POETIC DEVICES
MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX.
BY KAMALA DAS
1. Simile: it is the comparison of two things by using as or like.
“her face ashen like that of a corpse”,
“as a late winter’s moon”.
2. Metaphor: it is the direct comparison of two things without the use
of as or like.
“the merry children spilling”.
3. Personification: When we give human characteristics to animals or plants or
non-living things.
“trees sprinting”.
4. Repetition: It is the repetition of a word or phrase to create a poetic effect in a
poem. e.g. the poet repeats these words,
“smile and smile and smile”.
5. Alliteration: It is the repetition of the consonant sounds in a line of a poem.
“my mother”,
“that thought”,
“I said was, see you soon”.
6. Literary Devices: Assonance: Here we see the use of vowel sound that is ‘o’.
To Cochin last Friday morning,
doze open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse
7. Imagery: when the poet say trees sprinting, merry children spilling
8. Rhyme scheme - The poem does not follow any rhyme or rhythm. It has been
written in free verse.
An Elementary school classroom in a slum
Stephen Spender
1. Simile: it is the comparison of two things by using as or like.
children are compared with rootless weed (like rootless weed)
their repaired spectacles (like bottle bits on stones)
2. Metaphor: it is the direct comparison of two things without the use
of as or like.
boy is compared with paper as he is thin (paper seeming boy)
The future of the kids is described as limited (Narrow Street sealed with a
lead sky)
Their homes are very small like holes (cramped holes)
: books and nature are expressed in form of white and green leaves (the
white green leaves open
3. Repetition: use of far to stress on the distance. ‘far’ repeated
4. Assonance: repetition of vowel sound ‘e’ (Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley)
5. Allusion: Reference to well known person or place (Shakespeare’s head,
Tyrolese valley)
6. Alliteration: Use of ‘f’ sound (From fog)
7. Anaphora: Use of repeated words in two consecutive lines
Run azure
And Run naked
8. Rhyme scheme: The poem has been written in free verse. It does not have
rhyme scheme.
Keeping Quiet
Pablo Neruda
1. Metaphor: it is the direct comparison of two things without the use
of as or like
‘…put on clean clothes’ the poet says that quiet introspection will make
us comprehend the destructive nature of wars. Man would shed his blood
soiled clothes and don on clean clothes i.e. he would cleanse his soul,
heart and mind, purging it of all anger and hatred.
In the shade- just as shade protects us from the harsh sun, we will protect
and shelter each other as brothers, thus live in peace and harmony.
2. Symbolic image
‘Count to twelve’ – symbolizes a measure of time. The clock has twelve
markings on it, the year has twelve months and the day has twelve hours
‘Fishermen in the cold sea…hurt hands’-symbolic image showing how
man is ruthlessly destroying nature and harming other species in cold
blood for his selfish need and greed. The ‘hurt hands’ – the sore hands of
the salt gatherer would make him realize how he is harming himself by
his mindless corrosive activities.
Brothers – symbol of mankind
Earth can teach us as when everything, just as earth, the greatest creator,
in its sleeping mode appears to be dead on surface but is actually
dormant and carefully preserving the seeds of life, human beings too
need to keep still and quiet to rejuvenate and awaken the life forces
within and be productive.
3. Euphemism: A euphemism is a figure of speech, which means
"an expression in which the words are not used in their literal sense."
Therefore, euphemisms are classified as figurative language, which is the "use
of words in an unusual or imaginative manner.”
no truck
4. Repetition: Let’s-repetition to create a bond with the reader and stress his
point.
use of ‘war’
5. Alliteration alliteration is a figure of speech in which a series of words,
usually two or more neighbouring words, have the same first consonant sound;
however, sometimes repetition of sounds occur inside a word.
