: Re: What to look for when criticizing poetry? A recent question got me thinking about how to criticize poetry well and I realized I am not very good at it. I can do themes, and that's about

@Dunderdale623

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Emotional impact.

While critical analysis could get into a lot of factors - structure, vocabulary, form, relations to events and culture, use of poetic language forms, rhythm, flow, themes, all these things that comprise a poem, they are all secondary, and a simple, crude, primitively written couplet can sometimes have a much stronger impact than the most polished, fancy and advanced sonnet or epos. And this is all poetry is about - evoking specific feelings, causing a specific emotional impact - everything it does serves that singular purpose. If it achieves the effect, it's good. If it fails, or the effect is underwhelming or different than intended - say, it bores you, or gives a bad aftertaste of emotional manipulation - then it's bad.

Your critique may include analysis, how the effect is achieved, or what factors prevent the poem from creating the intended impact, and such analysis can include all the elements you want to include, but you must at all times remember they are subservient to the primary goal, just means, not ends.

How do you make it a scholarly activity that leaves personal preference for things like uplifting tone completely out of the equation?

Just like you respect an opponent in sports playing better than you; a rival in a debate pointing out your errors, or trapping you by clever use of eristics. It's wrong to leave out your feelings, because poetry is all about them - but of course the intended impact may be something you personally dislike - e.g. the poem being a pointed satire on a subject you hold in high esteem. In that case treat the poem as a worthy rival, underline strong points, show the weak ones, acknowledge the impact - you don't have to like it or agree with it, but it still works as intended!

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