Ideal for units on Gothic poetry with supernatural romance elements (especially during fall, Halloween, and even Valentine’s Day), this poem analysis worksheet helps high school readers interpret “The Charms” by Emma A. Opper, a piece originally published in Weird Tales about a person who uses Halloween magic to learn the identity of a future lover. An answer key is included.

By engaging with this poetry activity, students will:

• Conduct research on an aspect of Halloween’s history (e.g., the significance of apples).
• Infer the intended effects of details in context (e.g., Gothic elements, frogs piping “sweet and loud,” and the poet’s incorporation of the word thrice).
• Analyze characterization (e.g., the narrator’s personality traits).
• Apply knowledge of literary devices (e.g., inversion, onomatopoeia, personification, sibilance, and more).
• Explore how each stanza advances the poem.
• Articulate matters that are left unclear.
• Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence.