Enjambment
Definition of Enjambment
Enjambment, derived from the French word, means to step over, or put legs across. In poetry it means moving over from one line to another without a terminating punctuation mark. It can be defined as a thought or sense,phrase or clause , in a line of poetry that does not come to an end at the line break , but moves over to the next line. In simple words, it is the running on of a sense from one couplet or line to the next without a major pause or syntactical break.
Short Examples of Enjambment
1. I think I had never seen
A verse as beautiful as a flower.
2. Autumn showing off colors slowly
Letting the splendid colors
Flow softly to earth below.
3. The poet labors all his days
To build the beauty in his rhyme .
4. When rain drops are
Exposed to sunlight, even
Colorless become vibrant.
5. Longer days have come,
Cuckoos are here with joyous
Shades of dark green arise!
6. Amongst the bushes and thorns
Beautiful red rose blooms.
7. Breezy blue sky so clear,
So bright and relaxing
That escapes daily toil.
8. The sunlight brightens the horizon
Like the sky lightens a small island.
9. Cold morning time
Ice crystals reflect the rays
Of blazing sunrise.
10. Before the sunrise
A chain of red clouds
And all else is in the darkness.
Examples of Enjambment from Literature
Example #1: It is a Beauteous Evening (By William Wordsworth)
“It is a beauteous Evening, calm and free;
The holy time is quiet as a Nun
Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
Is sinking down in its tranquility;
The gentleness of heaven is on the Sea;
Listen! The mighty Being is awake,
And doth with his eternal motion make
A sound like thunder―everlastingly. …
“Thou liest in Abraham’s bosom all the year;
And worshipp’st at the Temple’s inner shrine,
God being with thee when we know it not.”
This poem is a perfect example of enjambment. In this poem, every line is running over to the next, while the sense is not finished at the end of lines, without pause or break. None of the lines make sense – or stand on their own – without the next line.
Example #2: Endymion (By John Keats)
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and asleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.”
Endymion is a famous example of enjambment. The first and last lines in the given poem have end marks, while the middle lines are enjambed. There is a flow of thought from one line to the next.
Example #3: The Winter’s Tale (By William Shakespeare)
“I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are; the want of which vain dew
Perchance shall dry your pities; but I have
That honorable grief lodged here which burns
Worse than tears drown …”
Shakespeare frequently used enjambment in his plays. This extract is filled with the heavy use of enjambment. In each line, the linguistic unit finishes mid-line with a caesura . The meaning flows from one line to next, and readers are forced to read the subsequent lines.
Functions of Enjambment
Enjambment can be used to surprise readers by delaying the meaning of a line until the following line is read. Some writers use this technique to bring humorous effects to their work. It is good to use in verse in order to create a sense of natural motion.
In poetry, the role of enjambment is normally to let an idea carry on beyond the restrictions of a single line. Another purpose of enjambment is to continue a rhythm that is stronger than a permanent end-stop, wherein complicated ideas are expressed in multiple lines.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/enjambment/
Tuesday, 14 January 2020
Line break
Line Break
Definition of Line Break
A line break is a poetic device that is used at the end of a line, and the beginning of the next line in a poem . It can be employed without traditional
punctuation. Also, it can be described as a point wherein a line is divided into two halves. Sometimes, a line break that occurs at mid-
clause creates enjambment.
Examples of Line Break in Literature
Example #1: Cymbeline (By William Shakespeare)
“With his own sword,
Which he did wave against my throat, I have ta’en
His head from him
I am absolute
Twas very Cloten”
There are two line break examples in the given passage. One line break cuts the line, “I have ta’en his head from him” in the middle, placing the line break at the end of the second line. Another line break is used in the fourth line, “I” being a person has an absolute meaning. These line breaks are determining the visual shape of this text.
Example #2: Ulysses (By Alfred Lord Tennyson)
“Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race ,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees: All times I have enjoy’d
Greatly, have suffer’d greatly , both with those
That loved me, and alone, on shore, and when
Vext the dim sea: I am become a name
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments…”
There are many line breaks within this excerpt. First, a line break cuts the phrase , “I mete and dole unequal laws unto a savage race,” into two at the end of the first line. Similarly, a break occurs in other lines like “I will drink life to lees,” “All times I have enjoyed greatly, have suffer’d greatly,” and “I am become a name.”
Example #3: Ode to a Nightingale (By John Keats)
“My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense , as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drain …
That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees
In some melodious plot …
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of summer in full-throated ease.”
In this excerpt, Keats has employed line breaks to create different types of artistic effect. The line also forces readers to take a slight break, which in turn reinforces the disclosure of the following lines.
Function of Line Break
Line breaks can be a source of dynamism in poetry, as they provide a manner whereby poetic forms inculcate contents with strength and consequential meanings – which might not be possible in other types of text in the same level. Line breaks are used as important poetic devices, because they often bring ambiguity and also affect the meaning. However, they lead readers into surprising ideas and different understandings, as well as controlling the manner wherein they come upon ideas.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/line-break/
Definition of Line Break
A line break is a poetic device that is used at the end of a line, and the beginning of the next line in a poem . It can be employed without traditional
punctuation. Also, it can be described as a point wherein a line is divided into two halves. Sometimes, a line break that occurs at mid-
clause creates enjambment.
Examples of Line Break in Literature
Example #1: Cymbeline (By William Shakespeare)
“With his own sword,
Which he did wave against my throat, I have ta’en
His head from him
I am absolute
Twas very Cloten”
There are two line break examples in the given passage. One line break cuts the line, “I have ta’en his head from him” in the middle, placing the line break at the end of the second line. Another line break is used in the fourth line, “I” being a person has an absolute meaning. These line breaks are determining the visual shape of this text.
Example #2: Ulysses (By Alfred Lord Tennyson)
“Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race ,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees: All times I have enjoy’d
Greatly, have suffer’d greatly , both with those
That loved me, and alone, on shore, and when
Vext the dim sea: I am become a name
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments…”
There are many line breaks within this excerpt. First, a line break cuts the phrase , “I mete and dole unequal laws unto a savage race,” into two at the end of the first line. Similarly, a break occurs in other lines like “I will drink life to lees,” “All times I have enjoyed greatly, have suffer’d greatly,” and “I am become a name.”
Example #3: Ode to a Nightingale (By John Keats)
“My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense , as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drain …
That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees
In some melodious plot …
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of summer in full-throated ease.”
In this excerpt, Keats has employed line breaks to create different types of artistic effect. The line also forces readers to take a slight break, which in turn reinforces the disclosure of the following lines.
Function of Line Break
Line breaks can be a source of dynamism in poetry, as they provide a manner whereby poetic forms inculcate contents with strength and consequential meanings – which might not be possible in other types of text in the same level. Line breaks are used as important poetic devices, because they often bring ambiguity and also affect the meaning. However, they lead readers into surprising ideas and different understandings, as well as controlling the manner wherein they come upon ideas.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/line-break/
Metaphor
Metaphor
Metaphor Definition
A Metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated, but which share some common characteristics. In other words, a resemblance of two contradictory or different objects is made based on a single or some common characteristics.
Common Speech Examples of Metaphor
So, what is a Metaphor? Most of us think of a metaphor as a device used in songs or poems only, and that it has nothing to do with our everyday life. In fact, all of us in our routine life speak, write, and think in metaphors. We cannot avoid them. Metaphors are sometimes constructed through our common language, and they are called “conventional metaphors.”
My brother was boiling mad . (This implies he was too angry.)
The assignment was a breeze . (This implies that the assignment was not difficult.)
