There exist a variety of poetic devices that can be adopted by poets across their message in a smooth manner. However, in order for the students to do well on their exams, it’d be beneficial for them to know the purpose they serve to enhance the poets’ message rather than focusing on their literal definitions.
As already mentioned, all of the poetic devices assist and enhance the poet’s message in different ways. In what way? It depends on their particular natures.
For instance, the device called sibilance is used to create an indirect effect through the text. It creates repeated sounds with either ‘s’, ‘z’, ‘sh’ or a soft ‘c’, that collectively give the sense of a hissing sound. This effect is used to achieve a dramatic effect and lay emphasis on a certain kind of meaning. If the background is of a horror story then such effect would work to emphasize on the creepy presence in the atmosphere. It could, of course, be used in other ways as well to strengthen the narrative in different ways.
Some examples of sibilance could be the following:
She sells seashells by the sea shore
Or, Bob Dylan’s All I Really Want to Do that creates a constant ‘hissing’ sound to add the rhythm to the lyrics:
All I really want to do, yeah
Is baby, be friends with you
Baby, be friends with you
I don't want to straight-face you
Race or chase or track or trace you
Or disgrace you or displace you
Or define you or confine you...
It helps to emphasize as well as add a musical touch to the words, that in turn help them to become more interesting as well as memorable. So the effect actually enhances the sense that the text is already trying to create for the reader.
Furthermore, another device is the sound effects which are used to enhance the poet’s/writer’s/producer’s message through different types of sounds. For instance, in the Oscar-winning movie called Parasite, the water-running sounds in the basement gives off a stale atmosphere’s sense there. Also, the creaking of the huge door of the Park’s mansion is used to emphasize on the wealth and property that they have (and the Kim’s don’t). Sound effects are devices that implicitly convey the sense that the poet is willing to do so.
Further, anthropomorphism is a device that’s known as personification as well, that gives non-human objects human qualities. This makes that world of say, plants, animals and inanimate objects more vivid, understandable and relatable for humans. It’s used to ensure that the emotions, thoughts and feelings of such non-human species/objects are conveyed in a precise sense for the reader to understand. William Blake’s Two Sunflower’s in a Yellow Room could do justice to this device:
"Ah, William, we're weary of weather,"
said the sunflowers, shining with dew.
"Our traveling habits have tired us.
Can you give us a room with a view?"
They arranged themselves at the window
and counted the steps of the sun,
and they both took root in the carpet
where the topaz tortoises run.
There are numerous other devices as well; however, due a certain depth of knowledge that has to be developed before being able to understand them well, it’d be important to stick with a few at a single time. We would love to help in a detailed and personalized manner, though. Do get in touch in case of more detailed one-on-one guidance!
