Steps To Take Pre-Writing

In order to compose a poetry analysis essay, one must first read the poem carefully. It is
definitely important to reread the literary piece several times so as to get a full grasp
of the numerous ideas and concepts. This also gives you an opportunity to make note of
the rhyme scheme (if there is one), the type of poem (Limerick, ode, sonnet, lyric, haiku,
free verse, etc.) and other poetic techniques that the poet used (such as enjambment,
meter, end-stopped lines, figurative language, etc.).

 Limerick: Limerick is a stanza of five lines, with the first, second and fifth
rhyming with one another and having three feet of three syllables each; and the
shorter third and fourth lines also rhyming with each other, but having only two
feet of three syllables.

 Ode: Its structure - 10-line stanzas rhyming, with the 8th line iambic trimeter and
all the others iambic pentameter

 Sonnet: A fourteen-line poem written in iambic pentameter. Was made famous

by non-other than Shakespeare! (Shakespeare invented the word "swag"... just
saying)

 Lyric: A lyric poem is a comparatively short, non-narrative poem in which a

single speaker presents a state of mind or an emotional state. Rather than tell a
story, the speaker talks about his thoughts using a specific rhyming style.

 Haiku: Invented by the Japanese, a haiku is a three-line poem with seventeen

syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count.

 Free-Verse: Rather simple, free verse is poetry that does not rhyme or have a
regular rhythm.

All of those elements of the poem are essential to know when one is writing a poetry
analysis essay because they are a part of the poem’s structure and can affect the
content.
After covering the technical aspects of a poem, it is best to learn about
the background of the poem. This means that one may find it beneficial to look up the
poet, the date that the poem was written, and the cultural context of the work. All of that
information typically gives the reader a more in-depth understanding of the poem, and it
seems self-explanatory that one who has an enhanced comprehension of the poem
would have an easier time conducting an analysis of that poem.

The final element of writing a poetry analysis essay is a part of the composition
dedicated to the subject matter of the poem. This can be analyzed during the reader’s
quest to determine the theme, tone, mood, and meaning of the poem. The subject
matter – and the thematic elements that support the intended message behind the
subject – is often an interpretive minefield.

Often, people have different ideas about what a poet is trying to say by their use of a
subject, so unless the message is implicitly stated, it is best to state multiple
possibilities about what the poet may have meant and include evidence for these
theories.

However, it is important to generally pick a side among the various theories that you
have created. The amateur writer can try to elaborate on several existing ideas and
theories. However, an excellent essay writer always contributes their own ideas and
observations, making the work unique.. The writer should be careful to not mistake this
with choosing a favorite opinion or biased one. They should be defending the one that
carries the most weight or offers the most validation! As the essay is to be an
analysis, opinions are to be avoided in favor of facts and conjectures that are
backed by evidence from the work.

How To Choose A Topic

A great way to choose a topic for a poetry analysis essay is to decide on a topic that
would deal with information that one is already familiar with. For example, if the choice
of the poem to analyze is up to the writer, then it may be beneficial for the writer to
choose a poem that he/she has encountered before. If the choice is to be made
between different subject areas within a poem, then the writer could find it easier
to choose to focus on writing about an area that plays to his/her strengths, so that
the statements made in the essay are conveyed clearly and confidently.

A poetry analysis essay may seem like a daunting writing assignment at first, but if the
topic, outline, and paper are composed following the aforementioned steps, the paper
will no doubt, turn out very well.

Poetry Analysis Essay Outline

An outline for a poetry analysis essay can be very simple. It simply is 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”.

Under this, one can list brainstormed ideas for the introduction paragraph of the
paper. The final portion of this section should be dedicated to the thesis
statement of the paper.

After that portion of the outline is finished, one can move on to the body
paragraphs. Each of the Roman numerals used to label this part of the outline
should denote a different subject area with respect to the poem that will be discussed
in the essay. Letters under these numerals may be followed by subtopics within each
subject area that are to be dealt within individual paragraphs (or sentences, if it is to be
a shorter essay) within the body of the paper.

The final section of the outline is where the last Roman numeral is used in front of the
word “conclusion”. The conclusion of the paper should contain a restatement of the
thesis, preferably in different, yet recognizable wording. It should also include an
overall concluding statement about your summarized viewpoint of the analyzed
piece.
Poetry Analysis Essay Example

Essay Writing Advice From Our Professional Team

When it comes to poetry analysis, the tricky thing is to pinpoint literary devices and
explain their meaning. When you pinpoint a literary device used in the poem (e.g. an
anaphora) you want to explain its effect in the poem, not simply state that the author of
the poem used an anaphora. As the article articulates, the structure and background of
the poem is very important, but in case of analysis, it is of utmost importance to stress
how background, structure, and literary devices influence the overall meaning of the
poem as a whole. What message is it sending and what is it trying to say? Other literary
devices that you should pay attention to are diction, imagery, and allusion. The
background of the author will not always be available to you. For example, while you are
taking an AP exam, pay attention to specific images and words that they use or the
cultural references they make can really help you pinpoint where the author is from and
assist you in writing your essay.