It is going to be clear skies from now on. (This implies that clear skies are not a threat and life is going to be without hardships)
The skies of his future began to darken . (Darkness is a threat; therefore, this implies that the coming times are going to be hard for him.)
Her voice is music to his ears . (This implies that her voice makes him feel happy)
Metaphor Examples in Literature
Metaphors are used in all types of literature, but not often to the degree they are used in poetry. This is because metaphor poem is meant to communicate complex images and feelings to readers, and metaphors often state the comparisons most emotively. Now that we know the definition of metaphor, let’s take a look at some examples.
Example #1: The Sun Rising (By John Donne)
“She’s all states, and all princes, I …”
John Donne , a metaphysical poet, was well-known for his abundant use of metaphors throughout his poetical works. In his well-known work, The Sun Rising , the speaker scolds the sun for waking him and his beloved. Among the most evocative metaphors in literature, he explains “She is all states, and all princes, I.” This line demonstrates the speaker’s belief that he and his beloved are richer than all states, kingdoms, and rulers in the entire world because of the love that they share.
Example #2: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day (By William Shakespeare)
“But thy eternal summer shall not fade …”
William Shakespeare was the best exponent of metaphors, having made wide-ranging use of them throughout his works. Sonnet 18 , also known as Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day , is an extended metaphor between the love of the speaker and the fairness of the summer season. He writes that “thy eternal summer,” here taken to mean the love of the subject , “shall not fade.”
Metaphor Meaning and Function
From the above arguments, explanations, and examples, we can easily infer the function of metaphors; both in our daily lives and in a piece of literature. Using appropriate metaphors appeals directly to the senses of listeners or readers, sharpening their imaginations to comprehend what is being communicated to them. Moreover, it gives a life-like quality to our conversations and the characters of fiction or poetry. Metaphors are also ways of thinking, offering the listeners and the readers fresh ways of examining ideas and viewing the world.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/metaphor/
Metaphor Definition
A Metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated, but which share some common characteristics. In other words, a resemblance of two contradictory or different objects is made based on a single or some common characteristics.
Common Speech Examples of Metaphor
So, what is a Metaphor? Most of us think of a metaphor as a device used in songs or poems only, and that it has nothing to do with our everyday life. In fact, all of us in our routine life speak, write, and think in metaphors. We cannot avoid them. Metaphors are sometimes constructed through our common language, and they are called “conventional metaphors.”
My brother was boiling mad . (This implies he was too angry.)
The assignment was a breeze . (This implies that the assignment was not difficult.)
It is going to be clear skies from now on. (This implies that clear skies are not a threat and life is going to be without hardships)
The skies of his future began to darken . (Darkness is a threat; therefore, this implies that the coming times are going to be hard for him.)
Her voice is music to his ears . (This implies that her voice makes him feel happy)
Metaphor Examples in Literature
Metaphors are used in all types of literature, but not often to the degree they are used in poetry. This is because metaphor poem is meant to communicate complex images and feelings to readers, and metaphors often state the comparisons most emotively. Now that we know the definition of metaphor, let’s take a look at some examples.
Example #1: The Sun Rising (By John Donne)
“She’s all states, and all princes, I …”
John Donne , a metaphysical poet, was well-known for his abundant use of metaphors throughout his poetical works. In his well-known work, The Sun Rising , the speaker scolds the sun for waking him and his beloved. Among the most evocative metaphors in literature, he explains “She is all states, and all princes, I.” This line demonstrates the speaker’s belief that he and his beloved are richer than all states, kingdoms, and rulers in the entire world because of the love that they share.
Example #2: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day (By William Shakespeare)
“But thy eternal summer shall not fade …”
William Shakespeare was the best exponent of metaphors, having made wide-ranging use of them throughout his works. Sonnet 18 , also known as Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day , is an extended metaphor between the love of the speaker and the fairness of the summer season. He writes that “thy eternal summer,” here taken to mean the love of the subject , “shall not fade.”
Metaphor Meaning and Function
From the above arguments, explanations, and examples, we can easily infer the function of metaphors; both in our daily lives and in a piece of literature. Using appropriate metaphors appeals directly to the senses of listeners or readers, sharpening their imaginations to comprehend what is being communicated to them. Moreover, it gives a life-like quality to our conversations and the characters of fiction or poetry. Metaphors are also ways of thinking, offering the listeners and the readers fresh ways of examining ideas and viewing the world.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/metaphor/
Meter
Meter
Definition of Meter
Meter is a stressed and unstressed syllabic pattern in a verse , or within the lines of a poem . Stressed syllables tend to be longer, and unstressed shorter. In simple language, meter is a poetic device that serves as a linguistic sound pattern for the verses, as it gives poetry a rhythmical and melodious sound. For instance, if you read a poem aloud, and it produces regular sound patterns, then this poem would be a metered or measured poem. The study of different types of versification and meters is known as “ prosody.”
Types of Meter
English poetry employs five basic meters, including:
1. Iambic meter (unstressed/stressed)
2. Trochaic meter (stressed/unstressed)
3. Spondaic meter, (stressed/stressed)
4. Anapestic meter (unstressed/unstressed/ stressed)
5. Dactylic meter (stressed/unstressed/unstressed)
Meter has two subdivisions: qualitative meter, and quantitative meter.
Qualitative Meter
Qualitative meter contains stressed syllables with regular intervals, such as iambic pentameter containing even numbered syllables.
Quantitative Meter
Quantitative meter, however, is based on syllabic weight, and not stressed pattern,s such as dactylic hexameters of classical Greek and classical Latin. However, classical Arabic and Sanskrit also have used this meter. Poets like Virgil used quantitative meter in Aeneid , and Homer used it in Iliad .
Short Examples of Meter
1. People become what they believe.
(Trochaic meter)
2. Those who can dream it, they really can achieve it.
(Dactylic/Spondaic)
3. Don’t search faults. Find remedies.
(Iambic meter)
4. When you give and accept gratefully, you feel blessed.
(Anapestic meter)
5. The safest place on planet earth.
(Iambic meter)
6. Be happy, be positive, be you.
(Spondaic meter)
7. Life is short to hold grudges.
(Trochaic meter)
8. If you know why to live, then you can tolerate anything.
(Dactylic meter)
9. All the news here is ready to print.
(Trochaic meter)
10. Because you’re worth it.
(Iambic meter)
Meter Examples in Literature
Example #1: Twelfth Night (By William Shakespeare)
“If music be the food of love , play on ;
Give me excess of it , that, surfeiting ,
The appe tite may sicken , and so die.
That strain again ! it had a dying fall:
O, it came o ’er my ear like the sweet
sound,
That breathes upon a bank of vio lets …”
This is an example of iambic pentameter , which contains an unstressed syllable first, and a stressed syllable second. Shakespeare has played around with iambic pentameter a lot to create different effects. Here you can see each line consists of accented and unaccented syllables underlined.
Example #2: The Explosion (By Philip Larkin)
“Shadows pointed towards the pit head:
In the sun the slag heap slept .
Down the lane came men in pit boots
Coughing oath -edged talk and pipe -smoke
Shouldering off the freshened silence .”
This extract contains trochaic meter in which stressed syllables are pronounced loudly. Larkin has written frequently in trochaic (accented/unaccented) tetrameter with four trochees.
Example #3: The Charge of the Light Brigade (By Alfred Lord Tennyson)
“Half a league, half a league,
Half a league on ward,
All in the val ley of Death
Rode the six hun dred.
“For ward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns !” he said:
Into the val ley of Death
Rode the six hundred.”
