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What are the poetic devices used in the poem Friends and Flatterers?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem Friends and Flatterers?
English PoetryFriends and FlatterersWilliam Shakespeare

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    2. Radhika
      Best Answer

      • Alliteration– Alliteration involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighbouring or closely positioned words. It can be seen in phrases such as “Faithful friends from flattering foe.”, “help thee in thy”, “he be bent”, etc.

      • Simile- A simile is a figure of speech that involves comparing two different things using the words “like” or “as” to highlight a shared quality or characteristic between them.  It can be seen in the line, “Words are easy, like the wind;” where the speaker tells how words are flattery and are spoken with ease by a fake friend.

      • Metaphor- A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. It can be seen in the line, “But if store of crowns be scant” which is a metaphor for misfortune.

      • Personification- Personification is a literary device in which human qualities are attributed to non-human entities or objects. It can be seen in the line, “But if Fortune once do frown,” where fortune is personified as someone who can frown.

      • Parallelism- Parallelism is the use of similar grammatical structures, phrases, or patterns in a series of words or ideas. It adds balance and rhythm to the writing. It can be seen in the lines, “If thou sorrow, he will weep; / If thou wake, he cannot sleep;”.

      • Allusion- An allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance. The poem alludes to the biblical story of The Prodigal Son.

      • Inversion- Inversion is a poetic and rhetorical technique in which the normal order of words is reversed for emphasis or stylistic purposes. It can be seen in the line, “Bountiful they will him call,”.

      • Anaphora- Anaphora is a rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines. It can be seen in the lines, “He that is thy friend indeed,/ He will help thee in thy need:”

      • Hyperbole- Hyperbole is a figure of speech characterized by exaggeration or overstatement to emphasize a point. It can be seen in the line, “Pity but he were a king” which is an exaggerated remark by a flatterer.

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