Feelings

Feelings in Poetry

 

 1. Meaning of Feelings in Poetry

Feelings in poetry are the emotions, moods, or attitudes expressed by the poet or experienced by a persona, character, or speaker in a poem. A poet does not simply tell us what happened. The poet also shows how someone feels about what happened.

 For example:

 > I sat alone beside the grave,

> And watched the evening fade.

 The situation is sitting beside a grave, but the feelings suggested may include sadness, loneliness, grief, and emptiness.

 

 Important distinction

 Subject/theme = what the poem is about.

 Feeling = how the speaker/persona feels about the subject or situation.

 Mood = the emotional atmosphere created in the reader.

Tone = the poet's or speaker's attitude toward the subject.

 For example, a poem may be about war (subject), express anger and sadness (feelings), create a gloomy atmosphere (mood), and have a condemning tone (tone).

 2. Why Feelings Are Important in Poetry

 Feelings are important because they help us to understand:

 1. The persona – what the speaker is experiencing emotionally.

2. The poet's attitude – whether the poet approves, disapproves, celebrates, criticizes, regrets, etc.

3. The theme – feelings often help reveal the main message.

4. The situation – emotions can help us understand what has happened.

5. The relationship between characters – love, hatred, jealousy, friendship, respect, etc.

6. The atmosphere – whether the poem feels joyful, frightening, sad, peaceful, tense, etc.

7. The poet's purpose – whether the poet wants to entertain, criticize, warn, encourage or make the reader sympathize.