WHAT TO CONSIDER

WHEN ANALYSING A
POEM
By Leticia Corbellini
◦ Make sure you understand in depth the meaning of all
the words.
◦ Consider the multiple meanings of a Word (denotative
and connotative) . Words may have different meanings
at different times or in different places. They may also
have different meanings depending on the context or
the type of word they are.
Literal meaning
◦ Allusions- Words may have a explicit meaning, but also and theme
imply others. For example, a rose is a flower, but it is
also associated with youth and beauty.
◦ Diction- This is the pattern used. For example, the poet
uses formal or informal language, slang, jargon, foreign
language phrases, etc.
◦ Who is speaking Is it a man or a woman? Someone
young or old? Is any particular race, nationality,
religion, etc.
◦ Does the voice address somebody? Who? What effect
does that create? Voice or persona
◦ Is the poet trying to make a point, win an argument,
seduce, move someone to action, or is it just expressing
an idea?
 What is the speaker’s mood? Is the
speaker angry, sad, happy, cynical?
How do you know?

This is all closely related to the

subject of the poem (what is the
Mood or Tone speaker talking about?) and the
theme (why is the speaker talking
about this?

What is the speaker trying to say

about this subject?).
 How is the poem organised? How
many stanzas are there? How
many lines or verses are there in
each stanza?

Consider the shifts in tone, the

Structure shape of stanzas, the line length
(number of syllables), enjabment
and caesura.

A fixed structure, or the lack of it,

must have a purpose. How is that
related to the theme of the poem?
 Is there a rhyme scheme? How does it
affect your response to the poem? Is it
monotonous, childish, musical?

Sound and The rhythm is the general sound of the

poem, and it is connected to the tone. Is

rhyme
is sad or happy? Are certain words
stressed or repeated? To what effect?

When considering the sound, do not

forget rhyme, rhythm, meter, repetition,
alliteration, sibilance, assonance,
onomatopoeia, etc.
 Analyse the pictures the poet has
created.

Explore the denotations and

connotations of words.
Language and
Imagery All the use of senses to create pictures
in the mind of the reader (imagery).

Consider symbolism, metaphors,

similes, personification,analogies,
oxymoron.
 What is the main theme?

Is there any secondary idea?

What is the poet trying to say? How forcefully does he or she

Idea and say it and with what feeling?

Content Which lines bring out the meaning of the poem? Does the poet
gradually lead up to the meaning of the poem or does he or she
state it right at the beginning?

The last lines of a poem are usually important as they either

emphasize or change the meaning of the poem.

Is this so in the poem that you are analyzing?