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What are the poetic devices used in the poem Elegy for Jane?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem Elegy for Jane?

1 Answer

    • Simile- A simile is a figure of speech that involves comparing two unlike things using the words “like” or “as” to highlight a similarity between them. It can be seen in the line,  “I remember the neck curls, limp and damp as tendrils” where the speaker compares Jane’s hair to the tendrils of a plant.
    • Metaphor- A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things, suggesting that they are alike in some way. It can be seen in the lines, “A wren, happy, tail into the wind,/ Her song trembling the twigs and small branches.” where the speaker compares Jane to a wren.
    • Imagery- Imagery involves the use of vivid and descriptive language to create sensory experiences for the reader. It can be seen in the lines, “I remember the neck curls, limp and damp as tendrils;/ And her quick look, a sidelong pickerel smile;/ And how, once startled into talk, the light syllables leaped for her,/ And she balanced in the delight of her thought,”.
    • Personification- Personification is a literary device that attributes human qualities or characteristics to non-human entities, animals, or objects. It can be seen in the lines, “The shade sang with her;/ The leaves, their whispers turned to kissing,” where both the shade and the leaves are personified.
    • Apostrophe- Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent or imaginary person, a thing, or an abstract concept. It can be seen in the line, “My sparrow, you are not here,” where the speaker directly addresses Jane and calls her a sparrow.

    Elegy for Jane Summary

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