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/