Dimeter
Trimeter
Tetrameter
Pentameter
Hexameter
Any number above six (hexameter) is heard as a combination of smaller parts; for example, what we might call heptameter (seven feet in a line) is indistinguishable (aurally) from successive lines of tetrameter and trimeter (4-3).
To scan a line is to determine its metrical pattern. Perhaps the best way to begin scanning a line is to mark the natural stresses on the polysyllabic words. Take Shelley’s line:
And walked with inward glory crowned.
Then mark the polysyllabic nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that are normally stressed:
Then fill in the rest:
Then divide the line into feet:
Then note the sequence:
The line consists of four iambs; therefore, we identify the line as iambic tetrameter.
Rhythm refers particularly to the way a line is voiced, i.e., how one speaks the line. Often, when a reader reads a line of verse, choices of stress and unstress may need to be made. For example, the first line of Keats’ “Ode on Melancholy” presents the reader with a problem:
No, no, go not to Lethe, neither twist
If we determine the regular pattern of beats (the meter) of this line, we will most likely identify the line as iambic pentameter. If we read the line this way, the statement takes on a musing, somewhat disinterested tone. However, because the first five words are monosyllabic, we may choose to read the line differently. In fact, we may be tempted, especially when reading aloud, to stress the first two syllables equally, making the opening an emphatic, directive statement. Note that monosyllabic words allow the meaning of the line to vary according to which words we choose to stress when reading (i.e., the choice of rhythm we make).
The first line of Milton’s Paradise Lost presents a different type of problem.
Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Again, this line is predominantly iambic, but a problem occurs with the word “Disobedience.” If we read strictly by the meter, then we must fuse the last two syllables of the word. However, if we read the word normally, we have a breakage in the line’s metrical structure. In this way, the poet forges a tension between meter and rhythm: does the word remain contained by the structure, or do we choose to stretch the word out of the normal foot, thereby disobeying the structure in which it was made? Such tension adds meaning to the poem by using meter and rhythm to dramatize certain conflicts. In this example, Milton forges such a tension to present immediately the essential conflicts that lead to the fall of Adam and Eve.
The explication should follow the same format as the preparation: begin with the large issues and basic design of the poem and work through each line to the more specific details and patterns.
The first paragraph should present the large issues; it should inform the reader which conflicts are dramatized and should describe the dramatic situation of the speaker. The explication does not require a formal introductory paragraph; the writer should simply start explicating immediately. According to UNC ‘s Professor William Harmon, the foolproof way to begin any explication is with the following sentence:
“This poem dramatizes the conflict between …”
Such a beginning ensures that you will introduce the major conflict or theme in the poem and organize your explication accordingly.
Here is an example. A student’s explication of Wordsworth’s “Composed upon Westminster Bridge” might begin in the following way:
This poem dramatizes the conflict between appearance and reality, particularly as this conflict relates to what the speaker seems to say and what he really says. From Westminster Bridge, the speaker looks at London at sunrise, and he explains that all people should be struck by such a beautiful scene. The speaker notes that the city is silent, and he points to several specific objects, naming them only in general terms: “Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples” (6). After describing the “glittering” aspect of these objects, he asserts that these city places are just as beautiful in the morning as country places like “valley, rock, or hill” (8,10). Finally, after describing his deep feeling of calmness, the speaker notes how the “houses seem asleep” and that “all that mighty heart is lying still” (13, 14). In this way, the speaker seems to say simply that London looks beautiful in the morning.
The next paragraphs should expand the discussion of the conflict by focusing on details of form, rhetoric, syntax, and vocabulary. In these paragraphs, the writer should explain the poem line by line in terms of these details, and they should incorporate important elements of rhyme, rhythm, and meter during this discussion.
The student’s explication continues with a topic sentence that directs the discussion of the first five lines:
However, the poem begins with several oddities that suggest the speaker is saying more than what he seems to say initially. For example, the poem is an Italian sonnet and follows the abbaabbacdcdcd rhyme scheme. The fact that the poet chooses to write a sonnet about London in an Italian form suggests that what he says may not be actually praising the city. Also, the rhetoric of the first two lines seems awkward compared to a normal speaking voice: “Earth has not anything to show more fair. / Dull would he be of soul who could pass by” (1-2). The odd syntax continues when the poet personifies the city: “This City now doth, like a garment, wear / The beauty of the morning” (4-5). Here, the city wears the morning’s beauty, so it is not the city but the morning that is beautiful …
The explication has no formal concluding paragraph; do not simply restate the main points of the introduction! The end of the explication should focus on sound effects or visual patterns as the final element of asserting an explanation. Or, as does the undergraduate here, the writer may choose simply to stop writing when they reach the end of the poem:
The poem ends with a vague statement: “And all that mighty heart is lying still!” In this line, the city’s heart could be dead, or it could be simply deceiving the one observing the scene. In this way, the poet reinforces the conflict between the appearance of the city in the morning and what such a scene and his words actually reveal.
