TP-CASTT

TP-CASTT is a method of analyzing a poem.  By doing these steps in order, you can begin to comprehend complex poems from any era and in any style.

Title - If the poet provides a title, make predictions based on the title.  Why might the poet have chosen that title?  What are the literal and connotative meanings of the title?  What can we expect about the topic or tone based on the title?

Paraphrase - Line by line, carefully paraphrase the poem.  If there is a line you cannot comprehend, skip it.  It is very likely you can still get the gist of the poem. It is important to go line-by-line - finishing a stanza in a chunk may cause you to miss important shifts.

Choices - Every choice a poet makes is intentional.  Ask yourself:  Why did she choose this meter?  This rhyme scheme?  This form?  That imagery?  Hone in on important words or symbols and ask, why did he choose this image, or this symbol?

Attitude - Using specific adjectives, describe the mood of the poem. (Melodramatic?  Melancholy? Exuberant?  Reflective?)  Challenge yourself to choose precise adjectives.  Avoid overly general words such as happy or sad.

Shifts - A majority of poems written before 1800 will include a "twist," as well as many written after that.  Be cognizant of changes in tone or meaning.  These shifts often (not always!) lead you to the poem's theme.

Title Again - Revisit your predictions.  Which have come true?  Which do you need to jettison now that you have a stronger understanding of the poem?

Theme - Finally, if you had to express the "message" of the poem in one sentence, what would it be?  Always be prepared to defend this with specific textual evidence.