I'm in an AP (Advanced Placement) English class, so we over-analyze EVERYTHING. Right now we're in our poetry unit . . . now, I never really have liked poetry. It's the one thing I can't write unless I'm angry, and not even then is it very good. So we're spending 6 weeks analyzing one poem in this class.
It's not the worst thing in the world, and it's kind of fun to take colored pens and highlighters and mark every place in your poem where something is happening . . . it makes the paper pretty . . . (*sarcasm*)
We have been talking about author intention - is it really unimportant in fully understanding the poem? Yeah, a lot of these poets are dead, but wouldn't it make the poem make more sense if we had some insight into why they wrote it? What do you think???
There's no such thing as overanalyzing poetry. Unless the poet is just really bad, what he's trying to say is usually clear. And no, you don't need to know the poet's background to understand poetry; a good poem speaks for itself.
I agree with a good poem speaking for itself. Also I've always thought that depending on the poem it may appeal to you in regards to a subject not discussed in the poem itself.
We are doing the same thing in our AP class. My favorite poem was "I am not a pretty girl" by Ana somebody. Well its the lyrics of a song, but I loved the poem.
I never let my schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain
I'm doing the same thing in my AP Lit class. My poem is Storm Warnings. I'm getting tired of all of the poetry, diction, syntax, alliteration, analyzing, and everything else we're doing in it. It ruins the poem.
I love poetry, but after taking this class, I keep on seeing these grammatical aspects of the poetry, more than the context, and what the author meant to say. I wonder, did the authors ever sit down and decide that they were going to write these many literary device in their poetry. It is sad, I can not seem to enjoy poetry any more.
I never let my schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain
Analyzing poetry usually has the opposite effect for me. After reading and analyzing I feel as though I better understand what the author possiblity meant and with understanding comes appreciation for the piece as well as the author's talent.
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If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
Sometimes it does help to know the poets background but not in all cases. it is very good to analyze poetry though because it shows you what content a good poem has and it can help you when you write your own poetry.