Tips on how to Analyze a Poem

 

Here are some useful tips on how to analyze a poem effectively

 Analysing a poem involves carefully examining its structure and content. This careful analysis of a poem is also known as explication.

To analyse a poem, the reader systematically analyses the contents of a poem and the way they are blended together to construct the poem.

The importance of analysing a poem carefully

• It helps to understand the poem and answer any questions correctly.
• It enables the reader to deal with individual aspects of the poem when required.
• It creates a critical eye in the reader when dealing with poems in general.

How to critically analyze a poem

1.Read the poem several times to understand it.
2. Make a note of the poem's title, author, type, and intended audience.
3. Try to identify the speaker(s) and any recurring themes in the poem.

4.State and explain the themes identified in the poem.

5. Analyze the internal and external structures of the poem.

6.Identify the language and style used in the poem by carefully examining the words and expressions used in the poem, sentence structure, and any images or figures used in the poem

7.    Give the full assessment of the poem.

To fully understand poetry in general: 

• Use real-life experiences and art such as music and performances to enhance your understanding of poetry.
•  Start with what you know as a springboard to what you intend to discover.
•  Dramatize poems where possible as a way of creating interest.
•  Familiarize yourself with poetry by reading a variety of poems, starting with the simplest to the most complex.