TEN TIPS FOR ANALYZING POETRY
Nine Tips for Analyzing Poetry
1. Try to figure out the meaning of the poem.
2. Imagery is a common technique used by
poets to get their meaning across.
3. Look for symbols.
4. Look at the poet’s choice of words.
5. Determine the voice and tone of voice of the
poem.
Ten Tips for Analyzing Poetry
6. Determine if the poem has a storyline.
7. Look for a rhyme scheme.
8. Determine the poem’s structure.
9. Determine the poem’s type.
Rhyme
The Uses of Rhyme:
1. To give pleasure. Rhyme, done well, is pleasing
to the ears. It adds a musical element to the poem,
and creates a feeling of "rightness," of pieces
fitting together. It also makes a poem easier to
memorize, since the rhyme echoes in the reader's
mind afterward, like a melody.
Rhyme
The Uses of Rhyme:
2. To deepen meaning. Rhyming two or more
words draws attention to them and connects them
in the reader's mind.
Rhyme
The Uses of Rhyme:
3. To strengthen form. In many traditional forms,
a regular pattern of rhymes are at the ends of the
lines. This means that even if the poem is being
read out loud, listeners can easily hear where the
lines end, can hear the shape of the poem.
Types of Rhymes – End rhyme and Internal rhyme
End rhyme - When the last word in a line of
poetry rhymes with the last word in another line.
Internal rhyme - When words in the middle
of a line of poetry rhyme with each other.
Types of Rhymes – End rhyme and Internal rhyme
The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
The furrow followed free;
We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea.
“blew” and “flew Internal rhyme
“free” and “sea” End rhyme
Types of Rhymes – True rhymes and Off-rhymes
Words like smart and art , fellow and yellow,
jury and perjury are examples of True rhymes (or
exact rhymes).
Fate and saint, work and spark are examples of
Off-rhymes (or Slant rhymes).
Rhyme Scheme
The pattern of rhymes in a poem is written
with the letters a, b, c, d, etc. The first set of
lines that rhyme at the end are marked with a.
The second set are marked with b.
Rhyme Scheme (abab)
GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may, a
Old Time is still a-flying: b
And this same flower that smiles to-day a
To-morrow will be dying. b
Rhyme Scheme (abcb)
The itsy bitsy spider a
Went up the water spout b
Down came the rain c
And washed the spider out b
Rhyme Scheme
What rhyme scheme is used here?
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffett away.
Rhyme Scheme (aabccb)
What rhyme scheme is used here?
Little Miss Muffet a
Sat on a tuffet a
Eating her curds and whey. b
Along came a spider c
And sat down beside her c
And frightened Miss Muffett away. b
Rhyme Scheme
What rhyme scheme is used here?
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
Rhyme Scheme (abab cdcd efef gg)
What rhyme scheme is used here?
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; a
Coral is far more red than her lips' red; b
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; a
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. b
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white, c
But no such roses see I in her cheeks; d
And in some perfumes is there more delight c
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. d
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know e
That music hath a far more pleasing sound; f
I grant I never saw a goddess go; e
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: f
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare g
As any she belied with false compare. g
Assignment
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