In
Julius Caesar, Shakespeare establishes in the first scene that Caesar is
a man of great power and respect, but there are some who are against him. The
common people praise Caesar, even taking a day off from work to celebrate his
victory. Those who are closer to Caesar, however, see him as a tyrant. They are
able to persuade the common people as they play progresses, revealing how
gullible they truly are. This aspect in the common people aids in the plot,
leading to the play’s climax.
The
first scene in the play foretells what will happen to Caesar. It introduces
Caesar as a man (or more a god) who is both praised and hated. The commoners
set a holiday of their own to celebrate Caesar. With Flavius and Metellus
arguing with them about their praising Caesar, it is clear that there is some
conflict present. This aids in foreshadowing by letting the audience realise
that the play is centred around this conflict. It reveals that the conflict
will be addressed, which is actually the climax of the play.
The common people are easily persuaded. Caesar
was able to persuade the people towards his side for a long while. In the first
scene, they are devoted to Caesar, which is obvious when they create an
unofficial public holiday to celebrate his victory. Later on in the play when
Caesar is killed, Brutus is able to convince the people that he did the right
thing in killing Caesar. Mark Antony uses this aspect of the people to his
advantage both at the games and at Caesar’s funeral. At the games, Antony
offers Caesar the crown three times, which he refuses. The crowd believes that
Caesar is just trying to be modest, which excites them. At Caesar’s funeral
after Brutus speaks, Antony is able to persuade the crowd into believing that
Brutus is wrong in killing Caesar. The way the people are easily persuaded is
used as one of the main tools in the whole play.
The
views of the common people in the first scene would change as the play
progresses. Shakespeare, in the first scene, gives the impression that common
people are loyal to Caesar. As the play progresses, however, it is evident that
their loyalty to Caesar was fake, as they were easily persuaded by Brutus to
think that he did the right thing in killing Caesar. The common people have no
true loyalty to anyone; just to whomever they think is in power.
To
conclude, the common people are easily persuaded, which is what Caesar, his
conspirators and Antony use to their advantage. In the first scene, they may
celebrate his victories with Caesar and create a public holiday for him, it is
only temporary. They quickly remove their loyalty to him for the next person
who wishes to claim the power. The common people are only tools in the art of
war.
A STONE’s THROW
LITERAL MEANING
A crowd has caught a woman. The persona implies to the reader that the woman is
not decent. She was beautiful, but scared because she had gotten 'roughed up' a
little by the crowd. The persona states that the woman has experienced men's
hands on her body before, but this crowd's hands were virtuous.
He also makes a proviso that if this crowd bruises her, it cannot be compared
to what she has experienced before. The persona also speaks about a last
assault and battery to come. He justifies this last assault by calling it
justice, and it is justice that feels not only right, but good. The crowd's
'justice' is placed on hold by the interruption of a preacher, who stops to
talk to the lady. He squats on the ground and writes something that the crowd
cannot see. Essentially, the preacher judges them, thereby allowing the lady to
also judge the crowd, leading to the crowd inevitably judging itself. The crowd
walks away from the lady, still holding stones [which can be seen as a metaphor
for judgments] that can be thrown another day.
LITERARY DEVICES
1. SARCASM
The persona is making the point that the lady was in fact NOT decent
looking.
2. PERSONIFICATION
This device is particularly effective because the word 'kisses' is used. Kiss
implies something pleasant, but it is actually utilized to
emphasize something painful that has happened to the lady; she was stoned.
3. PUN
Title: The title of the poem is itself a pun on two
levels. A stone's throw is used by many people in the Caribbean to describe a
close distance. eg. "She lives a stone's throw away". The other use
of the title is to highlight the content of the poem. It is a figurative
stoning, or judging, of a woman.
Line 23: There is a play on the word 'come'. The persona is
telling the reader that the crowd is planning to rape the lady. This act is to
come, or occur, in the near future. Come, in this context, also means to
ejaculate, the culmination of the act of sex. The rapists in the crowd also
plan to 'come'.
4. ALLUSION (biblical)
The content of the poem alludes to the story of Mary Magdalene in the Christian
Bible. See John 8 v 5-7.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES
5. 'we'
This immediately tells the reader that the persona is in a crowd, which
highlights to us that the mob mentality exists in this context. The crowd acts
as one entity.
