Download Reading a Poem

READING A POEM
TYPES OF POEM
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Lyric- A short poem expressing the thoughts and
feelings of a single speaker. It is often written in
first person.
Narrative- A poem that tells a story. Ballads and
epics are two common forms of narrative poem.
Dramatic- A poem written as a speech made by a
character at some decisive moment.
Didactic- A poem intended to teach a moral
lesson or impart a body of knowledge.
TYPES OF IRONY
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Irony- In language, a discrepancy between what
is said and what is meant. In life, a discrepancy
between what is expected and what occurs.
Verbal Irony- A mode of expression in which the
speaker says the opposite of what is really
meant, such as saying, “Great story!” in response
to a boring, pointless anecdote.
Sarcasm- A style of bitter irony meant to mock or
hurt its target.
TYPES OF IRONY
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Dramatic Irony- A situation in which the larger
implications of the character’s words, actions, or
situation are unrealized by that character, but
seen by the readers or the audience.
Cosmic Irony- The contrast between a character’s
position or aspiration and the treatment she or
he receives at the hands of a seemingly hostile
fate.
IMPORTANT TERMS
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Verse- May refer to any single line of poetry or
any composition written in a regular rhythm, in
contrast to prose.
Paraphrase- The restatement in one’s own words
of what one understands a poem to suggest.
Summary- A brief condensation of the main idea
or plot of a work. A summary is less detailed than
a paraphrase.
IMPORTANT TERMS
Subject- The main topic of a work; what the work
is ‘about’.
 Theme- A recurring subject or idea noticeable in
a work. Not all subjects are themes, only the
central ones.
 Tone- The mood or manner of expression that
conveys an attitude toward the work’s subject. It
may be playful, ironic, sad, sarcastic, etc. It
helps to establish the reader’s relationship to the
characters or ideas presented.
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IMPORTANT TERMS
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Satiric Poetry- Poetry that blends criticism with
humor to convey a message, usually through the
use of irony and a tone of detached amusement,
contempt, and implied superiority.
Persona- Latin for “mask.” A fictitious character
created by an author to be the speaker in a
literary work