How Does Paraphrasing Help Readers Understand Poetry?

Poetry are verses put together to tell a story about a certain subject. Its intent is to evoke feelings in a reader and challenge them to take an action. This is why it is important for the reader to grasp the meaning of the intended message and not just read through the words.

However poetry language can sometimes  be difficult to comprehend  and therefore readers will need a tool that will break it down to them in a simpler and understandable language. Luckily , the tool is available. That tool is paraphrasing.

This article will share what paraphrasing is and how it helps readers comprehend poetry. Read on!

Related Reading: How to Write Poems for Beginners

How Paraphrasing Help Readers Understand Poetry?

First we have to know what paraphrasing is. Paraphrasing is the process of restating an original statement in your own words and voice while maintaining  its original meaning in order to achieve lucidity.

So why is paraphrasing so important in poetry? It is so because of the following reasons;

1)Helps the Reader Understand the Message

When you paraphrase a poem you are helping the reader to understand the message clearly. Paraphrasing breaks down the complex vocabulary into simpler understandable sentences that will make the reader grasp its meaning. Every poem speaks about a specific subject and has a precise message to pass. Though paraphrasing involves reproduction of verses in one’s own words, the message will still be what the poet intended to pass. The only thing that will change will be simpler words used to make the message more clearer and understandable. So the role of paraphrasing is to help the reader understand the thoughts of the poet in a much simpler way.

2)Brings the Hidden Message to the Fore

Poetry involves deep hidden messages which can elude the reader when they can’t be able to venture and comprehend the poetic world.  Sometimes, poetry uses complex metaphors and figurative language which might be difficult for the reader to comprehend. What paraphrasing does is to find that hidden message and reveal it to the reader. The mind of the reader will be able to navigate its way around the wordings and grasp the meaning of the poem when paraphrasing is embraced. Paraphrasing can create vivid images in the mind of the reader and help them understand the contents of the message well.

3)Helps a reader think deeply

An active mind is a health mind and the mind which is healthy is sharp and thoughtful. Through paraphrasing in poetry, the mind of the reader is sharpened and instilled with new ideas. This helps the mind to think deeply and be creative. Paraphrasing helps the reader to understand the message in a simpler way and therefore build deep thinking skills. With these skills the reader will be able to embrace paraphrasing whenever the encounter a poem that proofs challenging to comprehend.

4)Helps the reader connect with the Poet

As much as paraphrasing involves restating the original verses of poetry in simple understandable words, the tone and style of the poet must still be preserved. The words used for paraphrasing should be chosen carefully so as to maintain the poem’s original meaning. This will help the reader to connect emotionally with the poet by understanding the intended message that resonates with original sentiments. The only way for the reader to understand fully the message from the poem, they need to connect deeply with the poet. Their thoughts, feelings and emotions must become as one in order for the message to pass. Paraphrasing is the only tool that can achieve this.

5)Makes long sentences short

Paraphrasing helps in making the long lines of a poem short. During the process of paraphrasing, the idea is to pick out important keywords and restate them without losing its original meaning. Some poems can have long and complex stanzas and paraphrasing can be a helpful tool that will make it simple, short and precise. Paraphrasing actually  is about putting more focus on the idea and not the words in each line. So when a poem is paraphrased, the words will be few while the contents will be improved. This way it will save time for the reader.

6)Helps the reader build analytical Skills

Paraphrasing helps the reader embrace the culture of analysing poems and interpreting the works of others in their own way. As they learn to analyse, they will also be building on their communication skills. Therefore it suffice to say that paraphrasing can aid the reader interpret the poem well and simplify their journey as they delve into the poetic world. It also means the reader shows respect to the poet because more people will understand the message since they only change the words and not the meaning.

Conclusion

As stated above, paraphrasing is a vital tool that can help the reader understand the message with more clarity. It is able to delve into the poetic world and reveal the hidden messages for easy comprehension by the reader. This is a tool that comes in handy whenever readers encounter poems with complex vocabularies or deep hidden messages.

Paraphrasing does not only help a reader to understand but also to think outside the box. As paraphrasing is about restating an original statement in one’s own words, it helps a reader look at the poetic  message from different perspective. This way they sharpen their minds and hone their critical thinking skills. The critical thinking skills will be one way of maintaining their mental well being and sharpening their minds. This also help the readers to embrace the importance of paraphrasing and reach a wider audience.

Therefore by reading this article, you have understood well why paraphrasing is important in poetry. Therefore, its role of making poetry comprehendible cannot be taken for granted. So next time you find yourself struggling to understand poetry, know that you  posses a powerful tool that you can apply and be able to make readers understand the message well. Paraphrasing is a transformative tool that helps readers unveil hidden messages in a poem while still preserving the message of the poet.