What is the role of the speaker in a poem?

The speaker in a poem primarily serves to convey personal thoughts and emotions, which are crucial to understanding the poem's themes and tone. This intimate voice allows readers to connect deeply with the speaker's experiences, feelings, and reflections. The use of first-person narration often emphasizes subjective perception, highlighting how personal circumstances shape understanding and interpretation of the world.

While representing a universal perspective can be an aspect of some poetry, it is not the central role of the speaker, as the speaker often embodies a specific viewpoint influenced by individual experiences. Additionally, narrating a story's plot tends to be more characteristic of narratives or prose rather than poetry, where the focus is often on emotional resonance and imagery rather than linear storytelling. Providing historical context may enhance the reader's understanding of certain poems, but it is generally not the primary duty of the speaker; rather, it is more about the context in which the poem is situated. Thus, conveying personal thoughts and emotions remains the key function of the speaker in poetry.