techniques Flashcards
Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /e/ in “In every voice: in every ban”.
Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /s/ in “Marks of weakness, marks of woe”.
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession. For example, the sound of /s/ in “And the hapless Soldiers sigh”.
Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example,
“But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.”
Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “I wander thro’ each charter’d street”, “How the Chimney-sweepers cry” and “Runs in blood down Palace walls.”
Symbolism: Symbolism means to use symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. Here, “soldier’s sigh” symbolizes the state of frustration, “chimney sweeper” is the symbol of death, darkness and destruction and “harlot’s curse” symbolizes the prostitute’s pathetic life experiences.
Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects different in nature. For example, “The mind-forg’d manacles I hear” is a metaphor for the hardships of the people working in industries, which is equal to working in prison.
Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. The below lines express the sorrow of the citizens suppressed under the upper class.
“In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban.”
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “London”
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are four stanzas in this poem, with each having four lines in it.
Quatrain: A quatrain is a four-lined stanza borrowed from Persian poetry. Here, each stanza is quatrain as the first one.
Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the ABAB rhyme scheme and this pattern continuous till the end.
End Rhyme: End rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. For example, “cry/sigh”, “hear/tear” and “flow/woe.”