Refer to the speaking voice in the poem as the “speaker” or “the poet.” For example, do not write, “In this poem, Wordsworth says that London is beautiful in the morning.” However, you can write,
“In this poem, Wordsworth presents a speaker who…”
We cannot absolutely identify Wordsworth with the speaker of the poem, so it is more accurate to talk about “the speaker” or “the poet” in an explication.
Use the present tense when writing the explication. The poem, as a work of literature, continues to exist!
To avoid unnecessary uses of the verb “to be” in your compositions, the following list suggests some verbs you can use when writing the explication:
dramatizes presents illustrates characterizes underlines | asserts posits enacts connects portrays | contrasts juxtaposes suggests implies shows | addresses emphasizes stresses accentuates enables |
The Fountain
Fountain, fountain, what do you say Singing at night alone? “It is enough to rise and fall Here in my basin of stone.” But are you content as you seem to be So near the freedom and rush of the sea? “I have listened all night to its laboring sound, It heaves and sags, as the moon runs round; Ocean and fountain, shadow and tree, Nothing escapes, nothing is free.”
—Sara Teasdale (American, 1884-1933)
As a direct address to an inanimate object “The Fountain” presents three main conflicts concerning the appearance to the observer and the reality in the poem. First, since the speaker addresses an object usually considered voiceless, the reader may abandon his/her normal perception of the fountain and enter the poet’s imaginative address. Secondly, the speaker not only addresses the fountain but asserts that it speaks and sings, personifying the object with vocal abilities. These acts imply that, not only can the fountain speak in a musical form, but the fountain also has the ability to present some particular meaning (“what do you say” (1)). Finally, the poet gives the fountain a voice to say that its perpetual motion (rising and falling) is “enough” to maintain its sense of existence. This final personification fully dramatizes the conflict between the fountain’s appearance and the poem’s statement of reality by giving the object intelligence and voice.
The first strophe, four lines of alternating 4- and 3-foot lines, takes the form of a ballad stanza. In this way, the poem begins by suggesting that it will be story that will perhaps teach a certain lesson. The opening trochees and repetition stress the address to the fountain, and the iamb which ends line 1 and the trochee that begins line 2 stress the actions of the fountain itself. The response of the fountain illustrates its own rise and fall in the iambic line 3, and the rhyme of “alone” and “stone” emphasizes that the fountain is really a physical object, even though it can speak in this poem.
The second strophe expands the conflicts as the speaker questions the fountain. The first couplet connects the rhyming words “be” and “sea” these connections stress the question, “Is the fountain content when it exists so close to a large, open body of water like the ocean?” The fountain responds to the tempting “rush of the sea” with much wisdom (6). The fountain’s reply posits the sea as “laboring” versus the speaker’s assertion of its freedom; the sea becomes characterized by heavily accented “heaves and sags” and not open rushing (7, 8). In this way, the fountain suggests that the sea’s waters may be described in images of labor, work, and fatigue; governed by the moon, these waters are not free at all. The “as” of line 8 becomes a key word, illustrating that the sea’s waters are not free but commanded by the moon, which is itself governed by gravity in its orbit around Earth. Since the moon, an object far away in the heavens, controls the ocean, the sea cannot be free as the speaker asserts.
The poet reveals the fountain’s intelligence in rhyming couplets which present closed-in, epigrammatic statements. These couplets draw attention to the contained nature of the all objects in the poem, and they draw attention to the final line’s lesson. This last line works on several levels to address the poem’s conflicts. First, the line refers to the fountain itself; in this final rhymed couplet is the illustration of the water’s perpetual motion in the fountain, its continually recycled movement rising and falling. Second, the line refers to the ocean; in this respect the water cannot escape its boundary or control its own motions. The ocean itself is trapped between landmasses and is controlled by a distant object’s gravitational pull. Finally, the line addresses the speaker, leaving him/her with an overriding sense of fate and fallacy. The fallacy here is that the fountain presents this wisdom of reality to defy the speaker’s original idea that the fountain and the ocean appear to be trapped and free. Also, the direct statement of the last line certainly addresses the human speaker as well as the human reader. This statement implies that we are all trapped or controlled by some remote object or entity. At the same time, the assertion that “Nothing escapes” reflects the limitations of life in the world and the death that no person can escape. Our own thoughts are restricted by our mortality as well as by our limits of relying on appearances. By personifying a voiceless object, the poem presents a different perception of reality, placing the reader in the same position of the speaker and inviting the reader to question the conflict between appearance and reality, between what we see and what we can know.
