Analyzing Poetry
William Butler Yeats’ “The Second
Coming” and Rudyard Kipling’s “The
White Man’s Burden”
• Title
• Paraphrase
• Connotation
• Attitude
• Shifts
• Title
• Theme
Title
• First, you have to look at the title. Just look at
it. Don't try to be all artistic and read into it,
simply write down what your initial
impression is. What immediately pops into
your head? What does it make you feel? Any
guesses as to what the poem's about? This
step is important, as your initial impression of
the title versus your final impression can
reveal a lot about the poem itself.
Paraphrase
• This is pretty self-explanatory. However, don't
try to interpret the poem-- not just yet. Simply
"translate" the poem into simpler language .
Make sure the phrasing of the poem makes
complete sense to you before moving on to
the next step.
• Identify the speaker: What is he/she going
through? What is he/she experiencing?
Connotation
• Connotation: an idea or feeling that a word
evokes in addition to its literal meaning.
• Look for words which
– Cause an emotional or strong reaction in the
reader (YOU!)
– “Stand out” because of unusual usage
– Appear to be related to the title or subject of the
poem
Attitude
• Reflect on the connotation of the words. Let's say
you're reading a poem about dogs. If words and
phrases such as "wagging tail," "eager," "loyal,"
and "man's best friend" are used, you'd probably
assume that the speaker has a positive attitude
toward the subject. They like dogs. Imagine,
however, that none of those words are in the
poem-- instead, it contains "slobbering," "noisy,"
"smelly," and "obnoxious barking." In that case, it
would be a better guess that the speaker is not so
fond of dogs.
accusatory-charging of wrong doing by injustice
order to make a point, teach
2.
apathetic-indifferent due to lack of 24. intimate-very familiar
45. sincere-without deceit or pretense;
energy or concern
25. judgmental-authoritative and often genuine
3.
awe-solemn wonder
having critical opinions
46. solemn-deeply earnest, tending
toward sad reflection
4.
bitter-exhibiting strong animosity as 26. jovial-happy
a result of pain or grief
47. sanguineous -optimistic, cheerful
27. lyrical-expressing a poet’s inner
5.
cynical-questions the basic sincerity feelings; emotional; full of images; song- 48. whimsical-odd, strange, fantastic; fun
and goodness of people
like
6.
condescension; condescending-a
28. matter-of-fact--accepting of
feeling of superiority
conditions; not fanciful or emotional
7.
callous-unfeeling, insensitive to
29. mocking-treating with contempt or
feelings of others
ridicule
8.
contemplative-studying, thinking, 30. morose-gloomy, sullen, surly,
reflecting on an issue
despondent
9.
critical-finding fault
31. malicious-purposely hurtful
10. choleric-hot-tempered, easily angered 32. objective-an unbiased view-able to
11. contemptuous-showing or feeling that leave personal judgments aside
something is worthless or lacks respect
33. optimistic-hopeful, cheerful
12. caustic-intense use of sarcasm;
34. obsequious-polite and obedient in
stinging, biting
order to gain something
13. conventional-lacking spontaneity,
35. patronizing-air of condescension
originality, and individuality
36. pessimistic-seeing the worst side of
14. disdainful-scornful
things; no hope
15. didactic-author attempts to educate or
instruct the reader
37. quizzical-odd, eccentric, amusing
16. derisive-ridiculing, mocking
38. ribald-offensive in speech or gesture
17. earnest-intense, a sincere state of
39. reverent-treating a subject with honor
mind
and respect
18. erudite-learned, polished, scholarly 40. ridiculing-slightly contemptuous
19. fanciful-using the imagination
banter; making fun of
20. forthright-directly frank without
41. reflective-illustrating innermost
hesitation
thoughts and emotions
21. gloomy-darkness, sadness, rejection 42. sarcastic-sneering, caustic
22. haughty-proud and vain to the point 43. sardonic-scornfully and bitterly
of arrogance
sarcastic
23. indignant-marked by anger aroused 44. satiric-ridiculing to show weakness in
1.
Shifts
• Identifying the shifts in a poem can reveal
multiple attitudes, themes or even speakers.
• A shift is characterized most often by a change
in mood or tone, but here are some things to
look for when searching for shifts:
– -A new stanza
– -Transition words (but, yet, however)
– -Changes in diction
– -Change in speaker
– -Unusual punctuation
Title (Again)
• it's time to re-examine the title. Before, it was only a
surface-level interpretation; now, you can apply all of
your analysis of the poem to a new and more in-depth
interpretation of the title.
• Think about the following:
– Look over your original guess/interpretation and see if you
still agree. If not, what are the differences in the surface
meaning and deeper meaning? Is there use of an extended
metaphor?
– Does the title utilize any kind of poetic devices (ex.
alliteration, allusion, metaphor) which add to the meaning
of the poem?
– In the context of the poem, does the title suggest a
possible theme?
Theme
• A theme is best stated in sentence form-- "love" can be
a theme but it is not specific at all. Instead, "love
conquers all" would be a more detailed and acceptable
theme.
• To identify the theme, look over all of your analysis and
find the connecting threads:
-What's the subject?
-Who is the speaker, what situation are they in,
and
how do they feel about the subject?
-Is there more than one speaker or attitude toward
the subject? Why?
-How does the poet's use of diction (word choice)
and other poetic devices help the reader better
understand the poem?
THE SECOND COMING
Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the
falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon
the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of
innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of
passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The
Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus
Mundi Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand; A shape with lion body and the
head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs,
while all about it Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again but now I know That twenty centuries of stony
sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its
hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
The Perception of Africans
• By writing Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
hoped to change the way people thought of
Africans and African culture.
• Africans in tribal societies were seen as “childlike
people living in a primitive society” and depicted
as “violent savages with passionate instincts and
simple minds.”
• He wrote as an insider, someone who had
experienced and wanted to share the “richness
and complexity of traditional African society.”
(Norton Anthology of World Literature)
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• Kipling1865/Bur1899DetJou320.gif