Elements of Poetry Handout Essay Example For Students

Elements of Poetry Handout Essay A stanza is too poem what a paragraph is to a piece of prosaic writing a fixed number of lines of verse forming a single unit of a poem. A couplet is a stanza that has only 2 lines. A trace is composed of 3 lines. A quatrain consists of 4 lines. A chinquapin has 5 lines. A sestets comprises 6 lines. A sonnet Is an inure poem with exactly 14 lines. Rhyme The repetition of sounds End rhyme- the last word on each line rhymes. Figurative Language -a creative expression of words In description Alliteration The petition of the initial letter or sound in two or more words in a line. Onomatopoeia words that spell out sounds; words that sound like what they mean. Simile a comparison between two usually unrelated things using as or like Metaphor- direct comparison of two unrelated things Hyperbole an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis Personification giving human characteristics to Inanimate objects, Ideas, or animals. Symbolism A symbol is something that stands for itself, but also something larger than itself. It may be a person, an animal, an inanimate object, or an action . A writer often uses a concrete object to express an abstract idea, a quality, or a belief. A symbol may appeal to a readers emotions and can provide a way to express an idea, communicate a message, or clarify meaning Imagery using words to create a picture In the readers mind. Imagery Is the use of words to create pictures, or images, in your mind. Appeals to the five senses: smell, sight, hearing, taste and touch. Details about smells, sounds, colors, and taste create strong images. To create vivid images writers use figures of speech. Mood Mood is the atmosphere, or emotion, In the poem created by the poet. Can be happy, angry, silly, sad, excited, fearful or thoughtful. Poet uses words and images to create mood. Tone- is the attitude writers take towards their subject . Take Note: *Tone and mood are two different aspects of a poem! * Tone is the authors or the poets attitude towards his or her subject. *Mood is how the poem makes the reader or the listener feel. Reading Guides. Title Provides clues about topic, mood, speaker, authors purpose? Fast or slow? Why? Sound Devices What effects do they have? Imagery What pictures do we make in our minds? Rhythm Figures of Speech What do they tell us about the subject? Voice Who is speaking poet or character; one voice or more? Authors Purpose Sending message, sharing feelings, telling story, being funny, being descriptive? Mood Happy, sad, angry, thoughtful, silly, excited, frightened? Plot What is happening in the poem? Remember, to make meaning, readers must make connections and tap into their background knowledge and prior experiences as they read.