How to Read a Poem Online Course

This workshop introduces students to the art of close reading as it relates to a poem. Using shorter poems as examples, we'll walk students through the basic steps of literary analysis. Students will learn how to identify the three levels of a poem -- the literal, figurative, and formal -- with the aim of seeing how each of these levels deepens, contradicts, or plays against the other. Students will then learn how to present their analysis in written form through a clear and concise exegesis of a poetic text, chockfull of original insights and observations. You will come away with the ability to read a poem, understand what's happening, and say something interesting about it, all while strengthening your reading and writing skills along the way.