Essay on Analyzing Poetry - 2868 Words

Analyzing Poetry It is possible to compare and contrast poetry from different literary periods by selecting a poem from each period and examining its use of structure, style, and imagery to enhance its theme. In the Elizabethan period, Lullaby, by Richard Rowlands; in the Romantic period, Samuel Taylor Coleridges Youth and Age; in the Victorian period, A Childs Laughter, by Algernon Charles Swinburne; and in the Modern period, Jessica Hagedorns Sorcery, the reader will come to the conclusion that they have minor similarities as well as significant differences in the areas of structure, style, theme and imagery. The Romantic poem called Youth and Age, by Samuel T. Coleridge and the Modern poem, Sorcery, by†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, in A Childs Laughter the speaker addresses children, he states, Something seen and heard of men Might be half as sweet as when Laughs a child of seven. By this quotation, the audience can surmise that the speaker means that there is no sweeter sound he can hear, than that of a childs laughter. In Lullaby, the speakers choice of subject is also children, he or she states, Meantime his love maintains my life and gives my senses her rest. In other words, this child is his or her only reason for living. The reader can infer that these poems are similar in theme because both of their messages stress the innocence and sweetness of children. All of the poems that have been chosen appear to have a common style. In Richard Rowlands Lullaby and A Childs Laughter, by Algernon Charles Swinburne both speakers mediate on his love or passion for children. In Samuel Taylor Coleridges Youth and Age, the speaker focuses on the nature of the aging human. Last but not least, in Sorcery, by Jessica Hagedorn, the speaker stresses the beauty of an individual. Because each of these poems mediate or focus on life, nature and/or love, they can be classified as being lyrical in style. There is a drastic change in the use of language from the Eliza bethan and the Romantic periods to the Victorian and the Modern periods. In Lullaby and Youth and Age, theShow MoreRelatedAnalyzing the Elements of Poetry Essay849 Words   |  4 Pagesbe very little that I would learn about the elements of poetry. This is not because I am an expert and have nothing new to learn, but rather the opposite. I have never really spent the time to break down and appreciate poetry. One of the reasons I think that I haven’t spent the time on poetry is due to my reading habits. I usually read to gather information and poetry is on the other end of the spectrum. Fredrick Gruber sums this up, â€Å"Poetry tends to give general truths while history gives particularRead MoreAnalyzing Some of Anna Akhmatovas Poetry726 Words   |  3 PagesExuberance Anna Akhmatova lived from 1889 to 1966 during a dark, rough time in Russia. â€Å"Everything is Plundered,† â€Å"I Am Not One of Those Who Left the Land,† and â€Å"Midnight Verses† are prime examples of Akhmatova’s symbolic literature. Akhmatova used poetry to help her overcome difficulties in life; it was a way of expressing and setting her feelings free. All of Anna Akhmatova’s poems contain a common theme that connects to her real life: though life can be rough, it is important to deal with problemsRead MoreAnalyzing Romantic Poetry: Shelley Essay1478 Words   |  6 PagesDejection, near Naples†, Percy Bysshe Shelley remains as one of the most influential poets today. 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However, this does not mean that th e creation of art is effortless; on the contrary it requires a high degree of sophistication. Works of art like dreams have both a manifest content (what is on the surface) and latent content (the true meaning). Both dreams and art use symbolism and metaphor and thus need to be interpreted to understandRead MoreLangston Hughes Poetry: Analyzing Themes of Racism956 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes Throughout many of Langston Hughes poetry, there seems to be a very strong theme of racism. Poems such as Ballad of the Landlord, I, Too, and Dinner Guest: Me are some good examples of that theme. The Ballad of the Landlord addresses the issue of prejudice in the sense of race as well as class. The lines My roof has sprung a leak. / Dont you member I told you about it/ Way last week? (Hughes 2/4) show the reader that the speaker, the tenant, is of a much lowerRead MorePoetry Essay766 Words   |  4 PagesPoems on Poetry Essay In the poems ‘How to Eat a Poem’ by Eve Merriam and ‘Introduction to Poetry’ by Billy Collins, important ideas are presented about how poetry should be experienced and enjoyed. The poets used the techniques extended metaphor, repetition, metaphors and personification to show me how these ideas is important. In ‘How to Eat a Poem’ by Eve Merriam, the author describes how poetry is to be experienced. Poetry doesn’t need any manners and has no rules. â€Å"Don’t be polite /Read MorePoetry Analysis of Introduction to Poetry837 Words   |  4 PagesPoetry analysis of ‘Introduction to Poetry’ The Poem â€Å"Introduction to Poetry† is by Billy Collins, an English poet, and it is about how teachers often force students to over-analyze poetry and to try decipher every possible meaning portrayed throughout the poem rather than allowing the students to form their own interpretation of the poem based on their own experiences. Throughout the poem, a number of literary devices are used. For example: â€Å"or press an ear against its hive†. Using this metaphorRead MoreRule Analysis : Poetry By Poetry1353 Words   |  6 PagesRule Analysis: Poetry Introduction Poetry is a genre that expresses feeling through rhythm and tone, while creating a realistic vision of what the poet is imagining. Poems can either be short or could be lengthy, but they all have a meaning to them. A poem is often read for its message that it carries. The message is usually hidden in the context of the poem. Poetry is difficult because its language that is used is often indirect with the reader. There is no limit of subjects that can be used in