Poetic Devices

Device Example 1: Because I Could Not Stop For Death” by Emily Dickinson, lines 2, 5, 8, 9. Personification.

In “Because I Could Not Stop For Death,” Emily Dickinson uses personification in reference to the topic of death. She portrays death as a living thing: a man sitting beside her in the carriage. He stops to pick up his passenger and they drive through the town before heading towards heaven. Portraying death in this way helps the reader deal with the difficult topic. It also removes the mystery and fear of the unknown. Personification is a powerful tool writers can use to help the reader relate to the subject matter.

Device Example 2: “Out, Out” by Robert Frost, lines 1 and 7. Onomatopoeia.

In “Out, Out,” Robert Frost uses onomatopoeia when he describes the sound of the saw. The buzz saw: “snarled and rattled.” This poem is based on true events of a farm accident in 1910, where friends of Frost lost their son to a freak accident. Using onomatopoeia helps bring the story to life, enabling the reader to hear what the boy in the poem heard as the saw swung towards his hand. Devices like this help the writer draw the reader deeper into the story, creating a visual and auditory image for the reader. Frost helps us see the horror of a child dying too young due to a freak accident.

Device Example 3: “Ozymandias,” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, line 10. Metaphor.

In “Ozymandias,” Percy Bysshe Shelley, uses Ozymandias as a metaphor. It represents how temporary empires are their focus is on power and politics. Metaphors are commonly used to help the reader identity with something unknown. It allows clarification of the topic being discussed, helping to deepen the readers comprehension. Just like the fall of Rome, all great empires will one day grow too large, too powerful, and will collapse in upon themselves. This has been seen time and again throughout history.

Works Cited:

Literary Devices in “Because I Could Not Stop For Death.” (No date given). Retrieved from https://www.owleyes.org/text/because-i-could-not-stop-for-death/analysis/literary-devices

Robert Frost Poetry. (No date given). Retrieved from https://robertfrostnotes.wordpress.com/out-out/

Ozymandias. (No date given). Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/ozymandias/