How to avoid confusing the speaker with the poet: Grade 8 ELA strategy

📚 Understanding the Speaker and the Poet

In English Language Arts (ELA), especially when analyzing poetry, it's crucial to distinguish between the speaker and the poet. The speaker is the voice we hear in the poem, while the poet is the person who wrote the poem. They are not always the same!

Think of it like this: the poet is the playwright, and the speaker is an actor playing a role.

📜 Historical Context

The distinction became particularly important with the rise of Romanticism and Modernism, where poets experimented with different voices and perspectives. Before that, it was often assumed that the poet was speaking directly in their own voice.

🔑 Key Principles to Avoid Confusion

• 🎭 Identify the Speaker's Persona: Who is the speaker? What are their characteristics, background, and biases? The speaker might be a character created by the poet, not the poet themselves.
• 🗣️ Analyze Tone and Diction: Pay attention to the speaker’s tone (attitude) and diction (word choice). Does the language reflect the poet’s usual style, or does it suggest a different persona?
• 🌍 Consider Context: What is the historical, cultural, and social context of the poem? Understanding the context can provide clues about the speaker's identity and motivations.
• ❗ Look for Irony or Satire: Is the speaker being ironic or satirical? If so, the poet may be using the speaker to critique certain ideas or behaviors.
• 🔎 Examine Point of View: Is the poem written in first person, second person, or third person? The point of view can reveal important information about the speaker's relationship to the poem's subject.
• 💡 Consider the Theme: How does the speaker's perspective contribute to the poem's overall theme? Understanding the theme can help you understand the poet's message, even if the speaker's views are different.
• 📝 Ask 'Why This Speaker?': Why did the poet choose *this* particular speaker to tell the story or express these ideas? What does the speaker add to the poem’s meaning?

🌟 Real-World Examples

Example 1: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot

In this poem, the speaker, J. Alfred Prufrock, is a middle-aged, insecure man. Eliot uses Prufrock to explore themes of alienation and paralysis in modern society. Eliot himself was not necessarily insecure or paralyzed, but he created Prufrock to embody these feelings.

Example 2: "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning

The speaker is the Duke of Ferrara, who is showing a visitor a portrait of his late wife. Through the Duke’s monologue, we learn that he was a controlling and jealous man who likely had his duchess murdered. Browning uses the Duke to critique power and control.

🎯 Conclusion

Distinguishing between the speaker and the poet is essential for a deeper understanding of poetry. By analyzing the speaker's persona, tone, context, and point of view, you can uncover the poet's intentions and the poem's underlying themes.