6. 'they'
The use of this word immediately alienates the lady and places her in the
scornful realm of the 'other'.
7. 'dead scared'
The use of the term 'dead' to describe the lady's emotional state of
fearfulness implies that she is extremely frightened, it is beyond regular
fear.
8. 'tousled'
This word means to be handled roughly and, as a result, to look disorderly and
disheveled. It is the perfect word to use in this context because it adds to
the sexual innuendo that exists throughout the poem.
9. 'nothing much'
The persona disregards the damage that they have done to the lady. He admits to
the rough treatment, but tries to make himself, and the crowd, look favourable
despite their wrong doings.
10. 'But ours were virtuous, Of course'
This is almost like a tongue in cheek admittance that their touch was actually
the opposite of virtuous. The use of the term 'of course' highlights this
interpretation.
11. 'battery'
In the Caribbean context, battery refers to the slang term for the rape of an
individual, conducted by several people in succession. Therefore, the persona
is pointing out the intent of the crowd, or some people in the crowd.
12. 'Of right'
This is a clear indication, from the persona, that he believes that he and the
mob are in the right.
13. 'tastes so good'
'Taste', to a lot of individuals, is one of the higher senses. Therefore, when
the persona uses this word, he is highlighting the intense pleasure that he
anticipates from meting out this 'justice'.
14. 'this guru, Preacher, God-merchant, God-knows-what'
The persona's annoyance at this individual for disrupting his fun comes out in
this statement. The persona is deliberately being disrespectful.
15. '(Should never speak to them)'
This particular line speaks to the alienation that the lady faces. She is
scornfully grouped as 'them'.
16. 'And saw in her something we couldn't see'
The intruder saw value in the lady, something that the crowd did not see.
17. 'He turned his eyes on us, Her eyes on us, Her eyes upon ourselves.'
This speaks to the fact that the preacher and the lady judge the crowd, and,
more importantly, the crowd judges itself. The preacher's act of kindness sheds
light on the cruelty that is inflicted on the lady by the crowd.
18. 'We walked away Still holding stones'
This implies that the crowd still plans to keep judging, and acting on their
judgments, as they see fit.
TONE
The tone of
the poem is mixed. At times it is almost braggadocious, then it becomes
sarcastic, moving to scornful.
The first four lines of the octave (the first eight-line
stanza of an Italian sonnet) describe a natural world through which God’s
presence runs like an electrical current, becoming momentarily visible in
flashes like the refracted glintings of light produced by metal foil when
rumpled or quickly moved. Alternatively, God’s presence is a rich oil, a kind
of sap that wells up “to a greatness” when tapped with a certain kind of
patient pressure. Given these clear, strong proofs of God’s presence in the
world, the poet asks how it is that humans fail to heed (“reck”) His divine
authority (“his rod”).
The second quatrain within the octave describes the state of
contemporary human life—the blind repetitiveness of human labor, and the
sordidness and stain of “toil” and “trade.” The landscape in its natural state
reflects God as its creator; but industry and the prioritization of the
economic over the spiritual have transformed the landscape, and robbed humans
of their sensitivity to the those few beauties of nature still left. The shoes
people wear sever the physical connection between our feet and the earth they
walk on, symbolizing an ever-increasing spiritual alienation from nature.
The sestet (the final six lines of the sonnet, enacting a
turn or shift in argument) asserts that, in spite of the fallenness of
Hopkins’s contemporary Victorian world, nature does not cease offering up its
spiritual indices. Permeating the world is a deep “freshness” that testifies to
the continual renewing power of God’s creation. This power of renewal is seen
in the way morning always waits on the other side of dark night. The source of
this constant regeneration is the grace of a God who “broods” over a seemingly
lifeless world with the patient nurture of a mother hen. This final image is
one of God guarding the potential of the world and containing within Himself
the power and promise of rebirth. With the final exclamation (“ah! bright
wings”) Hopkins suggests both an awed intuition of the beauty of God’s grace,
and the joyful suddenness of a hatchling bird emerging out of God’s loving
incubation.
What does the title tell us
The title tells
us what the poem plans to do:illustratethe speaker’s vision of a quality of God,
namely "grandeur."Grandeuris the quality of being
"grand," which means "big," "fancy,"
"wonderful," or "splendid."