The writer observes and presents many of the most salient points of the short poem, but they could indeed organize the explication more coherently. To improve this explication, the writer could focus more on the speaker’s state of mind. In this way, the writer could explore the implications of the dramatic situation even further: why does the speaker ask a question of a mute object? With this line of thought, the writer could also examine more closely the speaker’s movement from perplexity (I am trapped but the waters are free) to a kind of resolution (the fountain and the sea are as trapped as I am). Finally, the writer could include a more detailed consideration of rhythm, meter, and rhyme.
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Poetry & Poets
Explore the beauty of poetry – discover the poet within
Poetry is the art of expressing emotions, ideas and thoughts in a creative way. Writing about poetry may be difficult for some people as it involves not just understanding the text, but also interpreting its implications. The key to writing a successful poetry essay is to explore what the poem means to you and finding out what the main themes and ideas of the poem are. Through this process, you will be able to take a deep dive into the analysis of the poem. In this article, we will provide an overview of how to write an effective poetry essay.
Before diving into writing your essay, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the basics of poetry. Firstly, it is important to read through the poem and examine the poem’s structure, meter, and rhyme scheme. These elements often give insight into the mood and themes of the poem. Additionally, it may also be useful to identify the poem’s speaker and its written form. It is only once these components are understood that you can begin to analyze the poem in greater detail. Secondly, it is helpful to examine the choice of words used in the poem. The poet’s use of vocabulary can reveal clues about his feelings and thoughts on the subject. Furthermore, you may also want to focus on particular words that are commonly used in the poem, as their inclusion may be used to convey a specific hidden meaning. For example, if the poem often uses the words ‘free’ and ‘liberty’, then it may be a way to express the theme of freedom.
In order to effectively analyze a poem, it is important that your essay includes evidence from the poem that reinforce your argument. It is crucial to include specific examples of passages, lines, or words that you feel demonstrate the poem’s underlying themes or messages. Moreover, you may also want to explicitly state the effect these examples have on the meaning of the poem. For instance, the poet’s deliberate use of sad words to communicate grief.
In addition to carefully analysing the poem, it is also important to make meaningful connections between different aspects of the poem. This may involve connecting literary elements, such as images, symbols, and allusions, to a broader theme or idea. These connections can be used to develop your understanding of the poem and illustrate how different elements come together to form a more holistic interpretation.
A great way to interpret the poem is to compare its themes to an image or painting. This way, you can visualize the poem’s message and identify its different facets. If done correctly, this method can provide you with an even deeper understanding of the poem’s true meaning.
Having read and analyzed the poem, it is time to develop your thesis statement. This is the statement that outlines your analysis and interpretation of the poem. A strong thesis statement should concisely sum up the poem’s main idea and your interpretation of it. It should also steer clear of being too subjective or judgmental.
After finishing your essay, it is essential to proofread and edit it to refine it further. You may want to read the essay out loud to identify any grammatical errors or inconsistencies. Furthermore, you may also want to review your essay to ensure that your argument is well-articulated and your analysis is accurate.
For a successful poetry essay, it is important to provide your own subjective viewpoint on the poem. Feel free to use first-person narrative and provide your opinion on a particular element of the poem. This can help to create a sense of connection between the reader and the poem, as well as adding emotional triggers to your essay.
Another key rule to consider when writing a poetry essay is to give preference to the active voice over the passive voice when expressing your ideas. This will enhance the clarity of your essay and make it easier for the reader to understand your analysis. Using the active voice will help to make your argument more convincing, as readers can clearly understand how and why you arrived at a certain conclusion.
Evaluating the poem’s context.
In order to get the most out of your poetry essay, you should consider researching and evaluating the poem’s context. This includes understanding the poet’s biography, their motivations for writing the poem, and any political or social movements that the poem may have been influenced by. By taking the poem’s context into account, you can gain an even better insight into the work and develop an even more thorough interpretation of the poem.
When writing your essay, it can be helpful to explore different non-academic perspectives that can help give you a more comprehensive understanding of the poem. Engaging with other interpretations and opinions can help you to get an even better idea of what the poem is trying to say. Additionally, it can also provide you with insight into the cultural significance of the poem.