‘we would’ - ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘sudden strangeness’ - ‘s’ sound
is repeated, ‘his hurt hands’ - ‘h’ sound is repeated
wars with’ - ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘clean clothes’ - ‘c’ sound is
repeated
6. Rhyme scheme
The poem is written in free verse. It does not follow any rhyme
scheme.
7. Assonance: Use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘e’
Now we will count to twelve, not move our arms so much
use of vowel ‘o’ victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
8. Anaphora: Two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘Let’s’
A Thing of beauty-
John Keats
1. Metaphor:
bower quiet; sweet dreams
wreathing a flowery band
pall
endless fountain of immortal drink
2. Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are
close in series
(Sleep-Sweet)
noble natures
cooling covert
band to bind
3. Imagery:
flowery bands
shady boon
daffodils in green world
clear rills
cooling covert
grandeur of dooms
endless fountain of eternal drink
4. Symbol: A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another
meaning other than its literal meaning. The actions of a character, word, action,
or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story.
simple sheep – refers to mankind as Christ is the shepherd
5. Transferred epithet: A transferred epithet is a little known—but often used—
figure of speech in which a modifier (usually an adjective) qualifies a noun
other than the person or thing it is actually describing. In other words, the
modifier or epithet is transferred from the noun it is meant to describe to another
noun in the sentence.
gloomy days
unhealthy and o’er darkened ways
6. Rhyme scheme: aabbc (forever, never, keep, sleep, breathing)
7. Anaphora: Use of same word in two consecutive lines (of noble natures- Of
all the unhealthy)
8. Antithesis: opposite words placed together (old and young
A Roadside Stand
Robert Frost
1. Personal pronoun: The use of shows poet’s involvement and draws reader’s
concern.
‘didn’t it see’ –
The use of ‘it’ for people indicates they are inhuman
2. Transferred epithet –
polished traffic
the traffic is not polished, people are polished)
Selfish cars
3. Metaphor
the flower of cities from sinking and withering faint;
Swarm over their lives
Teaching them to sleep they sleep all day
4. Oxymoron and Alliteration –
Greedy good doers
beneficent beasts of prey
5. Personification:
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled (also alliteration)
Sadness that lurks near the open window there/ that waits all day
Voice of country
Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger
Adrienne Rich
1. Alliteration-
Finger’s fluttering
prancing proud
chivalric certainty
weight of wedding band
2. Visual imagery
Bright topaz denizens
world of green
3. Irony
It is ironical that Aunt Jennifer’s creations- the tigers will continue to
pace and prance freely, while Aunt herself will remain terrified even
after death, ringed by the ordeals she was controlled by in her married
life.
4. Symbols
Wedding band- symbol of oppression in an unhappy marriage. Its weight
refers to the burden of gender expectations. Ringed means encircled or
trapped, losing individuality and freedom.
Aunt Jennifer- a typical victim of male oppression in an unhappy
marriage, who suffers loss of individuality, dignity and personal freedom
silently. She becomes dependent, fearful and frail.
Tigers- symbolize untamed free spirit. Here they stand in contrast to their
creator’s personality. The use of colours implies that Aunt Jennifer's
tigers and their land are more vital and enjoy a sense of freedom far
greater than her. They pace and prance freely, proudly, fearless,
confident and majestic, fearless of men
Yellow (bright topaz) connotes the sun and fierce energy; green reminds
one of spring and vitality.
Embroidery- symbol of creative expression. The artwork expresses the
Aunt’s suppressed desires and becomes her escape from the oppressive
reality of her life.
Aunt (last stanza) – as opposed to Aunt Jennifer. It shows that she has
lost her identity completely, thus lost even her name.
5. Metaphor
Ringed with ordeals: even death would not free her as the wedding band,
a symbol of oppression,, would yet be on her finger.
Use of topaz to describe the yellow color of tigers (Bright topaz)
6. Transferred epithet
Terrified fingers
7. Rhyme scheme: aabb
8. Anaphora: use of same word in two consecutive lines (they do not … and
they pace in…)