The seeming simplicity of the title does suggest
that the poet isn’t interested in "selling" the poem, or giving it a
snappy title to try to lure people intoreading it. Nope. We have a simple statement of the
focus of the poem. Enter if you wish.
Form
This poem is an Italian sonnet—it contains fourteen lines divided
into an octave and a sestet, which are separated by a shift in the
argumentative direction of the poem. The meter here is not the “sprung rhythm”
for which Hopkins is so famous, but it does vary somewhat from the iambic
pentameter lines of the conventional sonnet. For example, Hopkins follows
stressed syllable with stressed syllable in the fourth line of the poem,
bolstering the urgency of his question: “Why do men then now not reck his rod?”
Similarly, in the next line, the heavy, falling rhythm of “have trod, have
trod, have trod,” coming after the quick lilt of “generations,” recreates the
sound of plodding footsteps in striking onomatopoeia.
Themes
Man and the natural world, Religion, Transformation
Symbols
Line 5:
The repetition of "trod" sounds like peoplewalking
heavily, with broken spirits and bodies, on a broken earth. So we have
onomatopoeia
Line 6:
We agree there are big problems in the environment, but the word
"all" is almost always a hyperbole alert. It does highlight the
point. "Smeared" and "bleared" create imagery in the
poem, making us picture a blurry, off-center world.
Line 7:
Herethe earthis personified, quite cleverly,
with the word "wears," suggesting that humans have succeeded in
making overthe earthin
their own image, by making it look and smell human. But, we can take off
what we wear. So the image remains on thesurface.
Lines
7-8: We have two synecdoches on our hands. The lonely "soil"
comes to stand for all that has beentaken
awayfrom thesurfaceof the planet. Likewise, the
lonely "foot" that has forgotten how to "feel" due to
the interference of the shoe. This image stands in for the whole of the
human race, and its isolation from nature.
Line 4:
The rhetorical question the speaker poses in the second part of the line is
another way of asking, why can’t suffering people see the hope that’s
right in front of them?
Line 9:
Now we’re talking some serious hope, or some refreshment anyway.The sound ofthese abstract ideas,
"dearest" and "freshness"
combine with more concrete phrases, such as deep and down, to create some
beautiful imagery. We can smell thefreshness,
feel the cool ofundergroundsprings.
We see little seeds burstingundergroundbefore our eyes.
Line
10: Since the sun sets in the west, the west is closely associated with
sunset. We can say the word west, and in the right context, people will
know we mean sunset. That’s metonymy.
Line
11: "Morning" is personified in this line. It jumps and runs
through the sky. Morning is also a metaphor for hope and clarity of mind.
Morning sheds light.
Setting
The physical setting of "God’s Grandeur" is
our planet, Earth. Though the poem was written in 1877, the images are easily
transferable to today.
In the poem, the earth has a problem. Humans, in their struggle, have been mucking
it up, caring more about money than preserving and protecting the planet. In
the first stanza we see big factories, smoke stacks,
and polluted waters and lands. In short, the first few lines
present us with a barely inhabitable planet.
But then the poem moves underground, and shows us nature in hiding, full
of potential, waiting to show its face again on the earth’s surface.
After that the setting is all sky – sunrise, sunset, the cloudlike image of
the Holy Ghost as a dove, hovering over the planet.
THEME FOR ENGLISH B
LITERAL MEANING The persona's lecturer gave him an assignment to
write a page that reflects 'him', or his character. The persona wonders if this
is a simple task, and begins to think about his life. Things like his age,
place of birth, race and place of residence. Based on these musings, he
surmises that he is confused due to his youth. He guesses that he is what he
feels, sees and hears, which is Harlem, New York. He continues his musing about
what he likes, and concludes that he likes the same things that people of other
races like. On this basis, he questions whether or not his page will be
influenced by race. He concludes that it will not be white. He admits that his
instructor, as well as the fact that this instructor is white, will have some
influence on his page. He states that they both influence each other, that is
what being American is about. He believes that both of them might not want to
influence each other, but it cannot be helped. He concludes that both of them
will learn from each other, despite the fact that the instructor has the
advantage of being older, white and 'more free'. All of these musings and
conclusions become his page for English B.