When analyzing a poem, it is important to consider the poem’s aesthetic elements, such as its sound, rhythm, and meter. These aspects of a poem often convey the poem’s true meaning and can provide deeper insight into the poem’s themes and ideas. Additionally, they can also help you to better identify and convey the poem’s effect on the reader.
To further bolster your argument and make your essay more convincing, you may also want to cite relevant data and sources. This includes any papers or studies on the poem, as well as any quotes from experts on the poem. By including this data, your essay will appear more credible and will be more likely to convince your reader.
The final step to writing your poetry essay is to include your own insights and analysis. This is important for providing your essay with its unique voice and is essential for providing a unique argument. Using your knowledge of the poem, provide the reader with a summary of your own ideas and opinions on the poem. By doing so, you can make your essay more relatable and engaging to the reader.
Minnie Walters is a passionate writer and lover of poetry. She has a deep knowledge and appreciation for the work of famous poets such as William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more. She hopes you will also fall in love with poetry!
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We choose our AP Poetry Analysis prompts not just to prepare students for the essay on the AP Literature exam, but also to introduce the major themes of the novel or play through a complementary text that addresses the subject matter through a different lens. Similar to the thought-provoking quotation that we use as the basis of our Journal Discussions, we want to give students another perspective on the issues they will encounter in the novel or play they are about to read.
Oftentimes, the choice of poem is relatively obvious by allusions made in the title or text of the novel or play. For instance, when reading Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart , it makes sense to analyze William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming," the poem from which the title of the novel is taken. Similarly, when reading Kate Chopin's The Awakening , it is helpful to analyze Charles Swinburne's "A Cameo" since Gouvernail murmurs the first two lines of the poem during Edna's farewell dinner on Esplanade Street. There is a reason that authors and playwrights allude to other literary works, and our job as readers is to determine the thematic connection between the two.
When there is not an obvious allusion made in the title or text, we have the opportunity to select a poem that relates thematically to the novel or play and is consistent with the AP Literary Analysis prompt already chosen. For instance, when we teach Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street , we want students to focus on how Esperanza's feelings towards her neighborhood change over the course of the novel. To achieve this purpose we chose the 2010 AP Literary Argument prompt for our final essay:
"You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you."
- Sonsyrea Tate
Sonsyrea Tate's statement suggests that "home" may be conceived as a dwelling, a place, or a state of mind. It may have positive or negative associations, but in either case, it may have a considerable influence on the individual.
Choose a novel or play in which a central character leaves home yet finds that home remains significant. Write a well-developed essay in which you analyze the importance of "home" to this character and the reasons for its continuing influence. Explain how the character's idea of home illuminates the larger meaning of the work.
While there are many poems that focus on the concept of "home," we selected Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" to compare and contrast with Cisneros' work. When analyzing any piece of literature, we focus on the four pillars of style analysis: diction, imagery, language, and syntax. We go into depth on all four pillars in the Style Analysis Tutorial , so for this section we will focus on what is unique about analyzing poetry in comparison to prose.
When we present a poem to the class, we structure it like an AP Poetry Analysis prompt that students will find on the AP Literature exam so they get more comfortable with the format:
When we first introduce poetry to students, we note that paragraphs and sentences in prose have been replaced with stanzas and lines in poetry. We emphasize, however, that most poetry is still written in complete thoughts and contains end punctuation. Our advice to students is to read poetry as if it were prose, pausing and stopping when the punctuation dictates. We always read poems out loud in class twice — the first time by the teacher to model how it should sound and then a second time by a student reader. For poems with multiple long stanzas, we might have different students read different stanzas aloud.
Since every word in poetry is important, we first define any words that students might not know —like "indifferently" or "austere" in Hayden's poem, for example . We want students to consider the significance of the diction, imagery, and language in a poem —which, again, we discuss in detail in the Style Analysis Tutorial —but in this tutorial we are going to focus on how the specific syntax of poetry, which we call poetic devices, differs from prose and how poets use these poetic devices to establish tone and reveal theme.
We break poetic devices into three categories based on the repetition of sounds. The first category identifies the repetition of specific letter-sounds, which takes the form of alliteration, consonance, and assonance. The second category concentrates on the repetition of syllables, which involves a poem's rhyme, rhythm, and meter. The third category focuses on the repetition of words or phrases, which we call parallel structure:
I. Alliteration/Consonance/Assonance
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words whereas consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within words. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. Poets use repeated sounds not just because they are pleasing to the ear , but also to emphasize certain words and create connections between words.
