Analyzing Poetry

2865 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Romantic vs Victorian literature

Analyzing Poetry It is possible to compare and contrast poetry from different literary periods by selecting a poem from each period and examining its use of structure, style, and imagery to enhance its theme. In the Elizabethan period, "Lullaby," by Richard Rowlands; in the Romantic period, Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Youth and Age;" in the Victorian period, "A Child's Laughter," by Algernon Charles Swinburne; and in the Modern period, Jessica Hagedorn's "Sorcery," the reader will come to the conclusion that they have minor similarities as well as significant differences in the areas of structure, style, theme and imagery. The Romantic poem called "Youth and Age," by Samuel T. Coleridge and the Modern poem, "Sorcery," by Jessica Hagedorn are similar in structure. Out of these two poems, neither one of them have stanzas that have a set number of lines, nor do they have set rhyme schemes. For example in "Youth and Age," there are three stanzas which contain at first seventeen lines, then twenty-one lines and finally eleven lines. In comparison, "Sorcery" has seven stanzas with a varying number of lines in each stanza. Thus, these poems are free verses. In Algernon C. Swinburne's "A Child's Laughter," he uses his own particular rhyme scheme to portray the message of his poem. Each stanza consists of five lines and every fifth line rhymes. For example, in the fifth line of the first stanza the speaker states, "All sweet sounds together" and in the fifth line of the second stanza the speaker states, "Wind in warm wan weather." In Richard Rowlands' "Lullaby" there is also a pattern. Each stanza consists of six lines and every fifth and sixth line is the same through out the poem. These repeated lines are as foll... ... middle of paper ... ...w "Friendship is a sheltering tree…the joys that came down shower like, Of friendship, Love and Liberty, Ere I was old." The speaker feels that life's joys of friendship, love and liberty are appreciated more when you are older. One poet is expressing the love that a parent has for his child and the other is expressing the affects of growing old, so again, the imagery in each poem helps the poet to develop his message. In conclusion, after each period has undergone careful study, one discovers that in the modern poem, "Sorcery," by Jessica Hagedorn, the theme is the most effective. The poet's use of imagery and choice of language makes the theme easier for the audience to comprehend, than that of any other period. The other poets' messages seem unclear because their uses of imagery and chooses language only make the themes of the poems more confusing.

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Thanks By Yusef Komunyakaa

    1620 Words  | 4 Pages

    Both poems use repetition of phrases and anaphora to establish a pace for the speaker’s voice. The repeating syllables provide a pseudo-break in

    Read More

  • Rosemary Dobson's Poetry To Resonate Across Place

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    Early on, poetry was often used with rhyme to remember things more accurately, this still rings true today, even though its use is more often to entertain. However, although it appeals to both the young, in children's books, and the old, in a more sophisticated and complex form, people are bound to have different preferences towards the different styles of poetry. Dobson’s poetry covers a variation of styles that captivate different individuals. “Her Story” is a lengthy poem with shorter stanzas. It’s free verse structure and simplistic language and face value ideas might appeal better to a younger audience. This poem includes quotes with informal language that children or teens would better understand. It’s narrative-based style is easy to follow, and although the poem covers very basic concepts, it’s message is still communicated subliminally. This particular poem is interesting because it focusses on the universal experience of pain and it’s relation to time. Similar to this is “The Householder”, written in a cyclical style, opening with a “house” and ending with a “home”. With only three stanzas, it is

    Read More

  • We Didn T Start The Fire Analysis

    763 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rhymes are two or more words that have the same ending sound. Songwriters and poets often times use rhymes to help their piece flow better, or keep the audience or readers engaged. Billy Joel’s song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is filled with rhymes, with a rhyme in almost every single line: “Brando, the King and I, and the Catcher In The Rye / Eisenhower, Vaccine, England’s got a new Queen / Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye” (line 6-8). Billy Joel uses the rhymes to move from one topic to the next, and the song is even in chronological order from 1950 to 1989. The rhyme schemes of the song are end rhymes as well as perfect rhymes. On the other hand, the poem is completely free verse, or without a single rhyme. This makes the poem less artistic and harder to remain engaged and interested. In addition to rhyming, allusions are another way of displaying artistic