This excerpt presents an example of dactylic meter that contains one accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables.
Example #4: The Hunting of the Snark (By Lewis Carroll)
“Just the place for a Snark !” the Bellman cried,
As he lan ded his crew with care;
Supporting each man on the top of the tide
By a fing er entwined in his hair …
There was also a Bea ver, that paced on the deck ,
Or would sit making lace in the bow :
Here you can see Carroll has used different types of anapestic meter, dimeter, trimeter, and tetrameter. This type of meter has two unaccented syllables and a third accented syllable.
Example #5: Troilus and Cressida (By William Shakespeare)
Cry, cry ! Troy burns , or else let Helen go .
Spondaic meter has two accented syllables. You can easily identify this type of meter because it contains both stressed syllables: “Cry, cry! Troy burns.”
Example #6: An Autumn Visit (By Josie Whitehead)
“Aut umn is wearing her bright golden
crown
For this mor ning she’s com ing to visit our
town
And wind , her best friend , will be joining her too.
Will they have a nice day and just what will they do ?”
This stanza has used a combination of iambic and anapestic meter. In anapest, two unstressed syllables are followed by one stressed syllable, which rhymes the lines and add music to them.
Function of Meter
Though meter is a poetic device, playwrights as well as prose writers often use it to heighten the dramatic quality of the work, adding enchantment, mystery and emotion to their language. If you look carefully, you will notice metrical feet are not only suitable in poetry, but also in plays to achieve dramatic purposes. However, its basic function is to provide rhythm and uniformity, and to give a rounded and well-formed structure to the poetic work. Meter makes the tone of a language more lyrical. When a situation requires heightened language, the poets use meter for artistic effect. Besides, a meter has importance and value to the readers, which could, however, be lost if paraphrased or translated.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/meter/
Definition of Meter
Meter is a stressed and unstressed syllabic pattern in a verse , or within the lines of a poem . Stressed syllables tend to be longer, and unstressed shorter. In simple language, meter is a poetic device that serves as a linguistic sound pattern for the verses, as it gives poetry a rhythmical and melodious sound. For instance, if you read a poem aloud, and it produces regular sound patterns, then this poem would be a metered or measured poem. The study of different types of versification and meters is known as “ prosody.”
Types of Meter
English poetry employs five basic meters, including:
1. Iambic meter (unstressed/stressed)
2. Trochaic meter (stressed/unstressed)
3. Spondaic meter, (stressed/stressed)
4. Anapestic meter (unstressed/unstressed/ stressed)
5. Dactylic meter (stressed/unstressed/unstressed)
Meter has two subdivisions: qualitative meter, and quantitative meter.
Qualitative Meter
Qualitative meter contains stressed syllables with regular intervals, such as iambic pentameter containing even numbered syllables.
Quantitative Meter
Quantitative meter, however, is based on syllabic weight, and not stressed pattern,s such as dactylic hexameters of classical Greek and classical Latin. However, classical Arabic and Sanskrit also have used this meter. Poets like Virgil used quantitative meter in Aeneid , and Homer used it in Iliad .
Short Examples of Meter
1. People become what they believe.
(Trochaic meter)
2. Those who can dream it, they really can achieve it.
(Dactylic/Spondaic)
3. Don’t search faults. Find remedies.
(Iambic meter)
4. When you give and accept gratefully, you feel blessed.
(Anapestic meter)
5. The safest place on planet earth.
(Iambic meter)
6. Be happy, be positive, be you.
(Spondaic meter)
7. Life is short to hold grudges.
(Trochaic meter)
8. If you know why to live, then you can tolerate anything.
(Dactylic meter)
9. All the news here is ready to print.
(Trochaic meter)
10. Because you’re worth it.
(Iambic meter)
Meter Examples in Literature
Example #1: Twelfth Night (By William Shakespeare)
“If music be the food of love , play on ;
Give me excess of it , that, surfeiting ,
The appe tite may sicken , and so die.
That strain again ! it had a dying fall:
O, it came o ’er my ear like the sweet
sound,
That breathes upon a bank of vio lets …”
This is an example of iambic pentameter , which contains an unstressed syllable first, and a stressed syllable second. Shakespeare has played around with iambic pentameter a lot to create different effects. Here you can see each line consists of accented and unaccented syllables underlined.
Example #2: The Explosion (By Philip Larkin)
“Shadows pointed towards the pit head:
In the sun the slag heap slept .
Down the lane came men in pit boots
Coughing oath -edged talk and pipe -smoke
Shouldering off the freshened silence .”
This extract contains trochaic meter in which stressed syllables are pronounced loudly. Larkin has written frequently in trochaic (accented/unaccented) tetrameter with four trochees.
Example #3: The Charge of the Light Brigade (By Alfred Lord Tennyson)
“Half a league, half a league,
Half a league on ward,
All in the val ley of Death
Rode the six hun dred.
“For ward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns !” he said:
Into the val ley of Death
Rode the six hundred.”
This excerpt presents an example of dactylic meter that contains one accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables.
Example #4: The Hunting of the Snark (By Lewis Carroll)
“Just the place for a Snark !” the Bellman cried,
As he lan ded his crew with care;
Supporting each man on the top of the tide
By a fing er entwined in his hair …
There was also a Bea ver, that paced on the deck ,
Or would sit making lace in the bow :
Here you can see Carroll has used different types of anapestic meter, dimeter, trimeter, and tetrameter. This type of meter has two unaccented syllables and a third accented syllable.
Example #5: Troilus and Cressida (By William Shakespeare)
Cry, cry ! Troy burns , or else let Helen go .
Spondaic meter has two accented syllables. You can easily identify this type of meter because it contains both stressed syllables: “Cry, cry! Troy burns.”
Example #6: An Autumn Visit (By Josie Whitehead)
“Aut umn is wearing her bright golden
crown
For this mor ning she’s com ing to visit our
town
And wind , her best friend , will be joining her too.
Will they have a nice day and just what will they do ?”
This stanza has used a combination of iambic and anapestic meter. In anapest, two unstressed syllables are followed by one stressed syllable, which rhymes the lines and add music to them.
Function of Meter
Though meter is a poetic device, playwrights as well as prose writers often use it to heighten the dramatic quality of the work, adding enchantment, mystery and emotion to their language. If you look carefully, you will notice metrical feet are not only suitable in poetry, but also in plays to achieve dramatic purposes. However, its basic function is to provide rhythm and uniformity, and to give a rounded and well-formed structure to the poetic work. Meter makes the tone of a language more lyrical. When a situation requires heightened language, the poets use meter for artistic effect. Besides, a meter has importance and value to the readers, which could, however, be lost if paraphrased or translated.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/meter/
Rhyme
Rhyme
Rhyme Definition
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounding words, occurring at the end of lines in poems or songs. A rhyme is a tool utilizing repeating patterns that bring rhythm or musicality to poems. This differentiates them from prose , which is plain. A rhyme is employed for the specific purpose of rendering a pleasing effect to a poem , which makes its recital an enjoyable experience. Moreover, it offers itself as a mnemonic device, smoothing the progress of memorization.
Types of Rhyme According to Position
Classification of rhymes may be based on their positions, such as the following examples of rhyme.
Example #1: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (By Jane Taylor)
“Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are”
Classification: Tail Rhyme
This is the most common type of rhyme. It occurs in the final syllable of a verse or line.
Example #2: Don’t Fence Me In (By Cole Porter and Robert Fletcher)
“Just turn me loose let me straddle my old saddle,
Underneath the western skies,
On my cayuse let me wander over yonder,
‘Til I see the mountains rise.”
