Rhyme and its phonostylistic features contents

Step 2: Annotate the poem
Did you notice some rhymes in your reading? Well, get out your pens or highlighters and let’s annotate your findings!

1. Highlight any words that rhyme with each other.
You need to read the poem aloud again. However, this time, focus on identifying rhyming words.
Most of the time, poets will choose to place rhyming words in the same stanza. However, they can also scatter the rhymes across the poem, so it is more difficult to identify!
So, pay particular attention to the sounds made in the whole poem, especially the last words in each line.
Also, don’t neglect any rhymes you might find in the beginning, or middle of the lines. Highlight them all!
They may be important in figuring out the significance of the rhyme scheme.

2. Scan through the poem 
Scan through the poem and make sure you didn’t overlook any rhyming words.
If you want to save time, simply scan through the last words of each line.

3. Give a letter for the rhymes
Now, it’s time to group the same rhymes! Get out a pen and give each set of rhyming words a letter.
Start from A and slowly move down the alphabet!
Doing this will make the next steps of learning how to analyse rhyme much easier.
Step 3: Figure the effect

Poets choose particular rhyme schemes to impact the audience in different ways. It creates a particular atmosphere and mood, and it can shape the way we respond to the themes in the poem.
Rhyme can create a fun atmosphere, a chant-like feel, sense of rigidity or even have sarcastic undertones.
Just keep your ears and mind open when you are reading the poem. Pay attention to your feelings.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself to further break down the effect of rhyme:
Does the rhyme scheme change throughout the poem? Why?
Does it feel forced or natural? Why?
What mood does it create?
Does it help create a rhythm?
After you’ve done this, collate all your findings!