Let's look at the opening stanza of Hayden's poem:
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
When introducing poetic devices, we first ask students to find as many repetitions of consonant and vowel sounds as possible within an opening stanza. For Hayden's poem, students usually notice the repetition of the hard "k" sound that comes at the beginning of words like " cl othes," " c old," and " cr acked"; in the middle of words like "cra ck ed," "a ch ed," "wee k day," "ba nk ed," and "tha nk ed"; and at the end of words like "bluebla ck ."
When we ask students to describe the tone, or feeling, associated with that particular sound, students often say it is harsh and abrupt. The next question is why Hayden would want to repeat that particular sound in his opening stanza, and how that sound might reflect the feelings that the speaker has internalized when remembering his father and his childhood home.
Despite the coldness of the relationship he had with his father, it is clear that the speaker's feelings have changed now that he is older. The adult speaker seems to recognize and appreciate the fact that his father "got up early" during the week, most likely to go to a blue-collar job that produced "cracked hands that ached." Not only does Hayden alliterate the " w eekday w eather" to emphasize the harsh conditions that his father endured during the week to provide for his family, but he also alliterates the " bl ue bl ack cold" when the speaker's father "made / b anked fires bl aze" to show how the father also provided comfort for his family in the early morning darkness before any of them had gotten out of bed.
When Hayden stops the opening thought with a caesura in the middle of the fifth line, he uses the period to interrupt the flow of the line to set us up for the devastating final words of the stanza: "No one ever thanked him." When reading those words, we sense the guilt and regret the speaker has for failing to appreciate his father when he was a child.
Hayden's use of assonance is also interesting to analyze in the first stanza, specifically with the juxtaposition of long and short "a" sounds. The long "a" sounds connect the hands that " a ched / from l a bor in the weekd a y weather m a de / banked fires bl a ze." Those same hands that "ached" from long hours of manual labor outside the home were the same hands that "made" the fires inside the home —on "Sund a ys too"— to provide comfort and warmth for his family.
One could argue that the length of those drawn out "a" sounds reflects the long thankless days that the father spent providing for his family with no apparent acknowledgment or appreciation of his sacrifice. Is there bitterness inside the father? Perhaps those harsh "k" sounds combined with the short "a" sounds in "bluebl a ck," "cr a cked," "b a nked," and "th a nked" reflect not just the speaker's fear of his father as a child, but also the resentment that the speaker imagines the father must have had towards his ungrateful family.
We emphasize with students that any literary interpretation—but especially with an analysis of the subtleties of syntax or poetic devices—is subject to debate. The role of a literary critic is not necessarily to be "correct," but to make interesting observations based on evidence from the text to make the reader think differently or more deeply about the work. Some interpretations are more convincing than others based on the evidence to support the claims, and others are more compelling based on the insight and depth of the analysis.
Our advice to students is to think deeply about the literary work and make as interesting an argument as possible based on the evidence from the text. An essay does not necessarily have to convince the reader that a certain interpretation is "right," but it should always aspire to be thought-provoking and make the reader think about the work in a new way.
II. Rhyme/Rhythm/Meter
When we introduce the concept of rhyme, we differentiate between "end rhymes" and "internal rhymes." When end rhymes create a consistent pattern, we call that a "rhyme scheme" and use letters, such as ABAB, to represent the repeating pattern. For Hayden's poem, however, there are no end rhymes, which means there is no rhyme scheme. The first question that students should ask is why Hayden would choose to write his poem in free verse rather than with a set rhyme scheme.
Just because there are no end rhymes does not mean, however, that there are no internal rhymes. In the first stanza, we see "blue black " and " cracked " on successive lines and " banked " and " thanked " in the same line. These internal rhymes are not only aesthetically pleasing to the ear, but they also link those words thematically. It is up to the reader to make a connection as to why the poet would want to pair those two words.
In the first pairing, the "blue black cold" represents the harsh conditions that the father has to face everyday — "Sundays too"—to provide and care for his family. His perpetual sacrifice is represented by the " cracked hands that ached," but it seems that the "aching" of his hands does not just reflect a physical hardship; instead, it seems to also imply an internal suffering, one that the speaker is unable to recognize as a child but acknowledges and takes some responsibility for as an adult. Similarly, the " banked fires" that the father made "blaze" every morning go unacknowledged by his family; despite the fact that he should have been " thanked " for the sacrifices he made, no one ever did.
