As a self-taught English reader (recently listener and rarely speaker) I should note that understanding sound and rhythm of English poetry taught me so much.
I was able to semi-decently communicate technical things before I come to Shakespeare's "To be or not to be". It completely changed my view on English language. Before that I was reading English prose as a deformed version of Deutsch (language I learned at school). What worked for technical prose stopped working for verses. I had to dig deeper.
From my experience I think that someone who barely speaks foreign language cannot have an adequate opinion on that language verses.
And I think that GP is right about cheating.
I think everyone would be at the same disadvantage, regardless of English competency, when it comes to 19th century English poetry. ;-)