How to Analyse (Unseen) Poetry: The 6 Basics

When studying literature, most of us, during the course of our

academic study, will be faced with an exam which tasks us with
analysing an unseen poem. Stressful? Well, yes, initially, it can be.
Unless, you remember to notice 6 basic things that you can
critically analyse in your answer.

These 6 things are:

1. Form

2. Structure

3. Punctuation

4. Tone

5. Language

6. Meaning

The perceived problem with unseen poetry analysis is that, unless you
had already been familiar with the poet by some stroke of luck or
fate, you will not know anything about the context of the poem. This
means that you have to analyse purely on what you will read in
front of you and your general knowledge. The good thing about this
is that it is a purely skills based exam that you don‘t need to learn
anything new for. So, to start developing your skills, let us look at the
6 basic things you need to analyse when looking at an unseen poem.

1. Form of the poem:

Form, quite literally, is the type of poem you looking at, i. e. what
does it look like? In terms of technical language you would notice
whether the poem is a sonnet, haiku, ballad etc.
These different types of poems have different forms, in other words
they look different on the page. Some are long, some are short. Even
if you can‟t figure out which technical name to use, comment on
what the poem looks like on the page. Some poems have been
written to have a specific shape, intentionally.

Noticing and commenting on form is worthwhile in your analysis

as the poet has used it to help them convey, create, or emphasise
meaning. Think about:

 What does the poem look like on the page?

 Can you identify what type of poem it is?

 Is there anything odd or interesting in what you see?

Noticing odd or interesting things in a poem is useful as, even if

you don‟t know what they mean at first, they are usually placed for
a specific purpose. Highlight or make an annotation for you to come
back to it later.

Don‟t worry if your initial analysis seems lacking after just looking
at the form, as you go through this list of 6 you will start to see how
the form is related to the structure, punctuation, tone, language
and meaning.

2. Structure…is the frame.

Structure is the frame on which the words are built

Without structure meaning can be deformed; without structure

information is difficult to understand. The same is the case for a
poem. The structure of a poem is what holds it up.

You can think about it in terms of a building: the steel girders or

wood beams hold the building up before the walls go up – without
that frame the walls have no supports. Or, you can think about it in
terms of yourself: your skeleton is your structure, if you had no
skeleton you would crumple to the ground and wouldn‘t be able to
stand.

In the case of poetry notice:

 How many stanzas are there?

 How many sentences are there?

 Is there repetition?

 How many lines in the entire poem?

 How many lines in each stanza?

 Does the structure change in the poem?

 Is there a rhythm or syllable structure?

Once you‘ve noticed the structure, then you need to think about ―why
is the structure the way it is?” Does this create, reinforce, or
change meaning within the poem? How does this frame affect your
reading of the poem; does it create more impact or strength to the
poets intended meaning?

3. Punctuation…what‟s the point?

Punctuation tells you how to read something. Punctuation is like the

nails, or pins, in the structure, an integral part of the whole that
although small, are greatly missed when not around. Let‘s look at an
example:

Let’s eat, Grandma!

Let’s eat Grandma!

I love my Grandma, we both like food; but I wouldn‟t like to eat
her!

Notice that one little comma after „eat‟? That comma just changed
the ENTIRE meaning of that three word sentence…

Punctuation is the small but mighty pins in a poem that a poet uses
to help the reader emphasise, organise, separate and accentuate
meaning in their poem. Your job as scholars is to notice how they
have used punctuation in the production of meaning.

When looking at a poem, ask yourself “how has the punctuation

helped me understand the poem? What does it help me understand?
How does it help me understand? And why?‖

Note: Poetry is meant to be performed – read the poem aloud

paying special attention to the punctuation and see what you can
notice about the structure through figuring out how to read
it. (Obviously, don‘t read a poem aloud in an exam though!!)