In the second stanza, Hayden also uses internal rhymes effectively:
I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he'd call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
The first line connects " wake " with the first syllable in " break ing," showing how the father regularly gets up in the early morning to make the house warm for his family by "breaking" the cold. The tone of the stanza, however, is not one of familial love and warmth. The present participles at the end of the first line connect with the present participle in the fourth line to create a series of internal rhymes by repeating the "-ing" syllable on "splinter ing ," break ing ," and "fear ing ." Despite the speaker's understanding at an intellectual level that the father's efforts are "splintering" and "breaking" the cold, they are sublimated by his simultaneously "fearing the chronic angers of that house." Instead of feeling gratitude for his father's efforts, the speaker only has dread and fear, fully aware that his father's temper is always in threat of "splintering" and "breaking" the peace and tranquility of the house.
When determining rhythm, we have to look at the punctuation and the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables (i.e. meter) in a line or stanza. In looking at the punctuation in the second stanza, the first thing we notice is the proliferation of commas. The comma at the end of the first line creates an asyndeton that takes the place of an "and" that could have easily separated the two present participles in a smoother, more rhythmic way. Instead, Hayden uses the comma to create a jarring transition between the two participles that abruptly concludes with the period at the end of the line.
One could argue that the punctuation aptly reflects the harsh, abrupt tone that we saw in the consonance of the repeated "k" sounds in the first stanza, which continues in the second stanza with " c old," "brea k ing," " c all," and " chr oni c ." The commas at the end of each successive line in the second stanza slows the pace and makes us consider each line carefully. The commas never complete the thought, however, so we carry the tension from one line to the next —and even into the next stanza—understanding implicitly that the "chronic angers of that house" remain unresolved and simmering beneath the surface, which breaks any sense of harmony in the house or rhythm in the poem.
The disruptive punctuation is complemented by the absence of a set meter. To determine meter, we have to recognize which syllables are stressed and which are not. The easiest way to do that is to look at the multi-syllable words first to determine where the natural accents lie. For instance, the word "splintering" in the first line of the second stanza has three syllables, but only one contains the natural accent, which is the first; the final two syllables are unstressed. Likewise, in "breaking" the first syllable is stressed and the second is not. In fact, all of the multi-syllable words in the second stanza have the first syllable stressed:
After we find the natural accents, we then look at the single-syllable words, where there is ample room for interpretation. In general, primary words — like nouns and verbs — are usually stressed whereas secondary words — like articles and prepositions — are not. This is a guideline but not a rule, however. When words are stressed, they are emphasized; sometimes it makes sense, based on the context of the line, to stress an adjective, for instance, rather than the noun. Similarly, stressed and unstressed syllables usually alternate in poetry to create a natural rhythm, but poets will intentionally disrupt the rhythm to call attention to specific words.
Here is a possible scan of the second stanza in Hayden's poem:
The first line starts off with a series of three rhythmic iambs (two-syllable combinations of unaccented syllables followed by accented syllables) before the pattern is broken with the words "splintering, breaking" at the end of the line. By analyzing the meter, we can assume that soon after waking—even on Sundays with a fire warming the house—the speaker still feels a sense of tension and unease. What is interesting is Hayden's decision to end the line with a weak, unaccented syllable, which one could argue conveys a sense of weary resignation, as if the speaker can never escape the constant "splintering, breaking" tension that permeates the house.
The first syllable of the second line, "When," could certainly be accented, but leaving it unaccented allows that feeling of helplessness to carry over from the previous line and build into another series of rhythmic iambs that runs through the next two lines until it is disrupted once again by a present participle, this time "Fearing," which starts the fourth line and connects to the "splintering, breaking" of the first line. This rhythmic pattern—and its disruption—repeats itself as if to imply that any sense of harmony within the house cannot remain for long.
The preposition "of" in the final line of the stanza could also be unstressed, but choosing to accent the preposition creates another series of four straight iambs that is broken once again by a present participle, this time the "Speaking" at the beginning of the final stanza. What is interesting is that the father is responsible for the "splintering, breaking" of the rhythm in the second stanza, but it is the speaker who is responsible for breaking the rhythm in the final stanza by "Speaking indifferently" to his father, which seems to imply that they both share responsibility for the psychic tension and "chronic angers of that house."
III. Parallel Structure
Parallel structure is the repetition of words or phrases within the lines of a poem. We have already seen how Hayden uses parallel structure in repeating the use of present participles to break the rhythm of the lines in the second stanza and at the beginning of the third. We also see a key repetition in the penultimate line that, one could argue, unlocks the thematic meaning of the entire poem:
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love's austere and lonely offices?
