How to Analyze a Poem

Preliminary Work

  1. First read the title of the poem. Then read the poem with a pencil or pen in your hand. Read it a minimum of two times; be sure to read it out loud at least once.
  2. As you read the poem mark it up. Underline, circle, or arrow, repeated words, ideas, striking images, and confusing words, lines, or passages.
  3. Look up any words that you do not know or that you are unsure of. You need to know the literal meaning of the poem before you can begin to analyze it.
  4. For each stanza, write a 1-2 sentence summary of what is happening or what is being described in the poem. You are now ready to analyze the poem for a deeper meaning.

Analysis

  1. Title: Look at the title of the poem; poets choose these very carefully. What does the title reveal about the poem? Does it indicate the subject matter or does it identify what kind of poem it is (ode, elegy, ballad, etc.). Is the title an object or event that will become an important symbol?
  2. Tone: Next, ask yourself, what is the tone of this poem? Tone is the author’s attitude towards his/her subject. Are they serious, hostile, discouraged, empathetic, or silly?
  3. Context: Who is speaking? Are they representative of a particular group, race, religion, etc.? How does knowing this impact your understanding of the poem?
  4. Rhyme Scheme/Assonance/Alliteration: If present, identify the rhyme scheme and notice if the poet uses assonance and alliteration to enhance the musicality and rhythm of the poem.
  5. Symbolism Examine the imagery and symbols present in the poem. Look for the concrete pictures, or images, the poet has drawn. Consider why these particular things have been chosen. For example, descriptions of buds on trees, lambs, and children are all pointing toward a theme involving spring, youth and new birth. Symbolism is also often used in a poem. A symbol is an event or a physical object that represents something non-physical such as an idea, a value, or an emotion. For example, a ring is symbolic of unity and marriage; a budding tree in spring might symbolize life and fertility; a leafless tree in the winter could be a symbol for death.
  6. Imagery: Poets use techniques and devices like metaphors, similes, personification, symbolism and analogies to compare one thing to another, either quickly and simply ("He was a tiger") or slowly over a stanza or a whole poem. Work out the details carefully. Which comparisons are stressed? Are they all positive? How are they connected? Does the poet use metaphors to make comparisons and express images or abstract ideas? Is there an extended metaphor? What is the effect of the metaphors on the tone and theme of the poem?
  7. Put It Together: What is the poet trying to say? What do you believe is the main theme of this poem? What images and symbols support your interpretation of this poem? The last lines of a poem are extremely important. Do they indicate a change has taken place? What final message, image, or impression do you think the author is trying to leave you with?
  8. Write a paragraph analyzing the poem:Your topic sentence should introduce the name of the poem, the author, as well as the poem’s theme. Example:“Sympathy” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar is a poem about the pain that racism caused African Americans during the late 1800s. In the body of the paragraph discuss how the main theme is developed in the poem. Discuss the poet’s use of symbols and what they represent. Be sure to explain key lines, comparisons (metaphors, similes), and the meaning of the last line of the poem. In your concluding sentence restate the main theme/message of the poem.