Speaker in Poetry - Poem Analysis (original) (raw)

The speaker of a poem is not always the poet. Readers should consider the poem’s tone, mood, and context clues when determining the speaker’s identity

A poet may write from a perspective different from their own, adopting the voice of a persona. This could be someone they know, a historical figure, or a fictional character with a unique experience. In fact, without the proper contextual information, it is safer to assume a poem is not written from the poet’s perspective.

A strong example of this shift in perspective is found in Langston Hughes’ ‘Mother to Son’. Consider these lines :

Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

The narrator is a woman, a mother, speaking to her young son. She goes through her personal history and uses it as an example of how, though someone faces adversity in life, they should persevere through that struggle.

A reader should examine the mood of the text, the speaker’s dialect, and the poet’s chosen diction to determine what kind of speaker they are utilizing.

Types of Speakers in Poetry

There are different types of speakers in poetry. Some of the most popular include:

Single Speaker

The single speaker is one of the most widely used speaker voices. It features one narrator acting as the primary voice of the poem. There are different types of single speakers in poetry. They include:

  1. First-Person Speaker: In this instance, the voice of the poem uses the words “I,” or “We” to create a personal feeling around the work. The first-person voice tends to be intimate as it wants to reason with the audience. Some popular poem types featuring this voice are lyric, confessional, and dramatic monologues.
  2. Third-Person Speaker: A third-person speaker narrates events from an outside perspective. They may describe events objectively or offer insight into characters’ thoughts and feelings. An omniscient third-person speaker knows everything about the characters and events, while a limited third-person speaker focuses on a single character’s perspective.

Multiple Speakers

Some poems feature multiple speakers, each contributing a different perspective. Some types of multi-speakers include:

  1. Collective Speaker: In this case, a group of entities come together to act as a single individual. They refer to themselves as one even though the audience knows more than one person is narrating.
  2. Fragmented Speaker: In this case, there is more than one speaker in the work, but each gives different accounts of events simultaneously occurring. Using fragmented speakers could be more challenging to pull off.

Inanimate Object and Animal Speakers

Just as the speaker in a piece of poetry might not be the poet, it might also not even be human. It is far from unusual for a writer to utilize an animal or inanimate object as the central speaker or narrator of a text. This technique offers a fresh perspective, allowing readers to engage with a viewpoint they might not have considered. Alternatively, it allows a novel to take on a mundane or accepted situation.

A perfect example of this kind of speaker at work can be found in ‘Bull Song’ by Margaret Atwood. Within this piece, Atwood utilizes a bull, specifically one in Spain, forced to participate in bullfighting as the speaker. Due to this perspective, the themes of this piece are considerably more impactful than they would be if a human speaker were describing the plight of the animal. Take a look at these lines as an example of how the bull’s own words make a difference in a reader’s ability to understand his daily life:

I stood dizzied

with sun and anger,

neck muscle cut,

blood falling from the gouged shoulder.

The bull’s rage at its situation is slowly being replaced by fear in these lines. It is desperate to understand what’s going on. As the poem continues, it refers to the humans around it as the “gods with sinews of red and silver”. Only the bull can adequately depict its fear and suffering.

Other examples of inanimate objects or animals used completely or partially as speakers include:

Poetry Examples of Speakers

Here are examples of poems that use different types of speakers:

Example #1: ‘_Writing in the Afterlife’_ by Billy Collins

‘Writing in the Afterlife’ by Billy Collins is a 9-stanza poem that imagines the concept of the afterlife through the eyes of a man experiencing death. The piece uses a first-person speaker voice, and it is evident they want the audience to live vicariously through them. Take a look at stanza three:

I knew I would not always be a child

with a model train and a model tunnel,

and I knew I would not live forever,

jumping all day through the hoop of myself.

From the stanza above, the speaker gives the audience a backdrop of their life and motivations.

Example #2: ‘_The Wife’s Tale’_ by Seamus Heaney

‘The Wife’s Tale’ by Seamus Heaney is another piece that features a single speaker in the first person point of view. It captures the essence of rural life through the eyes of a farmer’s wife. Take a look at lines from the second stanza:

He winked, then watched me as I poured a cup

And buttered the thick slices that he likes.

‘It’s threshing better than I thought, and mid […]

From the lines, the audience realizes the speaker is the only one narrating events. Even when her husband makes a statement, she is the one who gives a recollection. In essence, the poet wants the audience to live in the woman’s shoes.

Example #3: ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn‘ by John Keats

‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ by John Keats is a 5-stanza poem that portrays the beauty and timelessness of art, an ancient tool used to preserve timeless ideals.

Unlike earlier examples that feature a first-person voice, the piece used a third-person speaker who sometimes switched to the first-person perspective.

Take a look at these lines from stanza 3:

Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed

Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;

And, happy melodist, unwearied,

For ever piping songs for ever new; […]

One would notice the storyteller is more observant and detached from the world in the poem. Though most may instantly think John Keats himself is the speaker, they could also be mistaken as Keats could have employed a different persona; this is why it is always best to assume the speaking voice is not that of the poet.