By repeating "'What did I know, what did I know" the speaker acknowledges his own ignorance as a child of the love and sacrifice that his father demonstrated through his daily actions. The repetition also implies a sense of guilt and regret that he was unable to understand or appreciate his father when he was younger. What is obvious is that the speaker has matured over the years —perhaps now having children of his own—and sees his father in a new, more compassionate light.
To help students identify poetic devices and become more comfortable with the analytical process, we provide five study guide questions on the back of the AP prompt that students should try to answer on their own. When students return to class, we answer any questions they may have and share our different interpretations of the poem as a whole class.
After we have explicated the poem and answered questions from the study guide, students prepare to write their AP Poetry Analysis essay. Similar to the other AP essays, we encourage students to use Hegel's Dialectic to organize their thoughts and outline their arguments:
The AP Poetry Analysis prompt for Hayden's poem asks students to consider how the speaker has "re-assessed" the "strained" relationship he had with his father in childhood. One possible way to organize the argument would be to have the thesis, or initial claim (i.e. first body paragraph), focus on the "strained" relationship in the speaker's childhood. The antithesis, or counter-claim (i.e. second body paragraph), could then focus on the speaker's re-assessment of that relationship once he becomes an adult. The synthesis (i.e. third body paragraph) would focus on what the speaker has learned from the experience, which would also reflect Hayden's overall theme (i.e. "the meaning of the work as a whole").
If this were the first assignment of the year, we would provide a model for what a quality AP Poetry Analysis essay using Hegel's Dialectic might look like:
When using Hegel's Dialectic for an AP Poetry Analysis essay, it is sometimes helpful to think of the thesis/antithesis/synthesis model in terms of tone and theme instead. Students should look for competing, yet complementary, tones in the poem, which would then be the focus of their first two body paragraphs. Students would then resolve the tension between those competing tones by revealing overall theme in the concluding third body paragraph.
Once students have completed the Journal Discussion and written the AP Poetry Analysis essay, they are now ready to begin the novel or play with a solid introduction to the major themes of the work. Moreover, they will be able to compare and contrast how the author or playwright addresses the Essential Questions with the poet and and the author/speaker of the quotation. Ultimately, students will have to answer those Essential Questions for themselves, but they now have three different guides to help them along the way.
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A poem analysis essay allows you to explore the nuances of a poem, dissect its themes, and uncover the hidden meanings within its verses. It offers a unique opportunity to delve into the poet's mind and understand their perspective. When crafting a poem analysis essay, it is essential to approach the task with a critical eye and an open mind.
Main Paragraphs. Now, we come to the main body of the essay, the quality of which will ultimately determine the strength of our essay. This section should comprise of 4-5 paragraphs, and each of these should analyze an aspect of the poem and then link the effect that aspect creates to the poem's themes or message.
Pay attention to the use of language, word choice, and imagery. Consider the tone and mood of the poem. Look for patterns or repetitions in the poem. Think about the emotions evoked by the poem. Identifying the theme of a poem requires careful analysis and interpretation.
Table of contents. Step 1: Reading the text and identifying literary devices. Step 2: Coming up with a thesis. Step 3: Writing a title and introduction. Step 4: Writing the body of the essay. Step 5: Writing a conclusion. Other interesting articles.
The central section of a literary analysis essay is going to contain all the studies you've carried out. A good idea would be to divide the body into three or four paragraphs, each presenting a new idea. When writing an outline for your essay, determine that in the body part, you will describe: The central idea.
Teaches the Art of the Short Story. Teaches Storytelling and Humor. Teaches Writing for Television. Teaches Screenwriting. Teaches Fiction and Storytelling. Teaches Storytelling and Writing. Teaches Creating Outside the Lines. Teaches Writing for Social Change. Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination.
Step 4: Consider Poetic Techniques. Read the poem several times, considering a single poetic technique at a time. For example, free verse and formal poems use line breaks. Read through the poem once, focusing on how the poet has broken lines, and the impact of those decisions. If the poem contains stanzas, do the same for stanzas.
Guide for Analyzing Poetry Step Two The second step to analyzing a poem is to read it: once in yo. head and then a second time out loud. If the poem is particularly complex or long, you may find that reading it aloud several times helps you to better comprehend and identify formal elements such as rhythm or enjambment, s.
