Poetry is one of the most expressive forms of literature. It can evoke emotions, set a mood, tell a story, or create a deeply and universally understood feeling in its readers. This makes expounding its elements, and understanding its rich meaning, comparisons, and symbols, even more important.
The TP-CASTT method of poetry analysis is a great way to teach students to dissect a poem and understand its parts. It helps students to uncover the deeper meanings within poems while giving them the confidence to be self-educators. TP-CASTT Poetry Analysis is an order of operations similar to PEMDAS for math. It asks students to list items in sequential order and answer questions based on their reading of the poem.
In class, it is an excellent idea to look at poets who have been inspired by the Greeks. For this example, I have chosen “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats, a poem inspired by works like The Odyssey by Homer. This activity can be used with any poem of your choice, related to Greek mythology.
This is a great activity to have students do in a small group! Students may also enjoy selecting their own poem to analyze, with some parameters in place to help guide them in their decisions.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Perform a TPCASTT analysis of a poem inspired by Greek mythology. Remember that TPCASTT stands for Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude/Tone, Shift, Title, Theme.