How to use poetic devices to analyse poems

When analyzing a poem, it’s important to pay attention to the various poetic devices that the poet has used. These devices can be used to convey meaning, create imagery, and establish the poem’s tone and mood. Here are some steps you can take when answering a poem analysis question using poetic devices:

Identify the poetic devices used in the poem: Before you can analyze a poem, you need to identify the poetic devices used in it. These may include things like metaphor, simile, imagery, alliteration, assonance, rhyme, meter, and more. Make note of these devices and pay attention to how they contribute to the overall effect of the poem.
Consider the poem’s themes: Once you have identified the poetic devices used in the poem, consider the themes that the poet is exploring. What is the poem about? What message is the poet trying to convey? How do the poetic devices contribute to the themes of the poem?
Analyze the poem line by line: Now that you have a sense of the poetic devices used in the poem and the themes it explores, it’s time to analyze the poem line by line. Pay attention to how the poetic devices are used in each line and what effect they have on the reader.
Provide examples: When analyzing a poem, it’s important to provide examples to support your analysis. These examples should be specific lines or phrases from the poem that illustrate the use of a particular poetic device and how it contributes to the overall meaning of the poem.

Here are some examples of how to analyze a poem using poetic devices:

Example 1: “The Tyger” by William Blake

In “The Tyger,” Blake uses metaphor and imagery to explore the theme of creation and the relationship between good and evil. The poem begins with the famous lines:

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

Here, Blake uses the metaphor of the tiger to represent the destructive and violent aspects of creation. The image of the tiger “burning bright” creates a sense of danger and fear, while the phrase “fearful symmetry” suggests that there is an order to this violence.

Example 2: “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas

In “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” Thomas uses repetition and metaphor to explore the theme of death and the importance of living life to the fullest. The poem begins:

“Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

Here, Thomas repeats the phrase “do not go gentle into that good night” to emphasize the importance of fighting against death. The metaphor of “the dying of the light” suggests that death is not just a physical process, but a spiritual one as well. The use of the imperative “rage” creates a sense of urgency and passion.

Example 3: “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” Eliot uses allusion and imagery to explore the theme of alienation and the difficulty of modern life. The poem begins:

“Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;”

Here, Eliot alludes to the Michelangelo painting “The Creation of Adam” to create a sense of the divine and the mundane. The image of the evening “spread out against the sky” suggests a sense of emptiness and isolation, while the metaphor of a patient “etherized upon a table” creates a sense of.