Classification: Internal Rhyme
This is a type of rhyme in which a word at the end of a verse rhymes with another word in the same line.
Example #3: A Scottish Lowlands Holiday Ends in Enjoyable Inactivity (By Miles Kington)
“In Ayrshire hill areas, a cruise,
eh, lass?
Inertia, hilarious, accrues,
hélas!”
Classification: Holo-rhyme
This is a type of rhyme in which all the words of two entire lines rhyme.
Example #4: At Lulworth Cove a Century Back (By Thomas Hardy)
“Had I but lived a hundred years ago
I might have gone, as I have gone this year,
By Warmwell Cross on to a Cove I know,
And Time have placed his finger on me there…”
Classification: Cross rhyme
This refers to matching sounds at the ends of intervening lines.
Function of Rhyme
As discussed above, a rhyme serves two distinct functions in the art of writing poetry:
1. It gives poetry a typical symmetry that differentiates poetry from prose.
2. It makes recital of poetry a pleasurable experience for the readers, as the repetitive patterns render musicality and rhythm to it.
3. H. Auden gives his views on the function of rhyme and other tools of prosody, saying that these are like servants that a master uses in the ways he wants.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/rhyme/
Rhyme Definition
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounding words, occurring at the end of lines in poems or songs. A rhyme is a tool utilizing repeating patterns that bring rhythm or musicality to poems. This differentiates them from prose , which is plain. A rhyme is employed for the specific purpose of rendering a pleasing effect to a poem , which makes its recital an enjoyable experience. Moreover, it offers itself as a mnemonic device, smoothing the progress of memorization.
Types of Rhyme According to Position
Classification of rhymes may be based on their positions, such as the following examples of rhyme.
Example #1: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (By Jane Taylor)
“Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are”
Classification: Tail Rhyme
This is the most common type of rhyme. It occurs in the final syllable of a verse or line.
Example #2: Don’t Fence Me In (By Cole Porter and Robert Fletcher)
“Just turn me loose let me straddle my old saddle,
Underneath the western skies,
On my cayuse let me wander over yonder,
‘Til I see the mountains rise.”
Classification: Internal Rhyme
This is a type of rhyme in which a word at the end of a verse rhymes with another word in the same line.
Example #3: A Scottish Lowlands Holiday Ends in Enjoyable Inactivity (By Miles Kington)
“In Ayrshire hill areas, a cruise,
eh, lass?
Inertia, hilarious, accrues,
hélas!”
Classification: Holo-rhyme
This is a type of rhyme in which all the words of two entire lines rhyme.
Example #4: At Lulworth Cove a Century Back (By Thomas Hardy)
“Had I but lived a hundred years ago
I might have gone, as I have gone this year,
By Warmwell Cross on to a Cove I know,
And Time have placed his finger on me there…”
Classification: Cross rhyme
This refers to matching sounds at the ends of intervening lines.
Function of Rhyme
As discussed above, a rhyme serves two distinct functions in the art of writing poetry:
1. It gives poetry a typical symmetry that differentiates poetry from prose.
2. It makes recital of poetry a pleasurable experience for the readers, as the repetitive patterns render musicality and rhythm to it.
3. H. Auden gives his views on the function of rhyme and other tools of prosody, saying that these are like servants that a master uses in the ways he wants.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/rhyme/
Poems
Poem
Definition of Poem
A poem is a collection of spoken or written words that expresses ideas or emotions in a powerfully vivid and imaginative style . A poem is comprised of a particular rhythmic and metrical pattern. In fact, it is a literary technique that is different from prose or ordinary speech, as it is either in metrical pattern or in free verse . Writers or poets express their emotions through this medium more easily, as they face difficulty when expressing through some other medium. It serves the purpose of a light to take the readers towards the right path. Also, sometimes it teaches them a moral lesson through sugar-coated language.
Haiku
Traditionally, haiku poems are three-line stanzas with a 5/7/5 syllable count. This form of poetry also focuses on the beauty and simplicity found in nature. As its popularity grew, the 5/7/5 formula has often been broken. However, the focus remains the same - simple moments in life. For more, take a look at these rules for writing haiku . Now, let's enjoy two short samples.
First, "Sick on a Journey " by Basho is a great example of a haiku:
Sick on a journey -Over parched field
Dreams wander on
Next, "5 & 7 & 5 " by Anselm Hollo demonstrates the 5/7/5 haiku syllable count across three
stanzas :
night train whistles stars
over a nation under
mad temporal czars
round lumps of cells grow
up to love porridge later
become The Supremes
lady I lost my
subway token we must part
it's faster by air
Free Verse
Free verse poems are the least defined. In fact, they're deliberately irregular, taking on an improvisational bent. There's no formula, no pattern. Rather, the writer and reader must work together to set the speed, intonation, and emotional pull. Here are two samples.
" This is Marriage " by Marianne Moore is a great example of free verse poetry:
This institution, perhaps one should say enterprise out of respect for which one says one need not change one's mind about a thing one has believed in, requiring public promises of one's intention to fulfil a private obligation: I wonder what Adam and Eve think of it by this time, this fire-gilt steel alive with goldenness;
The format of " Little Father " by Li-Young Lee contrasts "This is Marriage" considerably:
I buried my father in my heart.
Now he grows in me, my strange son,
My little root who won't drink milk,
Little pale foot sunk in unheard-of night,
Little clock spring newly wet
In the fire,little grape, parent to the future
Wine, a son the fruit of his own son,
Little father I ransom with my life.
Cinquain
A cinquain is a five-line poem inspired by the Japanese haiku. There are many different variations of cinquain including American cinquains, didactic cinquains, reverse cinquains, butterfly cinquains and crown cinquains. Let's enjoy a sampling from the ever-popular Edgar Allan Poe, as well as a snippet from George Herbert.
" To Helen" by Edgar Allan Poe is our first five-line poem:
Helen, thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicean barks of yore,
That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,
The weary, way-worn wanderer bore
To his own native shore.
And here we have " The World " by George Herbert:
Love built a stately house, where Fortune came,
And spinning fancies, she was heard to say
That her fine cobwebs did support the frame,
Whereas they were supported by the same;
But Wisdom quickly swept them all away.
Epic
An epic is a long and narrative poem that normally tells a story about a hero or an adventure. Epics can be presented as oral or written stories. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" are probably the most renowned epic poems. But, let's take a different direction and check out a sampling from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, as well as Ezra Pound.
Here's an excerpt from the epic poem, " The Song of Hiawatha" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
By the shore of Gitchie Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
At the doorway of his wigwam,
In the pleasant Summer morning,
Hiawatha stood and waited.
And here's another sampling of epic poetry, this time from "Canto I" by Ezra Pound:
And then went down to the ship,
Set keel to breakers, forth on the godly sea, and
We set up mast and sail on that swart ship,
Bore sheep aboard her, and our bodies also
Heavy with weeping, so winds from sternward
Bore us out onward with bellying canvas,
Circe's this craft, the trim-coifed goddess.
Then sat we amidships, wind jamming the tiller,
Thus with stretched sail, we went over sea till day's end.
Sun to his slumber, shadows o'er all the ocean,
Came we then to the bounds of deepest water,
To the Kimmerian lands, and peopled cities
Covered with close-webbed mist, unpierced ever
With glitter of sun-rays
Nor with stars stretched, nor looking back from heaven
Swartest night stretched over wretched men there.
The ocean flowing backward, came we then to the place
Aforesaid by Circe.
