We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Poetry

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Are the Best Tips for Poetry Interpretation?

By G. Wiesen
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 7,551
Share

Poetry interpretation can be somewhat difficult and complicated, though there are a few methods a person can use to more easily read and understand even complex poems. The first thing a person should do when reading a poem is to read the entire work from beginning to end without attempting to interpret it at all. After this initial reading, then he or she should read it a second time, more slowly, and begin to interpret the poem. Poetry interpretation can involve a number of processes, though attention should be paid to the title as it relates to the content of the poem and to any figurative language used.

The process of poetry interpretation can be intimidating for many readers, but it is not necessarily as difficult as it may seem. Basic interpretation should be utilized to understand the poem itself at a surface level, before proceeding to any possible deeper meanings. This can often begin with a simple, straightforward reading of the poem from beginning to end, including the title. During this reading, no poetry interpretation should occur; the poem should simply be read to have a sense of the overall tone, narrative, and structure.

Once this is established, the reader should begin some poetry interpretation during a second reading. As the reader studies the poem a second time, he or she should pay attention to the title and reflect on what it might mean now that the reader has read the entire poem once. The title might set the tone for the poem itself, or might act as a secondary structure meant to accompany the poem. It is also possible that the title provides the overall purpose or meaning of the poem itself. If the poem is untitled, then the reader should consider why the poet did not give it a title and how that lack of title might reflect on the larger poetry interpretation.

This poetry interpretation can then continue throughout the secondary reading as the reader pays greater attention to figurative language found in the poem. If the poet draws comparisons between two things, then the reader should consider how those two things relate and what the comparison reveals about each of them. A poem in which a rose is compared to a woman may have a fairly simple meaning, in that each is considered beautiful by the author.

Deeper meaning, however, may arise from further poetry interpretation as the reader considers other aspects of a rose. The fact that a rose is accompanied by painful thorns, for example, or that a rose is cut and displayed to look pretty, but then quickly withers and dies. These meanings can expand upon the initial comparison, depending on the other ideas presented in the poem, to indicate that the woman is beautiful and dangerous or that her beauty will fade too quickly.

Share
Language & Humanities is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By anon316613 — On Jan 29, 2013

How do you know what a poem means by reading it? How do we figure it out? Is there a website I can go to?

Share
https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-are-the-best-tips-for-poetry-interpretation.htm
Copy this link
Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.