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What are the poetic devices used in the poem The Man of Life Upright?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem The Man of Life Upright?

1 Answer

  1. Anaphora:

    Anaphora is a literary device that uses the repetition of short phrases or single words at the beginning of clauses or sentences to enhance rhythm. The poet has used this poetic device in the following lines.

    Nor armour for defence:

    Nor vaults his guilt to shrowd

    His Booke the Heav’ns hee makes,

     His wisedome heav’nly things.

    Metaphor:

    Metaphor is a literary device where two unrelated objects are compared to each other. The poet has used this poetic device in the following lines.

    Good thoughts his surest friends,

     His wealth a well-spent age,

    The earth his sober Inne,

     And quiet pilgrimage.

    In this stanza, the poet compares good thoughts to true friends. In the same way, he compares experience to wealth. In the last two lines he compares earth to an inn amd life journey to a pilgrimage.

    Personification:

    Personification is a poetic device where animals, plants or even inanimate objects are given human qualities. The poet has used this poetic device in the following lines.

    Whom hopes cannot delude,

     Nor sorrowes discontent

    Here, hope and sorrow are personified.

    Repetition:

    Repetition is a literary device where a certain word or phrase is repeated multiple times to emphasise the word or to create a rhythm. The poet has used this poetic device in the following lines.

    The man of life upright,

    The phrase “the man” is repeated at the poem.

    In the fifth stanza the word “his” repeated.

    Good thoughts his surest friends,

     His wealth a well-spent age,

    The earth his sober Inne,

     And quiet pilgrimage.

    The Man of Life Upright Summary

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