How to study poetry By Muthanna Makki \ University of Karbala 'a English Department 1. Read the poem. Enjoy it! And familiarize yourself with the general meaning and atmosphere of the poem. Search for a recorded audio version of the poem on Or search to find a video version.

2. Search for information about the poet’s life and time period. Ask questions like: What life events helped shape the poet’s attitude? What are the main characteristics of his poetry in general? Does he follow a certain school of poetry? Use the Internet, Encarta Encyclopedia, Britannica...etc.

Ozymandias By Percy Bysshe Shelley I met a traveler from an antique land, Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert…… Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings, Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

3. Use your dictionary to find out the meaning of difficult words (denotation): Explorer Traveler: Ancient Antique: Vast: Huge Trunkless: Having lost the upper part of the body Sunk: Disappear: Shattered: Devastated; destroyed Face:Visage Now you know the general meaning of the poem.

4. Read the poem a second reading trying to find out the suggestions and implications of the words (connotations). Pay attention to the symbolism of the words. Write down your ideas. This is called the detailed meaning of the poem.

5. Theme(s): Write down the main idea(s) discussed in the poem (major and minor themes).

6. Technical and stylistic aspects: Technique, figures of speech (metaphor, metonymy, personification, simile,...etc).