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Poetry Analysis & Notes

The document provides an analysis of poetry, detailing stanza and line structures, rhythm and meter, and various poetic devices. It discusses the effects of end-stopping, enjambment, and caesura, as well as different types of meter and figurative language such as metaphors and similes. Additionally, it includes specific poem analyses, highlighting their structures, rhyme schemes, and themes.

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sahana
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9 views13 pages

Poetry Analysis & Notes

The document provides an analysis of poetry, detailing stanza and line structures, rhythm and meter, and various poetic devices. It discusses the effects of end-stopping, enjambment, and caesura, as well as different types of meter and figurative language such as metaphors and similes. Additionally, it includes specific poem analyses, highlighting their structures, rhyme schemes, and themes.

Uploaded by

sahana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Poetry Analysis &

notes
Sahana
Stanza Structure

• 2 lines: couplet
• 3 lines: Tercet
• 4 lines: Quatrain
• 5 lines: Cinquain
• 6 lines: Sestet
• 7 lines: Septet
• 8 lines: Octave
Line Structure
• Length will affect the speed. It will also affect the tone and meaning.
Single word: the word is emphasized.

1. End-stopped:
when there is a break caused by any punctuation

Effects of End-Stopping in Poetry:


2.Creates a Sense of Completion:
3.Adds Rhythm and Structure:
4.Emphasizes Meaning:
5.Influences Pace:
6.Creates Tension or Contrast:
Line Structure
2. Enjambment:
Continuation of a sentence or clause over a line break. (lines without punctuation)

• Effects of Enjambment in Poetry:


1. Creates Flow and Continuity: This can give the poem a sense of movement or momentum.
2. Builds Tension and Suspense: enjambment can create a sense of anticipation. The reader is eager to see how
the idea concludes in the next line, which can add tension and keep the reader engaged.
3. Enhances Natural Speech Patterns: Enjambment mirrors the way people naturally speak, where ideas or
thoughts often flow from one sentence to the next without strict pauses. This can make the poem feel more
conversational or intimate.
4. Highlights Specific Words or Phrases: Enjambment can cause certain words or phrases to stand out by placing
them at the beginning of the next line. This often draws attention to particular images or ideas as the reader
moves forward in anticipation.
5. Breaks Expectations: When a reader expects a pause at the end of a line and instead finds the sentence
continues, it can create a subtle surprise, challenging the reader’s expectations and encouraging them to pay
closer attention to the poem’s meaning and structure.
Line Structure
3. Caesura:
a strong pause in a sentence
• Effects of Caesura in Poetry:
1.Creates a Pause for Emphasis draws attention to a particular word, phrase, or idea, emphasizing its
significance.
2.Encourages Reflection or Thoughtfulness: The pause created by a caesura gives the reader a moment to
stop and reflect.
3.Enhances Natural Speech Patterns: Much like enjambment, caesura can mimic the way people naturally
pause in speech, allowing the poem to feel more conversational or realistic.
4.Creates a Dramatic Effect or Tension: When used strategically, a caesura can build tension or create a
dramatic pause, making the moment that follows (or precedes) it more impactful. For example, a
dramatic caesura might create suspense, as the reader anticipates the resolution or conclusion of a
thought.
Rhythm and meter
1 foot
• Syllable:
E.G: bottle – 2 syllables (bo, ttle), magnificent – 4 syllables (mag, ni, fi, cent)
U / U / U / U/ U /
Foot: Example: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
/ - stressed Repetition of this
pattern is called foot
U – unstressed
Types of meter:
1. Monometer
2. Dimeter
3. Trimeter
4. Tetrameter
5. Pentameter
6. Hexameter
8. Octameter
7. Heptameter
Rhythm and meter
Iamb (Iambic)
Pattern: Unstressed syllable + Stressed syllable (da-DUM)
Example: reLAX
Effect: Iambic meter is the most natural in English and is commonly used in both speech and poetry. It creates a flowing
rhythm and can sound conversational or lyrical.
Trochee (Trochaic)
Pattern: Stressed syllable + Unstressed syllable (DA-dum)
Example: TAble
Effect: Trochaic meter has a more forceful, driving rhythm compared to iambic, and it can create a sense of urgency or
intensity.