    Read More

  • A Father's Phaethon: The Legend Of The Father

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    When the poem is read aloud, the explicit rhyme and rhythm of the lines becomes extremely obvious. In fact, the bouncy rhythm is so uplifting, it occasionally makes the audiences feel like it is too predictable and straight-forward. An example would be “bright with chrysolite”, the word “chrysolite” feels like it is forcefully implemented for the sake of the rhyme. This is somewhat similar to a children’s tale. Most children’s tale as we know it, conveys messages straightforwardly and are easily understood by children, it also has an amiable tone and a merry mood that engages the children 's attention. Similarly, the rhyme and rhythm of this poem is very obvious and explicit, creating a delightful, casual mood that appeals to a young audience. Even though the legend dealt with deep insights about parenting that are intricate and puzzling, the father delivered it in such a gratifying, simple manner that made even the most dark and dreadful matters: like the description of precarious beasts and vicious monsters to sound like a blissful adventure of friendly animals. The sole purpose of this contradiction between the tone and message is to make this seemingly strong and serious topic more tolerable and captivating to the son of the father. Unsensible, impulsive youth is very similar to restless children, a long insipid lecture about deep insights is very difficult for them to buy into. In the same time, a harsh, threatening warning will only make them obey unwillingly, and creating a doubtful relationship will make them uncomfortable to communicate or appeal to their parents. Clearly, the percipient father recognized the ineffectiveness of these unsuitable parenting methods. Instead, he conveyed the message in a uncomplicated, friendly way that made his son to accept his teachings more comfortably. A

    Read More

  • Americanized: Poem Analysis

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    This darkly satiric poem is about cultural imperialism. Dawe uses an extended metaphor: the mother is America and the child represents a younger, developing nation, which is slowly being imbued with American value systems. The figure of a mother becomes synonymous with the United States. Even this most basic of human relationships has been perverted by the consumer culture. The poem begins with the seemingly positive statement of fact 'She loves him ...’. The punctuation however creates a feeling of unease, that all is not as it seems, that there is a subtext that qualifies this apparently natural emotional attachment. From the outset it is established that the child has no real choice, that he must accept the 'beneficence of that motherhood', that the nature of relationships will always be one where the more powerful figure exerts control over the less developed, weaker being. The verb 'beamed' suggests powerful sunlight, the emotional power of the dominant person: the mother. The stanza concludes with a rhetorical question, as if undeniably the child must accept the mother's gift of love. Dawe then moves on to examine the nature of that form of maternal love. The second stanza deals with the way that the mother comforts the child, 'Shoosh ... shoosh ... whenever a vague passing spasm of loss troubles him'. The alliterative description of her 'fat friendly features' suggests comfort and warmth. In this world pain is repressed, real emotion pacified, in order to maintain the illusion that the world is perfect. One must not question the wisdom of the omnipotent mother figure. The phrase 'She loves him...' is repeated. This action of loving is seen as protecting, insulating the child. In much the same way our consumer cultur...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Disillusionment Of Ten O Clock By William Blake

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    The definition of a rhyme according to Yourdictionary.com is a poem composed of lines with similar ending sounds or to speak in words or phrases with the same ending sound. An example of a rhyme being used outside of “The Lamb” is to say the words bike and like, or another example of rhyme is the children 's poem “Humpty Dumpty”. In “The Lamb” the author William Blake uses rhymes to make his poem more expressive. For example “ Little lamb, who made thee?/ Dost thou know who made thee?/ Gave thee life and bid thee feed,/ By the stream and o’er the mead;” (Lines 1-4). The author uses the words thee, feed, and mead, all rhymes that give the poem The Lamb much rhythm. The definition of rhythm according to Yourdictionary.com is a recurring movement of sound or speech. Another example is “Gave thee clothing of delight,/ Softest clothing wooly bright;” (Lines 5-6) . Last example I will use from “The Lamb” is “He is meek and he is mild,/ He became a little child:” (Lines 15-16). These are all examples of rhymes that the author uses to create rhythm and make the poem

