Question

How does the structure of a poem affect its meaning?

Answer 1

Its almost like code! For example, if it's a specific type of a poem, e.g. Sonnet (14 line), the reader automatically associates the poem with traditional Shakespearean love sonnet. However, this could be used either conventionally, or it could be used to convey dramatic irony. For example, the poem could be structured as a love poem, but its real meaning is the opposite. This counts for all types of poems, nothing is set in stone.

If you look at poets like Edgar Allan Poe, structure is very important for creating a gothic atmosphere. He creates rhythm with the structure of his poems, so that, when read aloud, they seem almost incantatory.

Basically, the structure is usually representative of the mood of the poem, and how the reader is supposed to perceive it. If the structure is loose, the reader might get the impression that the narrator/subject of the poem is free, easy going, happy, or even insane! if it is rigid, it could bring to mind ideas of control, balance, or may even be contrived, purposefully or not. This is a hard question to answer if not in relation to a specific poem/poet, but the structure of a poem always means something, whether the author intended it that way or not, it is significant to the reading. ESPECIALLY as poems are supposed to be heard, not read, so structure would be more evident.