Outline: Interpreting a Poem

Interpreting a Poem Jeremy Carlton
Thesis: Poetry is subjective to eyes upon words, most every interpretation is correct.
1. Identifying a poem
A. What to look for when identifying a poem
1. The line
2. The sound
3. The density
4. The association
5. The irony
B. Not every poem will exhibit all of these features
1. The line is a poems most basic unit ; compare this to normal prose
2. Line breaks in poetry can be used as punctuation
a. Poets often allow a sentence or clause to leak into the next line, this is called enjambment
3. The most obvious way to identify a poem is the rhyme scheme
4. Density
a. This is quite often over looked as the mental effort it took to put feeling and emotion into the poem
b. Density is often focused in certain manners
1. Simile
2. Metaphor
3. Symbolic language
5. Associations and Irony
a. By associating concrete images in metaphorical and unexpected ways, the poet uses irony to capture the reader
1. In Emily Dickenson’s “The Chariot (Because I Could Not Stop For Death) the image of death coming for the narrator is conveyed by the image of a thoughtful coachman
2. Learn Some of The Elements of Poetry
A. Meter
1. The regular rhythmic pattern of a poem
2. Stressed and Unstressed beat patterns
B. Iambic pentameter
1. An example of iambic pentameter is Shakespheres “anti-sonnet” praising his
beloved for everything she is not
C. Common Forms
1. Blank Verse
2. Namelines per stanzaDescription
3. Diction or poetic language

3. Apply Some Tools For Analysis
A. Practical Criticism
B. Close Reading
1. Examining carefully the features of the text itself
1a. Figure out what text contains more meaning
C. Scanning
1. Mapping out a line of poetry to figure out the meter of the poem
D. Identifying The Form
1. Dramatic Monologue
2. Heroic Couplets
3. Free Verse (verse libre)
4. Enjoy Yourself
A. It is very much possible to read too much into a poem
1. Don’t stress yourself out
B. Poetry is subjective to eyes upon words
1. Usually the meaning of a poem is whatever the audience believes it to be
C. Read and enjoy poetry one line at a time