The Appreciation of Poetry

The Appreciation of Poetry
A poem’s critical appreciation is the process of evaluating,

comprehending, and interpreting a literary work from a DISCERNING
perspective. The critical reading or appreciation includes the meaning of
the words, the rhyme scheme, the speaker, figures of speech, references
to other works (intertextuality), the style of language, the poet’s general
writing style (if mentioned), the genre, the context, the speaker’s tone,
and other elements. It does not imply that you are critiquing the poem. A
critical appraisal aids in the comprehension of the verse.
Let us take a look at how to write a critical

appreciation of a poem:
Identify the Author’s Thesis and Meaning
Thesis is the main idea of a poem. To begin with, every piece of art has a
fundamental topic or idea, and reading the poem several times might help
you find it.
Understanding the perspective better requires a deeper understanding of
the writer’s life and background. Read the poem several times to
understand what the speaker is attempting to express. In a thesaurus,
look up the definitions of difficult or odd words. The poem’s title serves as
a guide to the overall meaning and summary of the ideas addressed.
Rhyme Scheme
Look for words that rhyme. Each line has them at the end. Rhyming words
could also be found in the midst of the line. Take note of the rhyme
scheme. In a poem with four lines, for example, if rhyming words appear
at the end of each line alternately, the rhyme scheme will be a b a b.
Speaker
Determine who the poem’s speaker is. A youngster, an elderly person, a
shepherd, a swordsman, a student, a milkmaid, a sailor, an animal, or
even an object such as a chair or a location such as a house or a mountain
can all be examples. Each speaker will provide a unique message.
Language and Style
Describe the writer’s style of writing (figurative or non-figurative). Give
details about the poem’s speaker, as well as the poem’s style, mood, and
tone. It’s always a good idea to provide the poem’s rhyme system.
Intertextuality
We observe another poetry is alluded to or looked back on while
composing the critical appraisal of a poem. This is known as reference or
intertextuality. In its framework of people delivering stories during a
voyage, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales refers to Boccaccio’s Decameron.
In Ancient Literature, the use of intertextuality (the interaction between
comparable or related works of literature that reflects and influences an
audience’s interpretation of texts) is quite widespread. Giving a brief
overview of the relevant texts and offering a related story might increase
your appreciation and demonstrate your analytical understanding.
Context
The context provides us the time and location of the poetry. It was this
that inspired the poem. The context could be a major political event, such
as the French Revolution. P.B. Shelley’s famous Ode to the West Wind was
inspired by it. The poem brilliantly encapsulates the revolution’s spirit and
heralds the advent of a new era.
Genre
The term “genre” refers to the poem’s classification. Each genre has its
own set of rules and traits. Epic poetry, for example, is a long narrative
poem with thousands of lines dealing with divine characters, demi-gods,
or great generals from the past and detailing a horrible conflict or
extraordinary voyage on which humanity’s fate relies. For example,
Homer’s Iliad, J. Milton’s Paradise Lost, and other poetry. A sonnet is a 14-
line poetry that expresses intimate feelings. For example, Shakespeare’s
sonnet “Let me not to the marriage of genuine minds” extols sincere love
and loyalty. Satire, mock-epic, ballad, lyric, ode, parody, and other genres
are among them.
Now, let us take a critical appreciation of

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18:
Sonnet 18 is the 18th lyrical sonnet in William Shakespeare’s long
sequence of 154 sonnets. The poem is one of Shakespeare’s greatest
sonnets. It’s also called “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” after
the first line. This lovely poetry is about eternal love for a beloved friend
and fair youth. Here, William Shakespeare contrasts a summer’s day with
his friend, arguing that his friend is superior. Some speculate that Sonnet
18 was written for the Earl of Southampton.
Sonnet 18 as a Sonnet
Shakespeare’s sonnet “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?”
Shakespeare composed a large number of sonnets during his lifetime. One
of the best sonnets is Sonnet 18.
It has fourteen lines separated into three quatrains and a couplet. The
poem’s rhyme scheme is “abab cdcd efef gg.”
The concept of variety is presented in the first two quatrains, while
immortality is declared in the third. At the end, the couplet “gg” also
denotes immortality. In Sonnet 18, the main topic of all three quatrains is
“Time.”
Analysis of Sonnet 18
“Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” Shakespeare asks at the start
of the verse, maintaining the poem’s topic. The narrator wishes to make a
comparison between his friend and a summer day. But he quickly realizes
that his friend is more attractive. He conjures up a scene of a hot summer
day with brisk breezes snuffing out the budding roses. Furthermore,
summer is a rather brief season. So, in the opening quatrains, the narrator
wants to compare his friend to summer, but he abandons the idea after
considering summer’s negative aspects.
The narrator tries to persuade his listeners of his point of view in 5-8 lines.
He concentrates on the summer’s more negative repercussions. The sun
is hotter in the summer, and cloudy skies can make the sky appear dark.
According to Shakespeare, not just the sun, but all things on the planet
are subject to change. They may lose their attractiveness inadvertently or
organically. Not everything is the same as it was previously. “Untrimm’d”
refers to the natural shapes changing.
The narrator returns to the subject (his friend) in the third quatrain and
claims eternity for him through his inscription. He equated man’s youth to
eternal summer, claiming that it would never fade away and would never
alter. The narrator clarifies in the last line of the quatrains that this poetry
will transcend death and grow his friend’s eternity with eternal lines.
The couplet proclaims his friend’s immortality. The narrator believes that
his friend will be remembered forever for this poem. Readers will recall his
companion every time they read the verses.

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The Appreciation of Poetry

A poem’s critical appreciation is the process of evaluating,

Let us take a look at how to write a critical

Now, let us take a critical appreciation of

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