How to get inside a poet’s headApproaches to the

unseen poetry questionSJI Literature Seminar

2010

Step One: know what you are dealing with

Make sure you have a thorough understanding of what poetry is, compared to other genres (drama, fiction)

Look at the Road Not Taken worksheet

Some definitions Emotion recollected in tranquility. William Wordsworth 1770-

1850

Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood. 

T.S. Eliot 1888-1965

Poetry is what gets lost in translation. Robert Frost 1874 – 1963

Blood, imagination, intellect, running together. DH Lawrence 1885-1930

Prose [is] words in their best order; Poetry [is] the best words

in the best order. Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772-

1834

A poet's work is to name the unnamable, to point at frauds,

to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep.  Salman Rushdie 1947 –

Step two: compile a set of questions to ask about the poet’s choicesThe two basic and vital kinds of

questions are:

What . . .? & Why . . . ?

what questions require a factual answer pinpointing key features of the poem

e.g. what choices did the poet make about . . . the form, the identity of the speaker, the nature of the diction and the imagery, the use of sound, the tone and the mood.

Why questions ask why the poet chose a particular form, diction and imagery, speaker etc Answers to why questions

must always relate to the purpose, meaning and effects of the poet’s choices.

Never forget . . .An answer to a what question which is not

explicitly related to an answer to the why question will not gain any credit.

E.g. ‘The poet uses alliteration in the first stanza. Only the monstrous anger of the guns.  Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle ’

This is only answers a what question. Quotation alone does not gain marks.

This is the kind of full comment required:The poet uses alliteration (1) of harsh

sounding consonants in the first stanza to create the sounds of battle (3): Only the monstrous anger of the guns.  (2) Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle 

REMEMBER: 1) POINT 2) EVIDENCE 3) DEVELOPMENT

Step three: know the poet’s optionsWhat kinds of form are there?

Metrical verse with a predictable pattern of lines and rhyme (sonnets, odes, ballads etc.)

Metrical verse with a predictable pattern of lines – but no rhyme (blank verse)

Verse with no predictable pattern of lines or rhyme (free verse)

N.B Free verse may make use of rhyme but you cannot find a strict pattern – you can’t predict it

What choice of speaker and audience?In some poems the speaker seems to

be the poet him/herselfIn some poems the speaker may be a

created character as in drama – a ‘persona’ adopted by the poet

In some poems the speaker may be addressing us as the reader or another person, with us overhearing

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright,In the forests of the night;What immortal hand or eye.Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

And when we were children, staying at And when we were children, staying at the the archduke's, archduke's, 

My cousin's, he took me out on a sled, My cousin's, he took me out on a sled, 

And I was frightened. He said Marie,And I was frightened. He said Marie,    

Marie, hold on tight. And down we went. Marie, hold on tight. And down we went. 

In the mountains, there you feel free. In the mountains, there you feel free. 

I read, much of the night, and go south I read, much of the night, and go south in the in the

winter.  winter.  The WastelandThe Wasteland TS Eliot TS Eliot

What choices of diction are there?

concrete abstract

specific, precise vague, generalised

informal, natural, colloquial, formal, grand, solemn

complex, elaborate, ambiguous simple, direct, economical

natural rhetorical, ornate, musical, elegant

emotional, passionate restrained, understated, rational, objective, unemotional

sophisticated child-like, innocent, naive

original, fresh hackneyed, clichéd

earthy, realistic, coarse, vulgar euphemistic, circumlocutory

connotative, humorous, playful, ironic

denotative, referential, neutral

What choices of imagery?Types: Simile, metaphor, symbol,

allegory, personification, pathetic fallacy

Appeal: emotions, the senses, the intellect, humour in any combination

Consider these examples . . .

O my luve's like a red, red rose.That's newly sprung in June;O my luve's like a melodieThat's sweetly play'd in tune.

Our two soules therefore . . .If they be two, they are two so As stiffe twin compasses are two, Thy soule the fixt foot, makes no show To move, but doth, if th'other doe.

And though it in the center sit, Yet when the other far doth rome, It leanes, and hearkens after it, And growes erect, as it comes home.

Such wilt thou be to mee, who must Like th'other foot, obliquely runne; Thy firmness makes my circle just, And makes me end, where I begunne.

What choices of sound?

Apart from rhyme, listen out for alliteration, consonance, assonance, rhyme, rising and falling rhythms, climaxes and pauses – especially in the middle of a line

REMEMBER – read with your ears as well as your eyes

A word about punctuationCheck out the punctuation: full stops,

exclamation marks, question marks, colons, dashes – especially in the middle of a line – indicate a pause, possibly a change in thought, a new idea or mood.

Don’t assume a sentence has stopped just because you have reached the end of a line – lines which run on into the next line(s) are (nearly) always followed by a pause somewhere in the middle of a line – a very heavy pause indeed and you must account for it.