4. Tone…is how something is said.

Tone is how something is said, and in English, tone is extremely

important when conveying meaning. For example, think about when
you go into a shop to buy something: you hand the product to the
person at the counter; next you will often be asked “can I get you
anything else?”

Now, look at the speech directions in [italics] below and say the
question aloud:

Tone 1: [cheerfully, wanting to help, slightly higher pitch voice

said with a smile] can I get you anything else?
Tone 2: [bored, sour faced, monotone sounding voice] can I get you
anything else?

By saying “can I get you anything else?” in these two ways, you
have changed your tone and you know immediately the feelings of
the person whose said it.

Tone 1 [cheerful] wants to help and would like to get you

something else if you would like it, and that probably inclines you
to smile back and perhaps buy something else.

Tone 2 [bored, sour] in complete contrast couldn‟t care less

whether you wanted something else; actually they‟d rather you
didn‟t. This is not a person you would want to have sustained contact
with and would probably buy whatever it is you want and leave the
shop as fast as possible.

As you can see tone conveys meaning. Now, in the poem you don‟t
get speech directions, but through the choice of language and use
of punctuation you will be able to understand tone. To identify tone,
you will need to notice:

 Are words sharp/soft/abrupt/strong/floaty/other?

 Are there long or short sentences/lines? Does this affect the

way you say the line?

 Does the rhythm affect how you say the words?

 How do you feel about the topic the poet is taking about?
Why?

 Is the poem written in first or third person? Does that affect

how you react to the poem?
Note: Try reading the poem out loud in a few different ways with
different voices, use of the punctuation and see how that changes
the tone. Does that change the way you understand the meaning?
Does it clarify some meaning or give you more questions? Write
down your questions and observations in your annotations.

5. Language…is words.

When you analyse poetry you need to notice the words that are
used, and this is the language. The language is like the decoration
and furniture, they colour the meaning and make it
comprehendible. When you are looking at a poem, notice:

 Descriptive language

 Similar words (e.g. poet could use a group of similar words

through a poem to continue an idea, e.g. „unlatch-unbound-
release‟ in this instance an idea of being free from restraints)

 Simile

Simile is a very common figure of speech that uses to compare

two distinctly different things is indicated by words ―like‖ and
―as.‖

For example, “he is as tall as a mountain,” doesn‘t mean he

was actually 1,000 feet tall, it just means he is really tall. Some
other well-known similes you will often hear are:

As cute as a kitten

As happy as a clam

As light as a feather

As blind as a bat
 Metaphor

Metaphor In a metaphor, words are used in a manner other

than their literal meaning. However, metaphors use figurative
language to make comparisons between unrelated things or
ideas.

Metaphors are illustrations that make a strong point by

comparing two things you wouldn't necessarily pair.

E. g., "I'm drowning in a sea of grief." Here grief is so

overwhelming that the person feels helpless, like they're being
pulled underwater.

"She was fishing for compliments."

The woman isn't literally casting a lure to hook compliments out

of the ocean. Rather, it's a dead metaphor used to signify a
desire for compliments.

 Symbolism:

Symbolism is to convey the hidden meaning to the reader or

listener. It tells us about artistic expression and represents
abstract ideas. A writer can use a person, place, word, action,
and object as a symbol. To covey his mood and emotion, the
writer uses symbolism. It can be in a visual image or gesture.
It helps in creating meanings and emotions in writing.
Usually, symbolism contains several layers of meaning, which
are robbed in different aspects and concepts.

It gives depth to writing that cannot be expressed

straightforwardly. It helps the writer to convey his thoughts on
multiple levels. Some examples are given below:
 I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o‟er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. –Wordsworth

Here the daffodils symbolize the new beginning or rebirth. This is

linked with the spring, which is the time of the new emerging of
life. Daffodils are first flowers that bloom after winter. Their
dancing is actually the welcoming of spring.

 Pronouns!!

