Poetic
Devices
In English there are a few devices that you can
recognise to help you understand the text better.
http://esl.about.com/cs/reading/a/blpoetry.htm
Metaphors
Metaphors make a comparison between two objects with
the intent of giving clearer meaning to one of them. Often forms of the
"to be" verb are used, such as "is" or "was", to
make the comparison.
Similes
Similes make a comparison between two objects using a
specific word or comparison such as "like", "as", or
"than".
Of course,
there are many other poetic devices. You will find a list of the most important
poetic devices arranged by their purpose on the following pages.
Another useful
tool to use when reading poetry is a thesaurus. A thesaurus is a book
containing systematized lists of synonyms and related words. You can find an excellent
online thesaurus at http://esl.about.com/cs/reading/a/blpoetry.htm
Metaphor - A comparison
between two objects giving meaning to one of them. Often forms of the "to
be" verb are used, such as "is" or "was", to make the
comparison.
Example:
The boy was a helpless bird waiting for its mother.
Simile - A comparison
between two objects using a specific word or comparison such as 'like', 'as',
or 'than'.
Example:
We watched the ghostly dancers spin
To sound of horn and violin,
Like black leaves wheeling in the wind.
To sound of horn and violin,
Like black leaves wheeling in the wind.
Like wire-pulled automatons,
Slim silhouetted skeletons
Went sidling through the slow quadrille.
Slim silhouetted skeletons
Went sidling through the slow quadrille.
(by: Oscar Wilde)
Alliteration - The
repetition of beginning consonant sounds.
Example:
Silently
seeking the silky sounds.
Assonance -
The repetition of vowel sounds.
Example:
Elaine waited
in plain train.
Rhyme -
The similarity of ending
sounds existing between two words.
Example:
Inside, above the din and fray,
We heard the loud musicians play
We heard the loud musicians play
Meter -
The recurrence of
a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
Example:
We caught the tread of dancing feet,
We loitered down the moonlit street,
And stopped beneath the harlot's house.
We loitered down the moonlit street,
And stopped beneath the harlot's house.
(by: Oscar Wilde)
Onomatopoeia - The use of
words which imitate sound.
Example:
He crashed into the car as he heard the screech
of the wheels.
Repetition -
the repeating of words, phrases, lines, or stanzas.
Example:
Hear the sledges with the bells --
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
(by: Edgar Alan Poe)
Imagery -
Words or phrases that use the senses or a
combination of senses.
Example:
His could
almost taste his fear as he smelt the fright of the bolting horse.
Personification –
A figure of speech which endows animals, ideas, or
inanimate objects with human traits or abilities.
Example:
The window
winked at me.
Poetic Devices
- Point of View
Point-of-view - The author's
point-of-view concentrates on the speaker, or "teller", of the
story or poem.
Walking through the streets at night,
Looking at stars that shine so bright,
It hurts to consider things not to be.
Looking at stars that shine so bright,
It hurts to consider things not to be.
Things not to
had by me.
1st person:
the speaker is a character in the story or poem and
tells it from his/her
perspective
(uses "I")
Example:
Then, turning to my love, I said,
The dead are dancing with the dead,
The dust is whirling with the dust.'
The dead are dancing with the dead,
The dust is whirling with the dust.'
(by: Oscar
Wilde)
3rd person: the speaker is
not part of the story, but tells about the other characters.
Example:
His story is old,
His heart is young,
He the strong, noble one.
His heart is young,
He the strong, noble one.
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