Following literary devices/figures of speech have been used in the poem Snowdrop:

1. Metaphor: Metaphor is a poetic device that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. The poet uses metaphors in the poem to symbolise the harsh behaviour of nature towards living beings. e.g. “globe shrunk tight” means that the winter has appeared which has made everything tight. “outer darkness” refers to the day which is like a night for the animals as they are unable to see anything because they are lifeless due to extreme cold.
2. Alliteration: It is the occurrence of the same sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. e.g. “the stars of this month”, “pale head heavy”.
3. Simile: It is a figure of speech that directly compares two things using “as” or “like”. e.g. Brutal as the stars of this month: Snowdrop is compared to the stars of winter. Hence it is an example of simile.  Her pale head heavy as metal: The pale heavy head of snowdrop is compared to metal. hence it is an example of simile.
4. Personification: It is the attribution of human characteristics to animals and non-living things. In the poem the poet calls Snowdrop flower by the word “She” which is used for women. Hence it is personification.
5. Enjambment: It is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break. e.g. “Now is the globe shrunk tight Round the mouse’s dulled wintering heart”.

Snowdrop Poem Explanation – Summary & Analysis
Watch Video on Snowdrop Poem Summary
Listen to Snowdrop Poem Summary & Analysis