Ballad
Ballad poems also tell a story, like epic poems do. However, ballad poetry is often based on a legend or a folk tale. These poems may take the form of songs, or they may contain a moral or a lesson. Let's enjoy some beautiful imagery in the samples below.
" The Mermaid ," written by an unknown author, has its roots in folklore:
Oh the ocean waves may roll,
And the stormy winds may blow,
While we poor sailors go skipping aloft
And the land lubbers lay down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lay down below.
" The Ballad of Reading Gaol " by Oscar Wilde is another great ballad poem:
He did not wear his scarlet coat,
For blood and wine are red,
And blood and wine were on his hands
When they found him with the dead,
The poor dead woman whom he loved,
And murdered in her bed.
He walked amongst the Trial Men
In a suit of shabby grey;
A cricket cap was on his head,
And his step seemed light and gay;
But I never saw a man who looked
So wistfully at the day.
I never saw a man who looked
With such a wistful eye
Upon that little tent of blue
Which prisoners call the sky,
And at every drifting cloud that went
With sails of silver by.
Acrostic
Acrostic poems , also known as name poems, spell out names or words with the first letter in each line. While the author is doing this, they're describing someone or something they deem important. Here are two examples to illustrate the poetic form.
" Alexis " by Nicholas Gordon focuses on an intriguing woman he may or may not know:
Alexis seems quite shy and somewhat frail,
Leaning, like a tree averse to light,
Evasively away from her delight.
X-rays, though, reveal a sylvan sprite,
Intense as a bright bird behind her veil,
Singing to the moon throughout the night.
" A Cry For Help " by 12-year-old Samar Alkhudairi is an example of an acrostic poem that tackles the tough issue of bullying:
Brutal beatings beyond the feeling of pain
Understanding this hurt might get me closer to being sane
Love is a myth
Life has become like a work of Stephen King
You don't know what it's like
I am treated like just some "thing"
Never to be kissed, comforted, or loved
Going the rest of my life never to be hugged
Sonnet
Although William Shakespeare sensationalized sonnets, the word, "sonetto" is actually Italian for "a little sound or song." This form has grabbed poets by the heart for centuries. It began as a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter. Although flourishes have been made over time, the general principle remains the same. Read up on Sonnet Examples to learn more about the different types of sonnets. In the meantime, let's enjoy two great samples:
This is a sample, " Sonnet 116 ," from the master himself, William Shakespeare.
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me prov'd,
I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.
" Ever" by Meghan O'Rourke is a more modern sample, published in 2015:
Never, never, never, never, never.- King Lear
Even now I can't grasp "nothing" or "never."
They're unholdable, unglobable, no map to nothing.
Never? Never ever again to see you?
An error, I aver. You're never nothing,
because nothing's not a thing.
I know death is absolute, forever,
the guillotine-gutting-never to which we never say goodbye.
But even as I think "forever" it goes "ever"
and "ever" and "ever." Ever after.
I'm a thing that keeps on thinking. So I never see you
is not a thing or think my mouth can ever. Aver:
You're not "nothing." But neither are you something.
Will I ever really get never?
Tanaga
The Tanaga is a type of short Filipino poem, consisting of four lines with seven syllables each with the same rhyme at the end of each line --- that is to say a 7-7-7-7 Syllabic verse, with an AAAA rhyme scheme as in this example:
In the Old Tagalog original :
"Catitibay ca tolos
sacaling datnang agos!
aco�I momonting lomot
sa iyo,I popolopot."
In the Modern Tagalog syllabication:
Katitibay ka Tulos
Sakaling datnang agos!
Ako'y mumunting lumot
sa iyo'y pupulupot.
Translation:
Oh be resilient you Stake
Should the waters be coming!
I shall cower as the moss
To you I shall be clinging.
Translation by Jardine Davies
Function of Poem
The main function of a poem is to convey an idea or emotion in beautiful language. It paints a picture of what the poet feels about a thing, person, idea, concept, or even an object . Poets grab the attention of the audience through the use of vivid imagery , emotional shades, figurative language, and other rhetorical devices. However, the supreme function of a poem is to transform imagery and words into verse form, to touch the hearts and minds of the readers. They can easily arouse the sentiments of their readers through versification. In addition, poets evoke imaginative awareness about things by using a specific
diction , sound, and rhythm.
Sources:
https://literarydevices.net/poem/
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/types-of-poetry-examples.html
http://www.languageisavirus.com/poetry-guide/tanaga.php
Definition of Poem
A poem is a collection of spoken or written words that expresses ideas or emotions in a powerfully vivid and imaginative style . A poem is comprised of a particular rhythmic and metrical pattern. In fact, it is a literary technique that is different from prose or ordinary speech, as it is either in metrical pattern or in free verse . Writers or poets express their emotions through this medium more easily, as they face difficulty when expressing through some other medium. It serves the purpose of a light to take the readers towards the right path. Also, sometimes it teaches them a moral lesson through sugar-coated language.
Haiku
Traditionally, haiku poems are three-line stanzas with a 5/7/5 syllable count. This form of poetry also focuses on the beauty and simplicity found in nature. As its popularity grew, the 5/7/5 formula has often been broken. However, the focus remains the same - simple moments in life. For more, take a look at these rules for writing haiku . Now, let's enjoy two short samples.
First, "Sick on a Journey " by Basho is a great example of a haiku:
Sick on a journey -Over parched field
Dreams wander on
Next, "5 & 7 & 5 " by Anselm Hollo demonstrates the 5/7/5 haiku syllable count across three
stanzas :
night train whistles stars
over a nation under
mad temporal czars
round lumps of cells grow
up to love porridge later
become The Supremes
lady I lost my
subway token we must part
it's faster by air
Free Verse
Free verse poems are the least defined. In fact, they're deliberately irregular, taking on an improvisational bent. There's no formula, no pattern. Rather, the writer and reader must work together to set the speed, intonation, and emotional pull. Here are two samples.
" This is Marriage " by Marianne Moore is a great example of free verse poetry:
This institution, perhaps one should say enterprise out of respect for which one says one need not change one's mind about a thing one has believed in, requiring public promises of one's intention to fulfil a private obligation: I wonder what Adam and Eve think of it by this time, this fire-gilt steel alive with goldenness;
The format of " Little Father " by Li-Young Lee contrasts "This is Marriage" considerably:
I buried my father in my heart.
Now he grows in me, my strange son,
My little root who won't drink milk,
Little pale foot sunk in unheard-of night,
Little clock spring newly wet
In the fire,little grape, parent to the future
Wine, a son the fruit of his own son,
Little father I ransom with my life.
Cinquain
A cinquain is a five-line poem inspired by the Japanese haiku. There are many different variations of cinquain including American cinquains, didactic cinquains, reverse cinquains, butterfly cinquains and crown cinquains. Let's enjoy a sampling from the ever-popular Edgar Allan Poe, as well as a snippet from George Herbert.
" To Helen" by Edgar Allan Poe is our first five-line poem:
Helen, thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicean barks of yore,
That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,
The weary, way-worn wanderer bore
To his own native shore.
And here we have " The World " by George Herbert:
Love built a stately house, where Fortune came,
And spinning fancies, she was heard to say
That her fine cobwebs did support the frame,
Whereas they were supported by the same;
But Wisdom quickly swept them all away.
Epic
An epic is a long and narrative poem that normally tells a story about a hero or an adventure. Epics can be presented as oral or written stories. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" are probably the most renowned epic poems. But, let's take a different direction and check out a sampling from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, as well as Ezra Pound.
