How to understand poetry

POETRY NOTES


A poem is an essence of expression whereby figurative and rhetorical devices, rhythm and sound are often key elements. There is usually a theme or an idea in mind...friendship for example. Such a wide theme brings with it many aspects such as jealousy, betrayal or inspiration. With these certain aspects in mind, the poet chooses the appropriate words for which to express such thoughts, depending on such qualities as denotation, connotation and their power to conjure certain images.

1. A word that DENOTES is a word that gives the clear and actual meaning of
something. CONNOTES implies a certain value aside from giving the actual meaning
of something. Words also give you images that you relate to for example either on a visual, auditory, tactile level.

FIGURATIVE DEVICES :

2. When one gives another name to a certain subject, ie when one equates one thing to a different thing, one is using a METAPHOR as a figure of speech. One could...