5 Important Methods To Understand And Analyse A Poem
by Chika Udekwe
1. Close reading: This involves carefully examining the language, imagery, and structure of the poem to gain a deeper understanding of its meaning and themes.
2. Contextual analysis: This involves considering the historical, cultural, and social context in which the poem was written to gain a better understanding of its meaning and significance.
3. Interpretation: This involves making your meaning from the poem based on your understanding of its language, imagery, structure, and context.
4. Identifying literary devices: This involves identifying and analyzing the use of literary devices such as metaphor, symbolism, and imagery in the poem.
5. Comparing and contrasting: This involves comparing the poem to other works by the same author or within the same literary period to gain a better understanding of its significance and style.
The importance of these methods is that they help to uncover multiple layers of meaning within a poem and can provide different perspectives on the poem. It also helps to understand the poet's intent, the context in which it was written, and the impact it had on readers and society at the time.
