Poetry Explication
Before beginning any assignment, a writer needs to understand its purpose. Contrary to popular belief, the assignments in a literature course really will help later in life. The key to a poetry assignment is analysis, which means examining the pieces to understand how things work as a whole. It is exactly like taking apart a piece of machinery to see how it works.
By analyzing poetry, the writer learns valuable critical thinking skills that can be applied to science, accounting, medicine, or numerous other careers.
Remember, the writer is not just summarizing the poem in the paper; this does not qualify as analysis or explanation. Instead, the writer needs to make an argument about what is happening in the poem. For example, does the author use symbolism to create the theme? Does word choice affect the tone or meaning of the poem?
Developing an interpretation of a poem’s meaning can be difficult. Poems often appear simple or straightforward but are actually quite complex and may use unfamiliar or ambiguous language. Breaking the analysis into steps helps the writer consider each element of the poem and understand how those elements work together.
Basic Comprehension
Before beginning deeper analysis, the writer must understand the basic situation and ideas presented in the poem by completing the following steps:
- Read the poem silently and then out loud.
This familiarizes the writer with the poem’s content, meter, and rhyme scheme, if any. Is the poem written in open or closed form? When reading aloud, consider whether line breaks match natural pauses in sentences or clauses. If not, ignore line breaks and pause only at punctuation to better understand meaning.
- Paraphrase the poem.
Write a paragraph summarizing the poem’s main idea in your own words, or paraphrase it line by line. This helps uncover basic meaning and reveals how the poem’s form conveys that meaning. Look up any unfamiliar words.
- Identify the speaker and intended audience.
What can be inferred about the speaker from the poem? Is the speaker male or female, young or old? Is the speaker addressing someone specific? Take notes on how these conclusions are drawn from the text.
- Identify the setting of time and place.
Does the poem provide information about when or where it takes place? This may be concrete (for example, “in the JFK airport in 1986”) or abstract (such as “at the bedside of a dying parent”).
- Consider the poem’s title.
Does the title emphasize a particular idea, situation, or theme? What insight does it offer into the poem’s meaning?
Language Analysis
Language is the most important element of a poem. Each word is carefully chosen and should be examined closely. Most of the analysis should focus on diction, word arrangement, imagery, metaphors, and the emotions or ideas the language evokes.
- Consider the poem’s diction.
Examine word choice. Are there puns or plays on words? Do any words have multiple meanings or create ambiguity? Are there examples of verbal wit?
- Identify figures of speech.
Look for imagery, metaphors, similes, and symbols. How do literal and figurative meanings interact? How do these figures deepen understanding of the poem’s message?
- Identify instances of irony.
Does the poem use irony, where implied meaning contrasts with surface meaning? How does this affect interpretation?
- Consider the poem’s tone.
Determine how language and context establish tone (for example, angry, sad, reflective, or joyful). How does tone contribute to the poem’s overall meaning?
Poetry Questions
The following questions can help writers develop a thorough understanding of a poem:
- Who is the speaker? Can the speaker’s age, gender, values, or awareness be determined?
- Is the speaker addressing anyone in particular?
- How does the reader respond to the speaker? Favorably or negatively? What is the situation?
- Is there a specific setting of time and place?
- Does reading the poem aloud help clarify meaning?
- Does paraphrasing reveal the poem’s basic purpose?
- What does the title emphasize?
- Is the theme presented directly or indirectly?
- Do any allusions enrich the poem’s meaning?
- How does diction reveal meaning? Are words repeated or charged with strong connotations? Are there puns or verbal wit?
- Are figures of speech used? How does figurative language enhance vividness and meaning?
- Do objects, people, places, or events have symbolic or allegorical meaning? What evidence supports this?
- Is irony present (situational, verbal, dramatic, understatement, or paradox)?
- What is the poem’s tone? Is it consistent?
- Does the poem use sound devices such as onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance, or alliteration?
- Are sounds or rhymes repeated? Do they feel natural or forced? Do they contribute to meaning?
- Is there a regular meter? Are there variations? Does the rhythm fit the tone?
- Does the poem follow an established form? Is the form appropriate for the meaning?
- Is the language dense and concentrated? Does it warrant multiple close readings?
- Did the reader enjoy the poem? What specifically was effective about what was said and how it was said?
- Does a particular critical approach seem appropriate for this poem?
- How might biographical information about the author help interpret the poem?
- How might historical context inform interpretation?
- How do the reader’s own experiences and assumptions shape interpretation?
- What evidence from the poem supports the interpretation? Are any elements overlooked?
- Given multiple possible interpretations, which seems most useful or convincing?
Source
Meyer, Michael, editor. Poetry: An Introduction. 2nd ed., Bedford, 1998.