Topic 2 of 5 · Form 1
Poetry: close analysis
Identify the speaker and situation, the tone and any changes in tone, the poem's central ideas and how they develop.
Notes for this topic 1 file, in order
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Reading a poem
Identify the speaker and situation, the tone and any changes in tone, the poem's central ideas and how they develop.
Poetic methods
- Imagery: simile, metaphor, personification and symbolism.
- Sound: rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia.
- Form and structure: sonnet, ballad, free verse, dramatic monologue; stanza length, line breaks, enjambment and caesura; how the poem opens and ends.
- Language: word choice and connotations, contrast, repetition, ambiguity.
Writing about poetry
Make a point about meaning, embed a brief quotation, analyse specific words and their effects, and link to the poem's overall ideas and the reader's response.
Worked example: Analyse "The city swallowed him whole."
The metaphor presents the city as a predator; "swallowed" suggests he is overwhelmed and loses his identity, and "whole" emphasises how completely he disappears.
Exam tip: Avoid simply listing techniques – always explain how each one shapes meaning or feeling.
Check yourself
- What is enjambment?
- What is a dramatic monologue?
- How is a caesura created?
Show answers
- A sentence running over a line break without punctuation.
- A poem spoken by a single character to a silent listener, revealing their personality.
- By punctuation (or a natural pause) in the middle of a line.
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