LITERARY DEVICES
1.RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 2, line 6: The persona ponders the ease of what he
is asked to do. This question, in turn, actually highlights the difficult
nature of the task.
Stanza 3, line24: This question highlights the persona's
confusion as to who he is, or his character. He is unsure.
Stanza 4, line 32: The persona is wondering whether his
race will affect what he writes on the page. This is despite the fact
that he concludes that race does not hinder people, in general, liking the
same things.
2. REPETITION
This repetition emphasizes the profound impact that Harlem, New York, has had
on the personality of the persona.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES
3.'here to this college on the hill above Harlem.'
The fact that the college is on a hill, above Harlem, is very important. It
highlights the fact that the college is a superior entity. The people of Harlem
look up at it, showing their inferiority.
4.'I am the only colored student in the class.'
This line emphasizes the persona's 'otherness' in relation to every-one else in
the class. He is different. The isolation of the sentence (enclosed by full
stops/periods) also emphasizes the persona's 'otherness'.
5.'The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem, through a park, then I cross
St. Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y, the Harlem Branch Y,
where I take the elevator up to my room'
This line highlights the fact that the college is a great distance from his
home. This distance is also metaphorical because it is implied that the
experiences that he has at the college are also a great distance from the
experiences that he has in Harlem. They are two different worlds.
6.'But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white - yet
a part of me, as I am a part of you.That's American.'
This statement reveals the fact that America is viewed as a melting pot by the
persona. He believes that different races and cultures influence each other,
thereby forming the term 'American'
7.As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me - although you're
older - and white - and somewhat more free.
This statement, by the persona, repeats his belief that the American society is
a melting pot. It also, however, states that not every-one is equal within this
society.
* It is interesting to note that the persona's 'page for English B' becomes a
journey of self discovery that actually does not end. He forms no conclusion as
to who he is because his personality is still 'in process'
MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE
Themoodof
the poem is reflective.
TONE
Thetoneof
the poem is also reflective.
THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION
Racism, places
TEST MATCH SABINA
PARK
Literal Meaning
The persona, a white male, proudly enters Sabina
Park to watch a cricket match between England and the West Indies. The
persona notices that the game is slow and that the crowd is not reacting well.
He is, in fact, initially shocked that there is a crowd at all because this is
usually not the case at Lords. By lunch, England is sixty eight for none,
and the crowd gets abusive. They even state that maybe they should
borrow Lawrence Rowe. The persona tries to explain the reason behind the
slow pace of the British side, but fails to convince even himself. His
embarrassment at England's performance has him eventually skulking out of the
venue.
LITERARY DEVICES
1. RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 2, lines 6-7: This question reveals that, despite
the fact that cricket is a popular sport in England, the venues for the
matches are not crowded. This question could also point to the fact that
Sabina Park was very crowded.
Stanza 3, line 10: This question represents the general frustration
of the West Indians in the crowd. They are annoyed that the cricket match is
progressing so slowly.
Stanza 4, lines 16-18: These questions imply that the West
Indian crowd's level of frustration has escalated.
2. ALLUSION
The allusion to Lawrence Rowe, a very colourful and successful West Indian
cricketer, emphasizes the fact that the match is slow and boring.
3. SARCASM
To 'boycott' is to abstain from, or to stop, doing something. Therefore, the
persona is being sarcastic because excitement is a good thing. People usually
boycott for something negative, therefore the persona is, again, highlighting
the slow and boring pace of the cricket match.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES
4.'rosette of my skin'
Rosette implies a reddish colour, or tint, to the skin, that sometimes
resembles a rose. This description immediately identifies the race of the
persona as caucasian. The persona is proud of his race, as he enters Sabina
Park.
5.'strut
'This word means to walk proudly. It emphasizes the fact that the persona is
proudly walking into Sabina Park.
6.'something badly amiss'
The persona is jolted by the fact that the match is going slowly. The word
'amiss' implies wrong, the game should not be going so slowly.
7.'vociferous partisans'
Vociferous means to be very noisy and clamorous, while patisan is a person who
shows biased, emotional allegiance. Therefore, the West Indian crowd was
extremely noisy in their support of their team. They were also very
unappreciative of the slow pace of the match.
