Student Question
How would you explain the meaning of a specific poem in an essay?
Quick answer:
To explain a poem's meaning in an essay, begin with an introduction summarizing the poem, including the author's name, title, publication date, and genre, while noting the narrative voice and tone. The main body should provide a line-by-line or verse-by-verse analysis, translating the poem's language into your own words and explaining any complex elements. Additionally, consider the author's intention, historical context, and potential allegorical meanings to uncover deeper interpretations.
A typical essay assignment in high school or first year university literature classes is explication of a poem. Often, the main purpose of the assignment is so that the teacher can see if you understand the literal meaning of a poem despite its use of unfamiliar or archaic poetic language.
Explication in many ways grows out of the exercise of glossing in ancient grammar, and works on a careful word-by-word level.
The introduction of your essay should contain a general summary of the poem, including the name of the author, title of poem, date it was first published, length, and genre. Next, you should identify any general features that apply to the entire poem such as narrative voice and tone.
The main body of the essay should be a line-by-line or verse by versed summary restating the essential meanings in your own words, and explaining any proper names, allusions, unusual words or usages, and complex syntax.
How do you analyze the meaning of a poem?
Writing an essay about the meaning of a poem involves several levels of reading in order to find the various types of meaning the author conveys.
The first approach you can take is trying to understand the author's intention. For this, you need to determine the genre of the poem. Is the poem serious or humorous? Is the author suggesting something seriously or composing a parody? Next, research the author'sw biography and historical period to understand the context in which to read the poem.
Once you start looking at the poem itself, you first need to understand the literal level. That involves looking up unfamiliar words or words used in an unusual manner. Next, pay attention to the syntax -- make sure you know the antecedents of pronouns, which nouns go with with verbs, etc. Note any allusions or intertextualities. Then do a literal prose paraphrase.
Finally, look for allegory or hidden meanings./ Is there a possibilty that the author has a second non-literal meaning?
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