leArn it, speAK it
K. S. Joseph, M.A. (english); M.A. (Linguistics), M.ed., Ph.D.,
teaches M.ed. students at Titus II Teachers’ College, Tiruvalla,
Kerala. he has authored ten books and over sixty papers.Check your answers
F
igures of speech are effective
devices used in poetry for special
effect. They are ornamental
contrivances intended to bring
artificial elegance of language with
a view to providing intellectual as
well as sensual pleasure. With the
help of figurative expressions, it is
possible to state with clarity and
force what otherwise could only
be stated namely and partially
expressed. So we frequently
depart from the simple direct form
of statement and use figurative
expressions to heighten the effect
of our communication. In the
poems you study, you may find the
occurrence of figurative expressions
in abundance. For want of adequate
familiarity, you may fail to get at
the meaning of such expressions.
This may, in turn, hamper your
ability to appreciate literature.
So in what follows, an attempt is
made to highlight some of the most
commonly used figures of speech.- Simile
A simile involves a comparison
between two things of different kinds
having at least one feature in common.
In the example, “The days are like hot
coals”, there is a direct comparison
between days and hot coals using such
words as “like” and “as”. - Metaphor
Like the simile, the metaphor
also involves comparison between
two items of different kinds. The
expression “the camel is the ship
of the desert” is an example of a
metaphor. Here, the comparison is
implicit or indirect as it doesn’t make
use of words such as “like” and “as”. - Personification
Personification gives inanimate
objects and abstract ideas life and
human qualities. “The flames
ate the house” is an example of
personification. It shows that flames
Making poetry more
appealing using figures
of speech
Name and explain briefly the
figurative language involved in the
following extracts:- O my Love’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June. - The pages of this book speak to
me with many voices. - From the cradle to the grave.
- O Solitude! Where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy face? - The Oceans threaten with voices
of an angry giant. - He was playing to the gallery.
- Death lays his icy hands on kings.
- The clouds are fairy castles in the
sky. - They speak like saints,
And act like devils. - O Mischief, thou art swift
To enter in the thoughts of
desperate men. - Nimble thought can jump both
sea and land. - You must address the chair.
- Simile (Comparison between
poet’s mistress and red rose). - Personification (Pages are given
human ability to speak). - Metonymy (instead of childhood
and death, cradle and grave are used). - Apostrophe (solitude is personified
and directly addressed). - Personification (Oceans can be
angry like humans). - Metonymy (instead of audience,
associated word gallery is used).
Dr K. S. JOSePh
- Personification (Death has hands).
- Metaphor (implied comparison
between clouds and castles). - Simile (Direct comparison between
their actions and those of angels and
devils). - Apostrophe (Mischief is
personified and directly addressed). - Personification (thought has
human quality of thinking). - Metonymy (Instead of chairperson,
chair is used.
like human beings have the
capacity to eat.- Apostrophe
Here, in addition to personification
of the idea or object, it directly
addresses the thing personified.
“O Liberty, what crimes have been
committed in thy name” is an
example of apostrophe.
5. Metonymy
Metonymy involves a change
of name. Instead of telling
the actual people or items
concerned, things that are
closely associated are given. For
example, in the expression “The
pen is mightier than the sword”,
pen and sword are used instead
of writer and soldier.