Here's an excerpt from the epic poem, " The Song of Hiawatha" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
By the shore of Gitchie Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
At the doorway of his wigwam,
In the pleasant Summer morning,
Hiawatha stood and waited.
And here's another sampling of epic poetry, this time from "Canto I" by Ezra Pound:
And then went down to the ship,
Set keel to breakers, forth on the godly sea, and
We set up mast and sail on that swart ship,
Bore sheep aboard her, and our bodies also
Heavy with weeping, so winds from sternward
Bore us out onward with bellying canvas,
Circe's this craft, the trim-coifed goddess.
Then sat we amidships, wind jamming the tiller,
Thus with stretched sail, we went over sea till day's end.
Sun to his slumber, shadows o'er all the ocean,
Came we then to the bounds of deepest water,
To the Kimmerian lands, and peopled cities
Covered with close-webbed mist, unpierced ever
With glitter of sun-rays
Nor with stars stretched, nor looking back from heaven
Swartest night stretched over wretched men there.
The ocean flowing backward, came we then to the place
Aforesaid by Circe.
Ballad
Ballad poems also tell a story, like epic poems do. However, ballad poetry is often based on a legend or a folk tale. These poems may take the form of songs, or they may contain a moral or a lesson. Let's enjoy some beautiful imagery in the samples below.
" The Mermaid ," written by an unknown author, has its roots in folklore:
Oh the ocean waves may roll,
And the stormy winds may blow,
While we poor sailors go skipping aloft
And the land lubbers lay down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lay down below.
" The Ballad of Reading Gaol " by Oscar Wilde is another great ballad poem:
He did not wear his scarlet coat,
For blood and wine are red,
And blood and wine were on his hands
When they found him with the dead,
The poor dead woman whom he loved,
And murdered in her bed.
He walked amongst the Trial Men
In a suit of shabby grey;
A cricket cap was on his head,
And his step seemed light and gay;
But I never saw a man who looked
So wistfully at the day.
I never saw a man who looked
With such a wistful eye
Upon that little tent of blue
Which prisoners call the sky,
And at every drifting cloud that went
With sails of silver by.
Acrostic
Acrostic poems , also known as name poems, spell out names or words with the first letter in each line. While the author is doing this, they're describing someone or something they deem important. Here are two examples to illustrate the poetic form.
" Alexis " by Nicholas Gordon focuses on an intriguing woman he may or may not know:
Alexis seems quite shy and somewhat frail,
Leaning, like a tree averse to light,
Evasively away from her delight.
X-rays, though, reveal a sylvan sprite,
Intense as a bright bird behind her veil,
Singing to the moon throughout the night.
" A Cry For Help " by 12-year-old Samar Alkhudairi is an example of an acrostic poem that tackles the tough issue of bullying:
Brutal beatings beyond the feeling of pain
Understanding this hurt might get me closer to being sane
Love is a myth
Life has become like a work of Stephen King
You don't know what it's like
I am treated like just some "thing"
Never to be kissed, comforted, or loved
Going the rest of my life never to be hugged
Sonnet
Although William Shakespeare sensationalized sonnets, the word, "sonetto" is actually Italian for "a little sound or song." This form has grabbed poets by the heart for centuries. It began as a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter. Although flourishes have been made over time, the general principle remains the same. Read up on Sonnet Examples to learn more about the different types of sonnets. In the meantime, let's enjoy two great samples:
This is a sample, " Sonnet 116 ," from the master himself, William Shakespeare.
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me prov'd,
I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.
" Ever" by Meghan O'Rourke is a more modern sample, published in 2015:
Never, never, never, never, never.- King Lear
Even now I can't grasp "nothing" or "never."
They're unholdable, unglobable, no map to nothing.
Never? Never ever again to see you?
An error, I aver. You're never nothing,
because nothing's not a thing.
I know death is absolute, forever,
the guillotine-gutting-never to which we never say goodbye.
But even as I think "forever" it goes "ever"
and "ever" and "ever." Ever after.
I'm a thing that keeps on thinking. So I never see you
is not a thing or think my mouth can ever. Aver:
You're not "nothing." But neither are you something.
Will I ever really get never?
Tanaga
The Tanaga is a type of short Filipino poem, consisting of four lines with seven syllables each with the same rhyme at the end of each line --- that is to say a 7-7-7-7 Syllabic verse, with an AAAA rhyme scheme as in this example:
In the Old Tagalog original :
"Catitibay ca tolos
sacaling datnang agos!
aco�I momonting lomot
sa iyo,I popolopot."
In the Modern Tagalog syllabication:
Katitibay ka Tulos
Sakaling datnang agos!
Ako'y mumunting lumot
sa iyo'y pupulupot.
Translation:
Oh be resilient you Stake
Should the waters be coming!
I shall cower as the moss
To you I shall be clinging.
Translation by Jardine Davies
Function of Poem
The main function of a poem is to convey an idea or emotion in beautiful language. It paints a picture of what the poet feels about a thing, person, idea, concept, or even an object . Poets grab the attention of the audience through the use of vivid imagery , emotional shades, figurative language, and other rhetorical devices. However, the supreme function of a poem is to transform imagery and words into verse form, to touch the hearts and minds of the readers. They can easily arouse the sentiments of their readers through versification. In addition, poets evoke imaginative awareness about things by using a specific
diction , sound, and rhythm.
Sources:
https://literarydevices.net/poem/
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/types-of-poetry-examples.html
http://www.languageisavirus.com/poetry-guide/tanaga.php
Tone
Tone
Definition of Tone
Tone, in written composition, is an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience . Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words, or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.
Every written piece comprises a central theme or subject matter. The manner in which a writer approaches this theme and subject is the tone. The tone can be formal, informal, serious, comic, sarcastic, sad, or cheerful, or it may be any other existing attitude.
Examples of Tone in Literature
Tone has a significant place in literature as it manifests writers’ attitudes toward different subjects.
Example #1: Catcher in the Rye (By J. D. Salinger)
Holden Caulfield, in J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, unfolds his personality through the tone he adopts throughout the novel . Let us have a look at some of his remarks:
“All morons hate it when you call them a moron.”
“If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late? Nobody.”
“Goddamn money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.”
“Catholics are always trying to find out if you’re Catholic.”
Holden’s tone is bitterly sarcastic as he criticizes the nature of things in real life. His character may reveal the attitude of the writer towards life, as it is common for writers to use their characters as their mouthpieces.
Example #2: The School (By Donald Barthelme)
Observe the tone of a short story , The School , by Donald Barthelme:
“And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died, they just died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.”
The use of the adjectives “dead” and “depressing” sets a gloomy tone in the passage. As trees signify life here, their unexpected “death” from an unknown cause gives the above passage an unhappy and pessimistic tone.
Example #3: The Road Not Taken (By Robert Frost)
Robert Frost, in the last stanza of his poem The Road Not Taken , gives us an insight into the effect of tone:
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
Frost tells us about his past with a “sigh,” this gives the above lines an unhappy tone. This tone leads us into thinking that the speaker in the poem had to make a difficult choice.
Function of Tone
Tone, in a piece of literature, decides how the readers read a literary piece, and how they should feel while they are reading it. It stimulates the readers to read a piece of literature as a serious, comical, spectacular, or distressing manner. In addition, tone lends shape and life to a piece of literature because it creates a mood. Moreover, tone bestows voice to characters, and throws light on the personalities and dispositions of characters that readers understand better.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/tone/
Definition of Tone
Tone, in written composition, is an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience . Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words, or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.
