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What are the poetic devices used in the poem What Do Women Want?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem What Do Women Want?
American PoetryKim AddonizioWhat Do Women Want?

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    2. Radhika
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      1. Hyperbole- hyperbole is the use of exaggeration in a poem. In this poem, the poet uses exaggeration when describing the dress and herself. Hyperbole is used in the lines “I want it too tight” and “I want to walk like I’m the only/ woman on earth”.
      2. Alliteration – Alliteration is repetition of the same letter or sound in a line. In the poem the poet uses alliteration in the lines “I want it too tight”, “sleeveless, backless, / this dress” and “goddamned/ dress”.
      3. Simile- simile is used when the poet directly compares one thing to another by using the words “as” or “like”. In this poem, the poet uses simile in the lines “I’ll pull that garment/ from its hanger like I’m choosing a body” and “I’ll wear it like bones, like skin”.
      4. Symbolism- symbolism is when the poet uses words to symbolize a concept, person or idea in a poem. In this poem, the “red dress” symbolizes power, control, sexuality, femininity and identity.
      5. Repetition- Repetition is a literary device in which a word, phrase, or line is repeated for emphasis or effect. The phrase “I want” has been repeated 10 times in the poem to emphasize the poet’s desire.
      6. Anaphora- anaphora is when a phrase is repeated in a stanza. In the poem, the phrase “I want” is repeated at the beginning of the first three lines of the poem.
      7. 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 refers to pigs as “slick snouts”. She also metaphorically compares the dress to a second body.
      8. Enjambment – enjambment is when the line is continued onto the next line without any pause. In the poem, the poet uses enjambment to create an internal connection between the concept and the idea presented by the poet.

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