8.'England sixty eight for none at lunch'
While this is a good score, it never-the-less highlights the slowness of the
match, hence the fact that the experience, for the crowd, was far from
exciting.
9.'the wicket slow'
The purpose of the wicket is to 'out' the opposing side. Therefore, no 'outing'
is occurring, the wickets are standing. Everything about the match is going
slowly.
10.'sticky wickets'
This implies a sticky, or awkward situation. It highlights England's
situation.
11.'loud 'busin'
The English team was being loudly abused.
12.'skulking behind a tarnished rosette'
Skulking implies hiding in shame, and tarnished means tainted. Therefore, the
proud Englishman is now embarrassed, and the rosette of his skin is making him
stand out. Initially this was a very good thing, but now it is a
disadvantage.
13.'blushing nationality'.
At this point, the Englishman admits to being embarrassed for his team, as well
as himself.
*There is a distinct CONTRAST between the beginning of the poem when
the persona is proud, and 'struts'. However, by the end of the poem, he is
embarrassed and 'skulking'
VOICES
There are two distinct voices in this poem. The English man's and the West
Indian's.
MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE
The mood of the poem is tense.
TONE
The tone of
the poem is one of frustration (West Indian) and embarrassment (English
man).
THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION
Discrimination, places, culture and sports
How to Understand Poetry
Targets;
➾ Understanding the content or subject matter of the poem
➾ Identifying and describing characters
➾ Describing the setting
➾ Writing a summary and descriptive paragraphs
Mastering the Content of the Poem
The first step in studying a poem is to gain an overall idea
of what it is about through a rapid reading. Avoid looking at the dictionary or
study notes at this first reading since you should be able to understand enough
of the poem to get a general idea. Then the poem should be read several times
more slowly and carefully. Underline words and phrases you think may be
especially important. Make comments in the margins. Look up unfamiliar words in
a dictionary. Master the content of the poem before you venture to study parts
of it or its specific features.
How to identify
the theme in a poem.
Many students and even
experienced readers and writers feel a great deal of anxiety about trying to
understand the meaning of a poem. Poems can often seem mysterious and
confusing. Knowing how to read a poem and where to look for themes and meaning
can help make reading poetry and writing about it less intimidating.
Examine the Title
Often, the title can point you in the right direction
when you're trying to understand the meaning of a text. What does the title
make you think the poem is about? Does it contain any key words that signal
theme or meaning? Make note of them as you make your way through the poem.
Read Slowly and Read
Aloud
Rushing through a poem just to get the meaning is one
of the worst ways to read poetry. Often, poetry is not about primarily one main
point; the meaning can be contained in the word choice, sounds and rhythm of a
poem. Read your poem aloud several times and make note of your own experience.
Does the poem seem to be harsh or soft? Elegant or rough? Are there any
dominant words or sounds throughout the poem? Make note of your reactions as
you read. This can help you to identify the important aspects of the poem.
Identify the Speaker
One important key to understanding a poem is to find
out who is speaking. Is the narrator using "I," "you" or
the third person? Does the speaker seem to be an individual person or a
collective, such as a town, state, country or gender? If you can't identify the
narrator specifically, at least notice whether the speaker seems to be directly
addressing the audience versus telling a story about somebody else.
Determine the Subjects
Read through the poem and notice your first reaction.
What seems to be the primary subject matter of the poem? What types of scenes
does it depict, and what actions, events or emotions are discussed? Make note
of every individual scene or description.
Determine the Types of
Imagery and Metaphor Used
Poems often contain imagery, which refers to concrete
descriptions. Metaphor and simile, which refer to comparisons, are also common
and are often used in conjunction with imagery. Both of these elements can help
you to understand the meaning of the poem. For example, a poem that includes
imagery of dying or decaying fruit versus a poem full of imagery of ripe,
healthy fruit might indicate a theme of death and dying rather than a theme of
life and happiness. In addition, in terms of metaphor and simile, a
relationship compared to a freshly picked apple is very different from a
relationship compared to a cut of bloody meat! Pay careful attention to what
the author chooses to compare and the imagery used throughout the poem.
The Poem Isn't Just
About Meaning
Remember that poems don't always have only one
identifiable meaning or theme. They are often about sharing an experience,
feeling or idea. Try to relax and enjoy the poem as a whole.
