How To Analyse A Poem

How to analyse a poem – in six steps:

Analysing a poem can be tricky. Before you analyse a poem in detail, it is important to read through the poem several times. Try to read the poem aloud, because poems can often have a range of sound devices that can alter the poem's meaning.

Once you've read through the poem, you can start analysing the poem's content.
Here are six steps to help you to analyse a poem:

Step 1: Subject. What is the poem about and why?
Step 2: Theme. What are the recurring ideas and topics?
Step 3: Tone. How would you describe the mood of the language?
Step 4: Imagery. What literary devices are used and what do they signify?
Step 5: Form. Why the poet has chosen this structure?
Step 6: Feeling. What are the different emotions being conveyed?

How do you analyse a poem? The prompts are a supportive tool, intended to encourage further analysis and interpretation.

Poetry Essay app unfortunately is no longer supported, since iOS 11.

[papercrane]

I didn't listen in class so thats why I'm here : )

[sleepyreem]

this was really helpful, since my teacher never really explained this to us, now I know what to write in my poetry analysis end of the year exam, thank you so much!

[Daehoongu]

it's definitely helpful! now I know what to exactly write in my poetry exam since my teacher never told us what to do, I'm really disappointed in her.

[ihussain]

Thank you, amazing explanation that I found extremely useful due to not being taught ANY of this in school, even though my exam is this year! Extremely stressed but this video has helped me so much.

[percival]

The fact that you're still answering comments is amazing!

[tshiamomosella]

I am currently trying to analyze Afrikaans poems written by Afrikaans speaking poets and i think this was really helpful. Afrikaans is not my home language but. I have managed to use this to analyze the poems i am busy with right now. So baie dankie which means thank you very much in Afrikaans.

[joshuas.villaruel]

Thank you so much for the help!! My report for my english subject is poem and i really needed this thank you so much!

[purpled]

We haven't done this in school yet thank you so very much.

[theminecraftchicken]

doing this is the morning for my english test, thanks man

[koopiedoobie]

Thank you so much!! I have a poetry final exam coming up where I need to analyze a poem! 😁

[raghunandan]

Thank you so much, this was very useful for my exams...wish me and the others who are revising for an exam good luck! Good Luck guys!♥♥♥

[meeralutchmun]

thank you so so much for pretty sure that i have understand it 100times more than in class....really helpful thank you once again

[faztick]

is it just me or is that awkward pause between each step of 10 seconds really weird



great vid tho lol

[subhasbose]

Your video really provided me courage enough to do

[shankaranpillai]

Thanks.
Your videos are very short, to-the-point and contains much information than others.
Please continue, I truly appreciate your efforts.
Please do a video on History of English Literature. Thanks again.
Love from India 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

[Mimi-robl]

This was very helpful, because I have to write a poem report, and i don't have the slightest clue, about poems😫

[Maria-sqjl]

This was super helpful! U make it rlly easy to understand!

[pipelu_lauks]

1. Subject
What is the poem about / why?
Sum up the poem's context / content.
- Who wrote it / why?
- When / where was it written?
- Who / what influenced the poet?
- Who is the persona (speaker / narrator)?
- Is it first (I), second (You), or third (He / She) person?
- Where is it set?
- Who / what features in the poem?

2. Theme
What are the recurring ideas / topics?
Identify the main issues.
- Love
- Nature
- Culture
- Identity
- Race
- Religion
- Sexuality
- Emotions
- Mental Illness
- Memory
- Family
- History
- Politics
- Self - discovery
- Innocence
- Experience
- Morality
- Wealth
- Life
- Death
- Age
- War
- Conflict

3. Tone
How would you describe the language's mood?
Pick phrases showing attitude
- Formal
- Informal
- Solemn
- Melancholic
- Bitter
- Frustrated
- Morbid
- Regretful
- Reflective
- Sentimental
- Nostalgic
- Critical
- Judgemental
- Disparaging
- Negative
- Pessimistic
- Scornful
- Positive
- Optimistic
- Jovial
- Ironic

4. Imagery
What literary devices are used?
Find techniques / what it could suggest
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Personification
- Alliteration
- Onomatopoeia
- Repetition
- Anthropomorphism
- Juxtaposition
- Oxymoron
- Assonance
- Dissonance
- Allegory
- Symbolism
- Anaphora
- Satire
- Irony
- Exaggeration
- Hyperbole
- Colour
- Enjambment
- Caesura

5. Form
Why has this structure been chosen?
Study stanzas / rhyme / rhythm / punctuation
- How many stanzas / how long are they?
- Are there any line breaks / caesural pauses?
- What do the pauses signify?
- Is there a lot / little punctuation?
- Is there any rhyme? Why? Is it consistent?
- How does the rhythm affect the poem's meaning?
- Does this style of poem have a specific name?

6. Feeling
What emotions are being conveyed?
Note the different feelings.
- What does the tone say about the narrator's feelings? (Does it change throughout the poem?)
- What might be the poet's intention?
- Who was it targeted at?
- How was the poem received when it was first published?
- Was it meant for a public audience?
- Is it written from poet's perspective or someone else's?
- How does it make YOU feel?

[english-gardening]

Millions of thanks.Helped me a lot .
A MA student from India

[shubylooby]

Hello I loved your video i am in year 8 and i have a exam coming up I have a QUESTION. Will this work for a year 8 poem analysis exam AND a extract analysis ( extract from a book we read a long time ago )