Poetic Devices

Poetic Devices:

A poetic device is a special literary tool that shapes words, sounds, and phrases to convey

meaning. Poetic devices empower speakers and writers to enhance the literal meaning of

words by drawing attention to the sound, form, and function of words.

  • Simile, Metaphor, Allusion, Alliteration, Hyperbole, Irony, Repetition, Pun, Oxymoron

  • Personification  – An inanimate object or quality is given human qualities or abilities. 

Assonance

Consonance

  • The repetition of internal vowel sounds in words that are near each other.

For example,  The light of the fire is a sight. (repetition of the long i sound).


Assonance involves repetition of VOWEL sounds ANYWHERE in the word.

  • The repetition of the same consonant sound within a group of words.

For example, He struck a streak of bad luck.

Consonance involves repetition of CONSONANT sounds ANYWHERE in the word. 


  • Onomatopoeia – The use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to, such as "buzz," "clap," "bang," 'hum," "pop," "tweet," "splash," "murmur," and so on.

For example, "“It's a jazz affair, drum crashes and cornet razzes.

The trombone pony neighs and the tuba snorts.

The banjo tickles and titters too awful.”

  • Symbolism – A reference to a person, place, or thing that represents another person, place, or thing.

For example, A dove represents peace

  • Imagery – Descriptive language that creates vivid mental pictures in the reader's mind using sensory details.

For example, "The golden leaves rustled in the crisp autumn breeze.

The scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air"

  • Cacophony – The use of nonsense words or certain sounds to create harsh and hard tones. 

For example, Ks, Qus, Ls, and hard Gs can all generate cacophony. “'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves; Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:”

  • Euphony – The use of words and phrases to create a smooth, pleasing, and melodious effect.

For example, L, M, N, R

  • Euphemism – The use of an inoffensive or more socially acceptable term for a word that may be considered offensive,

For example, "saying "passed away" instead of "died.”

  • Metonymy – A word or phrase is substituted for another word closely related to it or a word representing it.

For example, in the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword,” the pen is a metonymy for writing, and the sword is a metonymy for fighting.

NOTICE Metonymy is very similar to symbolism, because the pen represents the idea of writing. The difference is, a pen is directly related to writing, whereas symbols are not always related to the concepts they represent. A dove might symbolize peace, but doves, in reality, have very little to do with peace.

  • Polyptoton – Involves the repetition of words derived from the same root (such as "blood" and "bleed"). 

For example, "Who shall watch the watchmen?"

  • Synecdoche – A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole. Synecdoche is a form of metonymy, but instead of “a part for a part,” the writer substitutes “a part for a whole.” In other words, they represent an object with only a distinct part of the object. 

For example, If I described your car as “a nice set of wheels,” then I’m using synecdoche to refer to your car. 

  • Rhyme – The same sound occurs at the end of (or sometimes within) two or more words, such as "day" and "stay."

Why are poetic devices used?

  • To add rhythm and sound to a poem by using rhyme, meter, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and so on.

  • To enhance the imagery in a poem by using metaphors, natural imagery, and so on.

  • To intensify feelings and emotions in a poem using climax, personification, irony, and so on.

  • To create greater meaning in a poem using simile, metaphor, allusion, and so on.

  • To add structure to a poem using couplets, stanzas, parallelism, and so on.