Every written piece comprises a central theme or subject matter. The manner in which a writer approaches this theme and subject is the tone. The tone can be formal, informal, serious, comic, sarcastic, sad, or cheerful, or it may be any other existing attitude.
Examples of Tone in Literature
Tone has a significant place in literature as it manifests writers’ attitudes toward different subjects.
Example #1: Catcher in the Rye (By J. D. Salinger)
Holden Caulfield, in J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, unfolds his personality through the tone he adopts throughout the novel . Let us have a look at some of his remarks:
“All morons hate it when you call them a moron.”
“If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late? Nobody.”
“Goddamn money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.”
“Catholics are always trying to find out if you’re Catholic.”
Holden’s tone is bitterly sarcastic as he criticizes the nature of things in real life. His character may reveal the attitude of the writer towards life, as it is common for writers to use their characters as their mouthpieces.
Example #2: The School (By Donald Barthelme)
Observe the tone of a short story , The School , by Donald Barthelme:
“And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died, they just died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.”
The use of the adjectives “dead” and “depressing” sets a gloomy tone in the passage. As trees signify life here, their unexpected “death” from an unknown cause gives the above passage an unhappy and pessimistic tone.
Example #3: The Road Not Taken (By Robert Frost)
Robert Frost, in the last stanza of his poem The Road Not Taken , gives us an insight into the effect of tone:
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
Frost tells us about his past with a “sigh,” this gives the above lines an unhappy tone. This tone leads us into thinking that the speaker in the poem had to make a difficult choice.
Function of Tone
Tone, in a piece of literature, decides how the readers read a literary piece, and how they should feel while they are reading it. It stimulates the readers to read a piece of literature as a serious, comical, spectacular, or distressing manner. In addition, tone lends shape and life to a piece of literature because it creates a mood. Moreover, tone bestows voice to characters, and throws light on the personalities and dispositions of characters that readers understand better.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/tone/
Theme
Theme
Definition of Theme
Theme is defined as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work, which may be stated directly or indirectly.
Major and Minor Themes
Major and minor themes are two types of themes that appear in literary works. A major theme is an idea that a writer repeats in his literary work, making it the most significant idea in the work. A minor theme, on the other hand, refers to an idea that appears in a work briefly, giving way to another minor theme. Examples of theme in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” are matrimony, love, friendship, and affection. The whole narrative revolves around the major theme of matrimony. Its minor themes are love, friendship, affectation etc.
Short Examples of Theme
1. When the astronaut landed on the moon, he felt loneliness. Thinking there was no one else, he became a little forlorned, though the view of Earth was stunningly beautiful.
(Theme of lonesomeness)
2. The space travelers were travelling to the moon, when their spaceship suddenly ran out of fuel. They were all frightened to learn that they wouldn’t be able to return to Earth, and could only land on the moon.
(Theme of fear)
3. The bus was travelling at a great speed when it was stopped by a gang of robbers. The passengers were ordered to get out, leaving their precious belongings in the bus.
(Theme of fear)
4. Their marriage ceremony was taking place in a grand hotel. All the eminent people of the city were invited, the reason that the celebration was excellent.
(Theme of happiness)
5. As soon as the clock struck 12 at noon, the jubilations started. It travelled from East to West on the first day of the year.
(Theme of felicitation)
6. The religious leader was leading a huge congregation of followers, praying with utmost humility.
(Theme of religiosity)
7. All the family members were dressed in black, with somber faces. They were participating in the funeral ceremony of their deceased relative.
(Theme of gloom)
8. The cricket match was reaching a highpoint, the fans of both teams screaming their support. It was an excellent game.
(Theme of cheerfulness)
9. The teacher said that she hoped all of her students would pass with good grades.
(Theme of optimism)
10. The father of the slowwitted student said he had no false hopes about his son’s future.
(Theme of pessimism)
Examples of Theme in Literature
Example #1: Love and Friendship Theme
Love and friendship are frequently occurring themes in literature. They generate emotional twists and turns in a narrative, and can lead to a variety of endings: happy, sad, or bittersweet. The following are famous literary works with love and friendship themes:
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Example #2: War Theme
The theme of war has been explored in literature since ancient times. literary woks utilizing this theme may either glorify or criticize the idea of war. Most recent literary works portray war as a curse for humanity, due to the suffering it inflicts. Some famous examples include:
Iliad and Odyssey by Homer
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Arms and the Man by Bernard Shaw
A Band of Brothers: Stories from Vietnam by Walter McDonald
Function of Theme
Theme is an element of a story that binds together various essential elements of a narrative. It is often a truth that exhibits universality, and stands true for people of all cultures. Theme gives readers better understanding of the main character’s conflicts, experiences, discoveries, and emotions as they are derived from them. Through themes, a writer tries to give his readers an insight into how the world works, or how he or she views human life.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/theme/
Definition of Theme
Theme is defined as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work, which may be stated directly or indirectly.
Major and Minor Themes
Major and minor themes are two types of themes that appear in literary works. A major theme is an idea that a writer repeats in his literary work, making it the most significant idea in the work. A minor theme, on the other hand, refers to an idea that appears in a work briefly, giving way to another minor theme. Examples of theme in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” are matrimony, love, friendship, and affection. The whole narrative revolves around the major theme of matrimony. Its minor themes are love, friendship, affectation etc.
Short Examples of Theme
1. When the astronaut landed on the moon, he felt loneliness. Thinking there was no one else, he became a little forlorned, though the view of Earth was stunningly beautiful.
(Theme of lonesomeness)
2. The space travelers were travelling to the moon, when their spaceship suddenly ran out of fuel. They were all frightened to learn that they wouldn’t be able to return to Earth, and could only land on the moon.
(Theme of fear)
3. The bus was travelling at a great speed when it was stopped by a gang of robbers. The passengers were ordered to get out, leaving their precious belongings in the bus.
(Theme of fear)
4. Their marriage ceremony was taking place in a grand hotel. All the eminent people of the city were invited, the reason that the celebration was excellent.
(Theme of happiness)
5. As soon as the clock struck 12 at noon, the jubilations started. It travelled from East to West on the first day of the year.
(Theme of felicitation)
6. The religious leader was leading a huge congregation of followers, praying with utmost humility.
(Theme of religiosity)
7. All the family members were dressed in black, with somber faces. They were participating in the funeral ceremony of their deceased relative.
(Theme of gloom)
8. The cricket match was reaching a highpoint, the fans of both teams screaming their support. It was an excellent game.
(Theme of cheerfulness)
9. The teacher said that she hoped all of her students would pass with good grades.
(Theme of optimism)
10. The father of the slowwitted student said he had no false hopes about his son’s future.
(Theme of pessimism)
Examples of Theme in Literature
Example #1: Love and Friendship Theme
Love and friendship are frequently occurring themes in literature. They generate emotional twists and turns in a narrative, and can lead to a variety of endings: happy, sad, or bittersweet. The following are famous literary works with love and friendship themes:
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Example #2: War Theme
The theme of war has been explored in literature since ancient times. literary woks utilizing this theme may either glorify or criticize the idea of war. Most recent literary works portray war as a curse for humanity, due to the suffering it inflicts. Some famous examples include:
Iliad and Odyssey by Homer
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Arms and the Man by Bernard Shaw
A Band of Brothers: Stories from Vietnam by Walter McDonald
Function of Theme
Theme is an element of a story that binds together various essential elements of a narrative. It is often a truth that exhibits universality, and stands true for people of all cultures. Theme gives readers better understanding of the main character’s conflicts, experiences, discoveries, and emotions as they are derived from them. Through themes, a writer tries to give his readers an insight into how the world works, or how he or she views human life.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/theme/
Genre
Genre
Definition of Genre
Genre means a type of art, literature, or music characterized by a specific form, content, and
style . For example, literature has four main genres: poetry, drama , fiction, and non-fiction. All of these genres have particular features and functions that distinguish them from one another. Hence, it is necessary on the part of readers to know which category of genre they are reading in order to understand the message it conveys, as they may have certain expectations prior to the reading concerned.