How to analyze the poem: A Simple Guide to Analyzing Poetry
T- Title
P- Paraphrase
C- Connotation
A- Attitude
S- Shifts
T- Title (yes, again)
T- Theme (the most important part! aren't you excited?)
T - 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.
P - Paraphrase
This is pretty self-explanatory.
However, don't try to interpret the poem-- not just yet. Simply
"translate" the poem into simpler language which won't get in the way
of analysis later on. Don't skip any lines, or even words... make sure the
phrasing of the poem makes complete sense to you before moving on to the next
step.
-- addressing the speaker of the
poem. The speaker is seldom just "a man" or "a young
child." They may be either of those, but more important than whom they are,
is what they are going through. In short, what is the situation of the speaker?
Is the man mourning the loss of his wife? Is the child watching the ocean waves
slowly erode his sandcastle? Knowing the speaker and their situation in life is
the key to understanding a poem-- once you identify these; the remaining
analysis is much simpler.
C - Connotation
Connotation is "an idea or
feeling that a word evokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning."
Establishing the connotation of significant words in the poem is extremely
helpful in analysis. 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
Identify these words, and then
determine their significance by examining the type of feelings they evoke, how
they reflect the subject, and why the speaker is using that specific word
instead of another.
A - Attitude
Our previous letter, C, most
likely revealed the attitude of the speaker. Remember that the poet and speaker
are not necessarily one in the same -- they could, in fact, have complete
opposite attitudes toward the subject at hand. However, poets often write what
they've experienced and what they know, so knowing a bit about the poet's
background may help when determining the speaker's attitude.
Reflect on the connotation of
the words. Let's say you're reading a poem about dogs, since so many poets pick
this as their topic of choice. 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.
S - 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
Often the first section of a
poem prepares the reader for the theme, and after a shift the true theme and
message of the poem is revealed.
T - Title
Now that you're almost done
analyzing your poem, 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?
T - Theme
Finally, the last step of
analyzing poetry! It's time to get to the heart of the poem and identify the
theme. The theme of a poem usually relates to a universal truth, issue, or
conflict.
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?
Once you identify the theme of a
poem, you have, at the very least, an interpretation which you can back up with
supporting details. It may or may not be what the poet was attempting to
express, but poetry is open to many different interpretations.
Read the entire play
first. Often the consequences of an action aren't clear until the end of
the play.
Re-read the scene/passage
you're analyzing and answer the following questions:
Who are the characters
on the stage?
What is the central
issue the characters are discussing?
What are the views of
the characters in the scene? Since drama is based on conflicts, at least
two of the characters will differ in their viewpoints. Remember that
there may be more than two sides to the issue.
Does the author seem
to try to get you to side with one particular side?
Does the action that
follows suggest that one or more of the characters were right? That one
or more characters were wrong?
If the actions or
beliefs of the character(s) you were siding with prove to be wrong in some
way, why might the author have led you to sympathize with this character
before you found out the results of the character's beliefs?
What lessons do the
various characters learn by the end of the play? Does their understanding
suggest some sort of theme?
Given your understanding
of the entire play, what is the theme of the scene/passage?
(Remember to state the theme in general or universal terms, rather than
just summarizing the particular actions or beliefs of the particular
characters.)
Now that you've chosen a
theme, re-read the scene/passage and look for details in the characters'
speeches and actions (or lack thereof) that support your interpretation.
Be sure to note any ironies in word or deed. (In general, irony results
from a discrepancy between someone's actions or beliefs and the reality of
the situation. For example, if someone who claims to be against violence
hits her opponent in a debate, then her action may be termed ironic.
(Other examples of irony: a preacher who has an affair with a member of
his congregation, a psychiatrist who can't solve his own problems). In
plays and film, a special kind of irony-- dramatic irony--emphasizes
the discrpancy between what a character does or thinks and what the audience knows
to be the case. Tragedies often use dramatic irony: the baby sitter who
tells the children upstairs to be quiet, not realizing (as the audience
does) that the psychopathic killer is the one making the noise. A
playwright may use dramatic irony to illustrate the limitations of human
perceptions or beliefs, or the inability of a character to admit having
those limitations.
