English Notes Latest Questions

In:

What are the poetic devices used in the poem The Animals in That Country?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem The Animals in That Country?
Canadian PoetryMargaret AtwoodThe Animals in That Country

    1 Answer

    2. Radhika
      Best Answer
      1. Alliteration – Alliteration is repetition of the same letter or sound in a line. In the poem alliteration occurs in lines like “his name/ stamped on him, heraldic”, “sand, sword”, and “human/ he”.
      2. Irony – irony is used when what the poet says is in contradiction to what they actually mean. In this poem, the poet uses irony when comparing the face of animals to human faces in the lines “In that country the animals/ have the faces of people”.
      3. Repetition- Repetition is a literary device in which a word, phrase, or line is repeated for emphasis or effect. The word “their” is repeated multiple times in the last few lines of the poem.
      4. Metaphor- metaphor is used when the poet makes an undercut comparison between two things without using the words “like” or “as”. In the, the poet compares the snobbish manner of the white settlers to “ceremonial cats”. She also uses metaphor when talking about the “human-like teeth” in the “blue mouth” of the bull.
      5. Enjambment – enjambment is when the line is continued onto the next line without any pause. In the poem, the poet uses enjambment to create a connection between the concepts talked about in the stanzas.
      6. Personification- personification is used when the poet gives human-like qualities to non-human objects. The poem personifies animals like “cat”, “fox” and “bull” in the poem.
      7. Litotles- Litotes is the ironic usage of a negative to highlight the positive aspect of the idea. In the poem, the poet makes use of the negative sentences like “Their deaths are not elegant” and “They have the faces of/ no-one” to emphasise on the condition of the natives in the country.

      The Animals in That Country Summary

      • 0

    You must login to add an answer.

    Need An Account,