Anapest (Anapestic)
Pattern: Unstressed syllable + Unstressed syllable + Stressed syllable (da-da-DUM)
Example: in-ter-VENE
Effect: Anapestic meter has a light, flowing, and fast rhythm. It is often used in more whimsical or fast-moving
poetry.
Rhythm and meter

Dactyl (Dactylic)
Pattern: Stressed syllable + Unstressed syllable + Unstressed syllable (DA-da-dum)
Example: EL-e-phant
Effect: Dactylic meter has a strong, galloping rhythm and is often used in epic or dramatic poetry.

Spondee (Spondaic)
Pattern: Stressed syllable + Stressed syllable (DA-DA)
Example: * DEAD END*
Effect: A spondaic foot creates a very heavy, abrupt rhythm. It is rarely used exclusively but is often employed
for emphasis, particularly in the middle of a line or to create a dramatic pause.
Pyrrhic
Pattern: Unstressed syllable + Unstressed syllable (da-da)
Example: A pyrrhic foot is theoretically rare in English poetry but can occur when two consecutive unstressed
syllables appear, often in very fluid, conversational language.
Effect: It can create a very light, almost imperceptible rhythm, though it is rarely used intentionally in its pure
form.
Figurative Language
Euphemism:
Saying something in an inoffensive tone
E.G. He died: He passed away.

Synecdoche:
A part of something is used to represent the whole or the whole is used to represent a part.
E.G. hand: represents someone

Pun:
exploits multiple meanings of a word or similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect.

Oxymoron:
opposite words or ideas are combined
Figurative Language
Anaphora:
a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or verses.

Allusion:
author makes a brief, indirect reference to a person, event, place, work of art, or idea from history,
literature, religion, or culture
Line Structure
The poem consists of 28 lines divided into four stanzas of varying lengths.
Poem Analysis Stanza Structure
•Stanza 1: 8 lines
•Stanza 2: 6 lines
•Stanza 3: 2 lines
•Stanza 4: 12 lines
Rhyme and Meter
The poem follows an ABABCDCD rhyme scheme in the first stanza, with
variations in subsequent stanzas. It is written in iambic pentameter, but
Owen often breaks this pattern to create a more jarring effect that mirrors
the chaos of war.
Poetic Sound Effects
•Alliteration: "Knock-kneed", "trudge through sludge"
•Assonance: "guttering, choking, drowning"
•Consonance: "Watch the white eyes writhing in his face"
•Onomatopoeia: "gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs"
Figurative Language
•Simile: "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks"
•Metaphor: "Men marched asleep"
•Personification: "Gas shells dropping softly behind"
•Imagery: Vivid descriptions of soldiers' conditions and gas attack
•Irony: The title "Dulce et Decorum Est" contrasts sharply with the horrific
reality described in the poem
Line Structure
•The poem consists of two stanzas, each containing six lines
Poem Analysis •Lines are of varying lengths, creating a sense of irregularity and unease
Stanza Structure
•Two sestets (six-line stanzas)
•The first stanza focuses on hope and attempts to revive the soldier
•The second stanza shifts to questioning and despair
Rhyme
•Irregular rhyme scheme: ABABCC DEDEFF
•Use of half-rhymes (e.g., "once" and "France") adds to the unsettled tone
Meter
•No consistent meter, reflecting the chaotic nature of war
•Predominant use of iambic feet, with variations
•Line lengths vary from 8 to 10 syllables
Poetic Effects
•Alliteration: "fatuous sunbeams toil"
•Assonance: "tall" and "always"
•Repetition: "Move him into the sun" emphasizes desperation
Figurative Language
•Personification: Sun is given human qualities (e.g., "kind old sun")
•Metaphor: "fields half-sown" represents unfulfilled potential
•Symbolism: Sun represents life and hope, contrasting with death
Themes
•Futility of war
•Loss of innocence and potential
Poem Analysis Line Structure: The poem consists of 14 lines,
forming a sonnet.
Stanza Structure: It's divided into an octave (8
lines) and a sestet (6 lines), typical of a Petrarchan
sonnet.
Rhyme: The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFFEGG,
combining elements of both Petrarchan and
Shakespearean sonnets.
Rhythm and Meter: The poem is written in iambic
pentameter, with some variations to emphasize
certain words or ideas.
Poetic Sound Effects:
Alliteration: "rifles' rapid rattle"
Assonance: "bells" and "shells"
Onomatopoeia: "stuttering rifles' rapid rattle"
Figurative Language:
Metaphor: Comparing funeral rituals to the sounds
of war
Personification: "The shrill, demented choirs of
wailing shells"
Simile: "What candles may be held to speed them
all?" comparing candles to glowing eyes

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