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What are the poetic devices used in the poem A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London?
A Refusal to Mourn the DeathDylan ThomasWelsh Poetry

    1 Answer

    2. Radhika
      Best Answer
      This answer was edited.

      1. Allusion: There are many allusions used throughout the poem, mostly Biblical references like the crucifixion of Christ, city of Zion, and the temple of Jerusalem in Babylon.

      1. Alliteration: two consonant sound placed next to each other in the same line is Alliteration, in this poem the sound of /m/, /b/, /f/, /l/, and /s/ are repeated in the phrases “mankind making”, “bird beast”, “flower/ fathering”, “last light”, and “salt seed”, respectively.

      1. Irony: The entire poem is an elegy capturing the tragic death of the child, yet the title and last line of stanza three refuses the poem being an elegy.

      1. Enjambment: This device is used throughout the poem but it is most prominent in the first thirteen lines of the poem, where one thought is broken into two stanzas.

      1. Pathetic Fallacy: Poet uses this device in lines four and five of stanza four. The river Thames is attributed with human feelings and emotions.

      1. Metaphor: There are many metaphors used in the poem, some examples are, “mankind making”, “all humbling darkness”, and  “the least valley of sackcloth”.

      A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London Summary

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