Types of Genre
There are five types of genres in literature, which include:
Poetry
Poetry is the first major literary genre. All types of poetry share specific characteristics. In fact, poetry is a form of text that follows a meter and rhythm, with each line and syllable. It is further subdivided into different genres, such an epic poem , narrative , romantic, dramatic, and lyric. Dramatic poetry includes melodrama, tragedy , and comedy , while other poems includes ode, sonnet, elegy , ballad , song, and epic.
Popular examples of epic poems include
Paradise Lost, by John Milton , The Iliad and The Odyssey, by Homer. Examples of romantic poems include Red Red Rose, by Robert Burns. All these poetic forms share specific features, such as they do not follow paragraphs or sentences; they use stanzas and lines instead. Some forms follow very strict rules of length, and number of stanzas and lines, such as villanelle, sonnet, and haiku . Others may be free-form, like Feelings, Now, by Katherine Foreman, which is devoid of any regular meter and rhyme scheme. Besides that, often poetry uses figurative language , such as metaphor , simile , onomatopoeia, hyperbole , and alliteration to create heightened effect.
Drama
Drama is a form of text that is performed in front of an audience . It is also called a play . Its written text contains dialogues, and stage directions. This genre has further categories such as comedy, tragedy, and tragicomedy . William Shakespeare is known as the father of English drama. His well-known plays include Taming of the Shrew, Romeo & Juliet, and Hamlet. Greek playwrights were the pioneers in this field, such as Sophocles’ masterpiece Oedipus Rex, and
Antigone, while modern dramas include Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller.
Prose
This type of written text is different from poetry in that it has complete sentences organized into paragraphs. Unlike poetry, prose focuses on characters and plot, rather than focusing on sounds. It includes short stories and novels, while fiction and non-fiction are its sub genres. Prose is further categorized into essays, speeches, sermons, and interpretations.
Fiction
Fiction has three categories that are, realistic, non-realistic, and semi-fiction. Usually, fiction work is not real and therefore, authors can use complex figurative language to touch readers’ imaginations. Unlike poetry, it is more structured, follows proper grammatical pattern, and correct mechanics. A fictional work may incorporate fantastical and imaginary ideas from everyday life. It comprises some important elements such as plot, exposition, foreshadowing, rising action ,climax , falling action , and resolution . Popular examples of literary fiction include, James Joyce’s novel A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, Charles Dickens’ A Tale of T wo Cities, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird .
Non-Fiction
Non-fiction is a vast category that also has sub-genres; it could be creative like a personal essay , or factual, like a scientific paper. It may also use figurative language, however, not unlike poetry, or fiction has. Sometimes, non-fiction may tell a story, like an autobiography , or sometimes it may convey information to readers.
Other examples of non-fiction include biographies, diaries, memoirs, journals, fantasies, mysteries, and romances. A popular example of non-fiction genre is Michael Pollan’s highly celebrated book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma : A Natural History of Four Meals, which is an account of the eating habits of Americans.
Function of Genre
Different genres have different roles. For example, fiction and dramatic genres help students and writers learn and improve their communication skills. A poetic genre, on the other hand, enhances imaginative and emotional power of the readers. Non-fictional texts and essays help readers develop analytical and persuasive capabilities. However, the major function of genre is to establish a code of behavior between the writers and audience, and keep the readers informed about the topics discussed or the themes presented.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/genre/
Definition of Genre
Genre means a type of art, literature, or music characterized by a specific form, content, and
style . For example, literature has four main genres: poetry, drama , fiction, and non-fiction. All of these genres have particular features and functions that distinguish them from one another. Hence, it is necessary on the part of readers to know which category of genre they are reading in order to understand the message it conveys, as they may have certain expectations prior to the reading concerned.
Types of Genre
There are five types of genres in literature, which include:
Poetry
Poetry is the first major literary genre. All types of poetry share specific characteristics. In fact, poetry is a form of text that follows a meter and rhythm, with each line and syllable. It is further subdivided into different genres, such an epic poem , narrative , romantic, dramatic, and lyric. Dramatic poetry includes melodrama, tragedy , and comedy , while other poems includes ode, sonnet, elegy , ballad , song, and epic.
Popular examples of epic poems include
Paradise Lost, by John Milton , The Iliad and The Odyssey, by Homer. Examples of romantic poems include Red Red Rose, by Robert Burns. All these poetic forms share specific features, such as they do not follow paragraphs or sentences; they use stanzas and lines instead. Some forms follow very strict rules of length, and number of stanzas and lines, such as villanelle, sonnet, and haiku . Others may be free-form, like Feelings, Now, by Katherine Foreman, which is devoid of any regular meter and rhyme scheme. Besides that, often poetry uses figurative language , such as metaphor , simile , onomatopoeia, hyperbole , and alliteration to create heightened effect.
Drama
Drama is a form of text that is performed in front of an audience . It is also called a play . Its written text contains dialogues, and stage directions. This genre has further categories such as comedy, tragedy, and tragicomedy . William Shakespeare is known as the father of English drama. His well-known plays include Taming of the Shrew, Romeo & Juliet, and Hamlet. Greek playwrights were the pioneers in this field, such as Sophocles’ masterpiece Oedipus Rex, and
Antigone, while modern dramas include Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller.
Prose
This type of written text is different from poetry in that it has complete sentences organized into paragraphs. Unlike poetry, prose focuses on characters and plot, rather than focusing on sounds. It includes short stories and novels, while fiction and non-fiction are its sub genres. Prose is further categorized into essays, speeches, sermons, and interpretations.
Fiction
Fiction has three categories that are, realistic, non-realistic, and semi-fiction. Usually, fiction work is not real and therefore, authors can use complex figurative language to touch readers’ imaginations. Unlike poetry, it is more structured, follows proper grammatical pattern, and correct mechanics. A fictional work may incorporate fantastical and imaginary ideas from everyday life. It comprises some important elements such as plot, exposition, foreshadowing, rising action ,climax , falling action , and resolution . Popular examples of literary fiction include, James Joyce’s novel A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, Charles Dickens’ A Tale of T wo Cities, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird .
Non-Fiction
Non-fiction is a vast category that also has sub-genres; it could be creative like a personal essay , or factual, like a scientific paper. It may also use figurative language, however, not unlike poetry, or fiction has. Sometimes, non-fiction may tell a story, like an autobiography , or sometimes it may convey information to readers.
Other examples of non-fiction include biographies, diaries, memoirs, journals, fantasies, mysteries, and romances. A popular example of non-fiction genre is Michael Pollan’s highly celebrated book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma : A Natural History of Four Meals, which is an account of the eating habits of Americans.
Function of Genre
Different genres have different roles. For example, fiction and dramatic genres help students and writers learn and improve their communication skills. A poetic genre, on the other hand, enhances imaginative and emotional power of the readers. Non-fictional texts and essays help readers develop analytical and persuasive capabilities. However, the major function of genre is to establish a code of behavior between the writers and audience, and keep the readers informed about the topics discussed or the themes presented.
Source:
https://literarydevices.net/genre/
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