Analyzing Poetry. To analyze a poem, you must break it down into all its important elements and explain how they work together to create an effect or reinforce a meaning. Read your assignment carefully to find out what you're being asked to do, since there are many ways to present an analysis. You may, for example, be required to do research ...
Body Paragraphs. The body section should form the main part of poetry analysis. Make sure you have determined a clear focus for your analysis and are ready to elaborate on the main message and meaning of the poem. Mention the tone of the poetry, its speaker, try to describe the recipient of the poem's idea.
Write my paper for me. Poetry analysis is simply the process of reviewing the multiple artistic, functional, and structural pieces that make up a poem. Normally, this review is conducted and recorded within an analytical essay. This type of essay writing requires one to take a deeper look at both the choices that a poet made and the effects of ...
Poetry Analysis Essay Outline. An outline for a poetry analysis essay can be very simple. It is merely a guideline for the writer to build upon. Put the title of the paper at the top of the page, then place the number one (1) underneath, just before the word "Introduction."
A summary of the poetry analysis essay provides a concise overview of its content and structure. It helps the reader grasp the key elements of the poem before delving into the analysis. You need to: Summarize the content and structure of the poem. Highlight key events, images, or ideas presented in the poem.
Here is an outline of a poem analysis essay to use: Opening paragraph - Introduce the Poem, title, author and background.. Body of text - Make most of the analysis, linking ideas and referencing to the poem.. Conclusion - State one main idea, feelings and meanings.. Poem Analysis Essay Introduction. To start an introduction to a poem analysis essay, include the name of the poem and the author.
Key Strategies for Writing a Successful Poetry Essay. 1. Close Reading: Begin by closely reading the poem multiple times to understand its structure, themes, and language use. 2. Analysis: Analyze the poem's meaning, symbolism, and poetic devices such as metaphors, similes, and imagery. 3.
In general, we write a poetry analysis the same way we write any piece of academic writing, but I will quickly go over the constituent parts of an academic essay, in case you've forgotten them. Introduction: Begin with a hook that defines the poem being studied and hints at the content of the essay in an interesting way.
The term regularly used for the development of the central idea of a literary analysis essay is the body. In this section you present the paragraphs (at least 3 paragraphs for a 500-750 word essay) that support your thesis statement. Good literary analysis essays contain an explanation of your ideas and evidence from the text (short story,
When writing a poetry analysis essay, try to address real world applications of the poem. Make an effort to connect the poem to current events, societal challenges, and real world issues. Consider how the poem fits into the literary context and how it reflects the author's unique voice. Relating the poem to everyday issues can help the reader ...
How to Write a Conclusion. To write a compelling conclusion for an upscale poetry analysis essay, follow these steps: Summarize the Key Points: Identify core themes explored throughout the essay, aligning with the central argument presented in the thesis. Recap Literary Devices and Structural Elements: Summarize the literary devices and ...
It makes the writing services stage a lot easier and faster. Here are the major elements of a poetry analysis outline that you need to include in your essay: Opening paragraph: Introduce the poem, title, poet (or author) and background. Body paragraphs: Put across your analysis of the poem, linking ideas and referencing to the poem.
In order to write effectively about poetry, one needs a clear idea of what the point of writing about poetry is. When you are assigned an analytical essay about a poem in an English class, the goal of the assignment is usually to argue a specific thesis about the poem, using your analysis of specific elements in the poem and how those elements ...
When writing a poem analysis essay, it is important to stick to a proper writing style and a tone that engages the reader. Make sure to use advanced grammar and sentence structures when creating your essay. Additionally, avoid passive voice, as this can make your essay feel dull and lifeless. Furthermore, use powerful words and emotional ...
A poetry explication is a relatively short analysis which describes the possible meanings and relationships of the words, images, and other small units that make up a poem. Writing an explication is an effective way for a reader to connect a poem's subject matter with its structural features. This handout reviews some of the important ...
The final step to writing your poetry essay is to include your own insights and analysis. This is important for providing your essay with its unique voice and is essential for providing a unique argument. Using your knowledge of the poem, provide the reader with a summary of your own ideas and opinions on the poem.
Step 1: Choose a Topic. The first step of writing an impressive essay is choosing a topic of your interest. This is crucial because if you make any mistake here, you will get in trouble. So, to help you make this step an easy-going process, here are a few examples: Step 2: Prepare an Outline.
While there are many poems that focus on the concept of "home," we selected Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" to compare and contrast with Cisneros' work. When analyzing any piece of literature, we focus on the four pillars of style analysis: diction, imagery, language, and syntax. We go into depth on all four pillars in the Style Analysis ...