ANALYSING POETRY

Poetic Devices/ Techniques

LANGUAGE AND SOUNDS IN POETRY

F

igurative Language

S

ymbols

S

ound Devices

R

hythm

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (PG19)C

reates imagery or pictures in the minds of the reader.

E

g: She is all smiles

M

eaning: Showing happiness

S

imile

P

ersonification

M

etaphor

SIMILE

D

efinition: Comparing one thing (object, person,idea)

to another with the use of the word “like” & “as”

E

g: Tim is as cunning as a fox

He runs like the wind

PERSONIFICATION (PG 20)

D

efinition: An object/ idea which is given human characteristic

or personality.

E

g: The pen is dancing.

The dying sun shows its last glimpse of orange.

METAPHOR

D

efinition: Comparing one thing with another

without the use of “like” & “as”

E

g: Everyday is a winding road

She has a heart of stone

SYMBOLS

D

efinition: Something that represents a larger idea, issue or

value.

E

g: The Eagle

Candle

Seasons

SOUND DEVICES (PG 21)

O

nomatopoeia

A

lliteration

R

hyme

ONOMATOPOEIA

D

efinition: Words which are sound words.

E

g: “Boom”

“Crash”

“Shrieks”

ALLITERATION (PG 22)

D

efinition: Letters at the beginning of the words in a

sentence are repeated.

E

g: Tongue Twisters

Peter Piper Picked A Peck of Pickled

Pepper

RHYME

D

efinition: The end words sounds the same.

E

g: Her heart is so fake,

It is yours to take.

The wind bends the willow tree,

It looks as though it will be set free.

Poetic Technique/Device

Give 3 examples:

Simile

Personification

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Alliteration

Rhyme

Your Individual Task: Draw the table below on a piece of foolscap paper and fill in the right column.