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What are the poetic devices used in the poem Sonnet 75?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem Sonnet 75?
Edmund SpenserEnglish PoetrySonnet 75

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    2. Radhika
      Best Answer

      • Extended Metaphor: The entire poem hinges on an extended metaphor where the ocean and its relentless waves represent the passage of time, threatening to erase everything in its path, including the speaker’s love and his written words. This comparison between the impermanence of physical things and the enduring power of love forms the core of the poem’s message.
      • Imagery: Vivid imagery brings the poem to life. The opening lines paint a clear picture of the waves washing away the inscription on the sand, while later lines evoke images of marble tombs, skies filled with stars, and a phoenix rising from its ashes. These images effectively communicate the fleeting nature of life and the contrast with the everlasting power of love.
      • Enjambment: The poet frequently uses enjambment, where a sentence runs over from one line to the next without a punctuation mark. This creates a sense of flow and momentum, mirroring the relentlessness of time and the speaker’s determination to defy it. Lines 9 and 10, for instance, with their enjambment, build tension and anticipation before revealing the speaker’s hope for his love’s immortality.
      • Alliteration: Spenser uses alliteration throughout the poem to create a musical quality and emphasize keywords. For example, the repetition of “w” sounds in the first line (“One day I wrote her name upon the strand, But came the waves and washed it away:”) mimics the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. Other notable examples include “pains” and “prey” in line 4, and “verse” and “virtues” in line 11.

      Sonnet 75 Summary

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