    Read More

  • Poem Analysis: The Big Idea

    1295 Words  | 3 Pages

    1) The theme that I will explore for the two independent pieces, will involve the theme of simply finding who you really are. As a viewer we should see past the complications of the obstacles we face in our day-to-day lives, for our eyes should only then become fixated on the endless possibilities of the time we have left within the intersection of time and space. The viewer can than grasp each of the moments that are left, so they can imagine beyond the emptiness - alone to see a sense of self-discovery in the very center, only pondering on the isolated sense of power we hold as humans to create a new life of belonging. Also, the depiction of having a positive approach to life’s challenges is essential to explore life and work

    Read More

  • Poem Analysis

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Helen of Troy, known as the most beautiful woman of ancient Greek culture, is the catalyst for the Trojan War. As such, she is the subject of both Edgar Allen Poe’s “To Helen” and H.D.’s “Helen”; however, their perceptions of Helen are opposites. Many poets and authors have written about Helen in regards to her beauty and her treacherous actions. There is a tremendous contrast between the views of Helen in both poems by Poe and Doolittle. The reader may ascertain the contrast in the speakers’ views of Helen through their incorporation of diction, imagery, and tone that help convey the meaning of the work.

    Read More

  • Aunt Jennifer's Tiger Poem Analysis

    659 Words  | 2 Pages

    In both poems, disputes and disagreements were evident. For instance, the poem “Rites of Passage” primarily focused on what a mother observed during her son’s birthday party. Olds observations centered on how young boys actions result into violence when dealing with one another. The set of boys who ranged in the age of six or seven, lacked a sense of innocence and

    Read More

  • Poetry Study Lesson Plan

    1510 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...hymes are a very common feature found in many poems. The following poem by X.J Kennedy shows how similar end sounds give a patterned resonance to the poem.

    Read More

  • Edgar Allan Poe Poetry Essay

    789 Words  | 2 Pages

    Some poems, such as a sonnet, are written in a rhyme scheme and contain a total of 14 lines which are known as stanzas. William Shakespeare is very know for his collection of sonnets, 154 of them to be precise. In Shakespeare 's sonnets he told stories about love and mystery using rhythm of words usually in abab cdcd rhyming form. Not all poems have to rhyme though, free verse poems have no rhyme scheme and no specific form in which they should be written, such as the poem "Directive" by Robert Frost. There are 55 different forms of poetry, so choosing which type to write is all up to your preferences weather you want short, long, rhyming, free write, or

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Imagery In Poetry

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    Free verse, after all, has form, too. And it could also be said that each individual poem,

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Shakespeare And Edgar Allan Poe

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shakespeare and Poe both use controlled patterns of meter; controlled patterns of meter are the stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem, and this results in a symphonic and poetic melody when reading the poem. “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary.” (Poe 145) From this quote, one can say that it has a controlled pattern as the syllables go in a pattern; meaning that the stressed and unstressed syllables are alternating. Besides the similarities, unlike Poe, Shakespeare used less stanzas in his sonnets, and he also writes with a variety of patterns. In Shakespeare's sonnets, one can tell that there is more than one rhyming scheme. On the other hand, Poe uses more stanzas as he is creating a more elaborate story; his works are usually more than 4 stanzas, and he writes his stanzas in the same way in “The Raven,” for example, ABCDDD. Even though the two poets use pattern in their writing, they used it in different

    Read More

  • Analysis of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Pains of Sleep

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    The poem is written in iambic pentameter with a clearly defined rhyme scheme throughout, although there are some variations

    Read More

  • Childhood

    1788 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the poetry of William Blake and William Wordsworth, this difference between children and adults and their respective states of mind is articulated and developed. As a person ages, they move undeniably from childhood to adulthood, and their mentality moves with them. On the backs of Blake and Wordsworth, the reader is taken along this journey.

    Read More

More about Analyzing Poetry

Open Document