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English
Exam board
OCR
Shakespeare
19th century prose
Modern texts
Poetry
Analysing fiction
Analysing non fiction
Reading
Writing process
Writing skills
Grammar and punctuation
English
Summary
Everyone will perceive a poem differently, but it is your interpretation that is important when responding to poetry. Preparation is key to writing a response to a poem and its effect on you and this summary will help you with this task.
The best way to understand your personal response is to read the poem, then reread it and reread it again. By exploring the poetry multiple times, you are able to consolidate your feelings about it:
Now that you have begun to understand the poem, consider how the poem achieves its effect in more detail.
Content of poem | Questions to ask |
Theme | Is there a clear theme and what is it? How has the poet shown this? |
Attitude | What is the poet's attitude? How do they convey this? |
The form, structure and language of a poem are all crucial to understanding its meaning and effect. After you've identified the techniques the poet has used, think about why the poet has chosen to use them and what the effect is.
The poetic form includes, among other things, the length and rhythm of each line, the system of rhymes and repetition in the poem as well as other aspects of its structure.
The structure refers to the way a poem is written. Poems are organised in different ways as seen in the number of stanzas, lines per stanza and breaks between stanzas and lines.
It is important to look at the way language is used by the poet to create meaning.
Rhythm or rhyme schemes may be evident in the poem, so you should address these aspects as well.
When thinking about poetry, remember to focus on why the elements of the poem were chosen and how they affect the poem. This information will help you create a response that covers many aspects of the poem.
Form and structure of poetry
Context of poetry
Language of poetry: Poetic techniques
Comparing poems
Using quotes and textual references to analyse a poem
FAQs
Question: What should you focus on in poetry?
Answer: When thinking about poetry remember to focus on why the elements of the poem were chosen and how they affect the poem.
Question: Is language and form important for poetry?
Answer: The form, structure and language of a poem are all crucial to understanding the meaning and effect of the poem. After you've identified the techniques the poet has used, think about why the poet has chosen to use them and what the effect is.
Question: How to approach poetry?
Answer: The best way to understand your personal response is to read the poem, then reread it and reread it again.
Theory
Exercises
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