如何分析英语诗歌.doc

How to Analyze a Poem Going through each poem asking the following questions in an order something like this: Who is the speaker? Is the speaker a male or female? Where is he or she? When does this poem take place? What are the circumstances?Sometimes youll be able to answer all of these questions: For example, the speaker is a Duke, (eg My last Duchess). Sometimes youll be able to answer only a few, and sometimes only vaguely: The speaker is unnamed, unplaced, and is addressing an audience thats unknown. No matter. Youve begun to understand the poem. What is the structure of the poem? That is, what are the parts of the poem and how are they related to each other? What gives the poem its coherence? What are the structural divisions of the poem? Think about the logic of the poem. Does it ask questions, then answer them? Or develop an argument? Or use a series of analogies to prove a point? Understanding the structure isnt just a matter of mechanics. Itll help you to understand the meaning of the poem as a whole and to perceive some of the art, the formal skills that the poet has used. What is the theme of the poem? You should now be able to see the point of the poem. Sometimes a poem simply says I love you; sometimes the theme or the meaning is much more complex. If possible, define what the poem says and why. Are the grammar and meaning clear?Make sure you understand the meaning of all the words in the poem, especially words you thought you knew but which dont seem to fit in the context of the poem. What are the important images and figures of speech? What are the important literal sensory objects, the images, such as a field of poppies or a stench of corruption? What are the similes and metaphors of the poem? In each, exactly what is compared to what? The most difficult challenge of reading poetry is discriminating between the figurative and the literal . What is the tone of the poem? Tone can mean a manner of speaking, a tone of voice. But it