Example #4: ‘The Waste Land‘ by T.S. Eliot

‘The Waste Land’ by T.S. Eliot is one of the most popular contemporary poetic pieces ever made. A distinctive feature of the work is its speakers. The poem features many speakers, each having a crucial narration role. The speakers in ‘_The Waste Land_’ shift abruptly, making it challenging to distinguish their voices without careful reading. Here are some lines:

I see crowds of people, walking round in a ring.

Thank you. If you see dear Mrs. Equitone,

Tell her I bring the horoscope myself:

One must be so careful these days.

From the lines, the audience sees the fractured nature of the poem as it seems like there are two different speakers; this style makes ‘The Waste Land’ famous. It is important to note that styles like this are much more difficult to pull off.

Example #5: ‘_Porphyria’s Lover‘_ by Robert Browning

‘Porphyria’s Lover’ by Robert Browning is a poem that follows the story of a deranged lover who goes to an extreme length to keep the woman he cherishes. What makes this work different is its speaker, who is not just a first-person narrator but an unreliable first-person narrator. Take a look at these lines:

That moment she was mine, mine, fair,

Perfectly pure and good: I found

A thing to do, and all her hair

In one long yellow string I wound

Three times her little throat around, […]

From the lines, the audience notices the unreliability of the speaker’s words. He claims to love a woman yet strangles her. The poet wants to immerse the reader into the disruptive mind of the main character.

Other great examples include:

  1. ‘_The Arnolfini Marriage_‘ by Paul Durcan: The poem offers a first-person speaker’s view of van Eyck’s painting.
  2. ‘We Real Cool‘ by Gwendolyn Brooks: Is a special poem that uses collective speakers. It portrays the life of a group of young men.
  3. ‘My Last Duchess‘ by Robert Browning: This is a dramatic monologue with a single speaker, the Duke of Ferrara. It portrays the story of a self-absorbed man talking about his dead wife.

How to Determine the Speaker in Poetry

There are many ways a reader might consider who a speaker is, whether it’s the poet, an inanimate object, an animal or another human being the poet felt the desire to channel.

In the case of Hughes’ poem, _‘Mother to Son,’ _the title gives the speaker away, plus, through careful reading, Hughes provides clues to the speaker’s identity. The caring attitude and desire to teach and protect came through clearly as what a parent would do.

‘Bull Song’ is slightly different. The title is crucial in this piece as the text never implies that an animal is speaking. However, through context clues, a reader should realize where the animal is, the torture it endured, and its identity.

Utilizing Contextual Information

Often, especially with famous pieces of writing, the speaker is very obviously the poet. For example, in late 1912, the English poet Thomas Hardy lost his wife, Emma. She died suddenly, at least in Hardy’s eyes. He did not know about his wife’s illness until after she was gone. This was due to their separation (although they lived in the same home) and his mental distance from her, something he discusses in his poem.

Scholars consider the period after her death to be one of his best. The poems written and published in 1913 and 1914 speak about his emotional reaction to her passing. They also expose his fragile state of mind and desperation to bring her back to him. These pieces also explore the surprise and horror he felt knowing she died without his being able to say goodbye.

Examples include ‘Rain on a Grave’ and ‘Your Last Drive’. Biographical context helps readers understand that many of Hardy’s later poems reflect his personal grief and emotions.

Other examples that come straight from a poet’s perspective include:

  1. ‘To the Boys Who May One Day Date My Daughter’ by Jesse Parent.
  2. ‘The Municipal Gallery Revisited’ by W.B. Yeats.
  3. ‘The Black Lace Fan My Mother Gave Me’ by Eavan Boland.
  4. ‘_On My First Daughter_’ by Ben Jonson.

FAQs

Can a poem’s speaker change within the same poem?

Yes, some poems have shifting speakers, creating multiple perspectives. For example, ‘_The Waste Land_‘ by T.S. Eliot features different voices without clear separation. These changes can add complexity, contrast viewpoints, or reflect fragmented thoughts, requiring readers to analyze tone and context for clarity.

How can you tell if the poet is the speaker?

Context is key. Biographical details, personal pronouns, and emotional tone can hint at the poet’s presence. However, assuming the poet is the speaker can be misleading. Works like Robert Browning’s ‘_My Last Duchess_‘ show how poets create fictional voices distinct from their own experiences.

Why do poets use unreliable speakers?

Unreliable speakers—like in ‘_Porphyria’s Lover_‘—challenge readers to interpret the truth. They may be biased, deceptive, or unaware of reality, making the poem more engaging. This technique adds psychological depth, inviting readers to question the speaker’s perspective rather than accepting their words at face value.

What is the effect of using a non-human speaker?

Using an animal or object as a speaker offers a fresh perspective, making familiar themes feel unique. In Sylvia Plath’s ‘_Mirror_,’ the object’s detached voice reveals human vanity with eerie precision. This technique can create empathy, distance, or an unsettling tone, depending on the poem’s theme.