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What are the poetic devices used in the poem The Man with Night Sweats?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem The Man with Night Sweats?

1 Answer

  1. Juxtaposition- The act of arranging two or more objects closely together or side by side is known as juxtaposition. It’s frequently done to highlight similarities or contrasts between the two, to compare and contrast them, or to produce an eye-catching impact.

    The contrast between the speaker’s current coldness and the warmth of their dreams is established in the first line. This emphasizes the sudden and unwanted awakening.  Although the speaker’s flesh is initially depicted as a barrier of defense, the term “gashed” highlights its vulnerability and prior injuries.

    Metaphor- A metaphor is a figure of speech that draws a comparison between two unrelated concepts. Flesh as Shield: This metaphor highlights how dependent the speaker is on their physical form for defense and fortitude.

    World of Wonders: This metaphor emphasizes the body’s relationship to introspection and personal development by describing it as a place of potential and discovery.

    Imagery- In writing of any kind, descriptive language that appeals to the senses is referred to as imagery. A feeling of unease and being stuck in the wake of powerful nightmares is evoked by the picture of a clinging sheet. The speaker’s weakened bodily and mental state is conveyed through the sharp sights of reduced and ruined.

    Enjambment- The poetic device known as enjambment describes how a sentence or phrase flows naturally from one line of poetry to the next. There is a sense of fluidity and urgency in lines like “My flesh was its own shield: / Where it was gashed, it healed.” because they are written without punctuation. This illustrates the speaker’s ongoing development and investigation.

    The Man with Night Sweats Summary

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