Sounds: a few well-chosen words‘The sounds enact the sense’Rhythm: balanced phrases, emphatic,

repetitive, tortuous, accumulative, falling, rising, climax, enjambement (run-on) and end-stopped lines, disjointed, fragmented, heavy pause , obtrusive

Consonance (alliteration) and assonance: physical, muscular, harsh, grating, guttural, soft, delicate, melodious,

WHENWHEN I consider how my light is spent, I consider how my light is spent,EreEre half my days in this dark world and wide, half my days in this dark world and wide,AndAnd that one talent that one talent whichwhich is death to hide is death to hideLodged with me useless, Lodged with me useless, thoughthough my soul more bent my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker,To serve therewith my Maker, and and presentpresentMy true account,My true account, lest lest He returning chide,He returning chide,'Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?''Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?'I fondly ask. // I fondly ask. // BUTBUT patience, to prevent patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, 'God doth not needThat murmur, soon replies, 'God doth not needEither man's work or his own gifts. Who bestEither man's work or his own gifts. Who bestBear his mild yoke, they serve him best.  His state Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best.  His state Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,And post o'er land and ocean without rest;And post o'er land and ocean without rest;They also serve who only stand and wait.'They also serve who only stand and wait.'

What choices of tone and mood?What choices of tone and mood?Does it matter?—losing your legs?...Does it matter?—losing your legs?...

For people will always be kind,For people will always be kind,And you need not show that you mindAnd you need not show that you mindWhen the others come in after huntingWhen the others come in after huntingTo gobble their muffins and eggs.To gobble their muffins and eggs.

Does it matter ?—losing your sight?...Does it matter ?—losing your sight?...There's such splendid work for the blind;There's such splendid work for the blind;And people will always be kind,And people will always be kind,As you sit on the terrace rememberingAs you sit on the terrace rememberingAnd turning your face to the light.And turning your face to the light.

Do they matter?—those dreams from the Do they matter?—those dreams from the pit?...pit?...You can drink and forget and be glad,You can drink and forget and be glad,And people won't say that you're mad;And people won't say that you're mad;For they'll know you've fought for your For they'll know you've fought for your countrycountryAnd no one will worry a bit.And no one will worry a bit.

  

Summary of tools for analysis First ask the ‘what’ questions and then the First ask the ‘what’ questions and then the

‘why’ questions‘why’ questions Look for patterns – and then where the poet Look for patterns – and then where the poet

changes itchanges it Check out the ‘little words’ – connectors and Check out the ‘little words’ – connectors and

tenses – often the key to the developing of the tenses – often the key to the developing of the thinkingthinking

Look for turning points – often from verse to Look for turning points – often from verse to verse, or a change in rhyme schemeverse, or a change in rhyme scheme

Binaries – what radical alternatives are set Binaries – what radical alternatives are set against each other? Often the key to the against each other? Often the key to the meaningmeaning

Answering the examination question Subject (topic) and theme (area of life)?Subject (topic) and theme (area of life)? Argument, purpose and appeal (feeling Argument, purpose and appeal (feeling

or intellect?)or intellect?) Persona – transparent? A character?Persona – transparent? A character? Verse form and structure – patterns?Verse form and structure – patterns? Diction and imagery – patterns?Diction and imagery – patterns? Tone and mood?Tone and mood? Sound – rhythm, rhyme, consonance, Sound – rhythm, rhyme, consonance,

assonance?assonance? What binaries can you find in any of the What binaries can you find in any of the

above?above?

Subject (topic) and theme (area of life)Subject (topic) and theme (area of life)

The The subjectsubject of of OthelloOthello is a man who is a man who murders his wife. Think of ‘subject’ murders his wife. Think of ‘subject’ as a headline for a news story e.g. as a headline for a news story e.g.

FOREIGN TALENT MURDERS WIFEFOREIGN TALENT MURDERS WIFE

The The themesthemes are pride, jealousy, evil, are pride, jealousy, evil, love, race, the disparity between love, race, the disparity between appearances and reality etcappearances and reality etc

Christian CemeteryRobert Yeo

These tombstones have been uprooted.Chipped madonnas and broken crosses,all weathered grey, are strewn on grass.Never thought I would see them thus.These stones that have been here so longit seems the land was theirs for good – but for the Urban Renewal Departmentwhich needed that plot for a park.

My granny, though Catholic, was crematedaccording to her wish. She knewroom in our affections was allthe space she needed. Or perhapsshe’d heard all about urbanization,how her stone, had she been buried, would wear away or be dislodged.And so when she had to give upwhat space she occupied, she left ussomething that cannot be lost in stoneand therefore fears no renewal.

Christian CemeteryRobert Yeo

These tombstones have been uprooted. / 8Chipped madonnas and broken crosses,/ 8all weathered grey, are strewn on grass./ 8Never thought I would see them thus. // 8These stones that have been here so long 8it seems the land was theirs for good – // 8but for the Urban Renewal Department 11which needed that plot for a park. 8

A word about tone

Sometimes the hardest, most subtle, feature of a poem to uncover, but often the most important to understanding its meaning and effect.

How does the poet feel about the cemetery, his granny, the URD? What words and phrases express the tone most clearly?

My granny, though Catholic, was cremated 11

according to her wish.// She knew 8room in our affections was all 8the space she needed. //Or perhaps 8she’d heard all about urbanization, / 10how her stone, /had she been buried, / 8would wear away or be dislodged. // 8And so when she had to give up 8what space she occupied, /she left us 9something that cannot be lost in stone 9and therefore fears no renewal. 9