэзии
to describe sth. with great intensity описывать что-либо с большой интенсивностью/с яркостью
to alternate with чередоваться с
to be emotionally coloured быть эмоционально окрашенным

(http://www.english-source.ru/english-linguistics/discourse-analysis/138-stylistic-analysishttp://www.english-source.ru/english-linguistics/discourse-analysis/138-stylistic-analysis)