Pronouns are incredibly useful as they tell us the

perspective from which the poet is writing. Is the poet
writing in first person or third person? First person can make
the writing more intimate or personal this can also change the
lexicon (type of language: formal/informal).

Third person could make the language seem more distant or

show that it‘s not the poets own experience. However on the flip-
side, a poet could also write in the third person about their own
experience to speak about it in hindsight, or to show a
separation between them and the event. Perhaps this is used to
show anguish or pain?

 Rhyme

A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounding words, occurring

at the end of lines in poems or songs. A rhyme is a tool
utilizing repeating patterns that bring rhythm or musicality to
poems. This differentiates them from prose, which is plain. A
 rhyme is employed for the specific purpose of rendering a
pleasing effect to a poem, which makes its recital an enjoyable
experience. Moreover, it offers itself as a mnemonic device,
smoothing the progress of memorization.

E.g.:

“Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!
One for the master, one for the dame,
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.”

Notice all these different types of words and ask ―how do these
words convey the poet‘s intended meaning? Does the poet convey
meaning effectively through these words? Do these words impact
my understanding of the poem and why?‖ You should also think
about how these words are emphasised by the form, structure,
and punctuation; also, how these words help convey or create
tone.

6. Meaning…how do I find it?

When analysing any type of writing you will look for two types of
meaning: explicit and implicit.

Explicit is the obvious surface level meaning: it is the answer you

might think is probably too obvious to be right (but actually, it is). The
implicit meaning is when you read between the lines of the text to
understand what message or theme the poet wants the reader to
understand.

So how to do you go about finding out the meaning and then

writing it in your answer? Start with the obvious (explicit): state
the obvious, exactly as you see it (use quotes!). Then, from there,
go on to show what associated meanings you can notice. Here is
when you start going from stating whether there is a metaphor to
what this metaphor is showing.

For example, if the poet is using imagery and language related to

storms and the poem is about a relationship; the poet could be
saying that a relationship is like a storm, sometimes there is calm
sometimes it is rough. The tides turn, people change, they have
emotions that are uncontrollable but you have to go with the
waves and stay strong. Here you have started with stating the
obvious, then you have shown what it could mean.

Remember to also look at the title of the poem. The title can give
you a clue as to the meaning of the poem. Think about why the poet
titled the poem with that word or phrase. Ask yourself, “Does the
title have significance to the meaning of the poem?”

If you‘re having trouble finding a quote, think about what in the poem
– literally the word or line – told you answer or gave you that idea.
That is the quote you should use! Don‘t over-think it, it is simply, you
got an idea or a thought, what line or word have you that idea or
thought.

Final Advice

The aforementioned are the 6 basic things you need to notice when
analysing unseen poetry. You will not have context so you will
need to analyse what is in front of you. One of the brilliant things
about the unseen poetry exam is that you cannot revise. That means
that there are no extra quotes or contextual information you need
to remember, it is purely as exercise to test your skills. So, in order
to do well in this type of exam is to develop your critical analysis
and writing skills, which are skills you are developing throughout
your English, course anyway.

So, as we are at the end of my 6 basic things to analyse an unseen

poem, here us some final advice and takeaways:

 If ever you start getting lost, go back to the question and

then look back at the poem. ALL the answers are in the
poem.

 Technical devices [punctuation, structure simile, metaphor

etc] are the support beams to the language: they enhance,
create and reinforce meaning -> so make sure you comment on
them in your answer.

 State the obvious first – because it‘s usually the answer!! – then
go into detail with explaining ‗why.‘

 Questions are useful! Don‘t be worried if you have more

questions than answers. Questions are a tool for analysis and
they are what you can use to unlock meaning.

Read the following the poem and answer the questions given
below the poem:

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

 And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
1. Who is the speaker of the poem? What impression do you
form of the speaker?
2. What do the diverging roads signify in this poem?
3. Identify the images used in the poem. What mood do they
convey?
4. What according to you is the significance of the title?
5. What message do you get in the last stanza of the peom?