Poetry Analsys Analysis of Poetry Essay

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Among the many other literary devices used in the poem is alliteration. Alliteration is used to add to the central meaning of the poem and in line three, for example, the alliteration " wanted wear" is intended to stress that it is important to take the route or road less traveled and not simply to follow the conventional choice. In the final line of the poem, the poet clearly states that taking an unusual and alternative route in life l has "made all the difference."

3. 'Shall I Compare Thee to a Summers Day' and Howard Moss' ironic takeoff.

This famous sonnet is in fact an extended metaphor. The poet compares his love to a summer's day. A central poetic device used in the poem is a form of wit known as a "conceit." This is where seemingly extravagant and exaggerated claims or views are espoused, which the poet justifies by poetic reason and logic. Although this is a device usually associated with the Metaphysical poets, it can also be applied to this sonnet. The intention of the sonnet is to praise love and suggest that love, like art, is eternal.

The sonnet is structured in quatrains. Each quatrain adds to and comments on the previous one and extends the meaning of the poem. For example, the first quatrain refers to the basic conceit of the poem, which is to compare the person he loves with nature and the brilliance of a summers' day. Throughout, the comparison is in favour of the beauty and eternal qualities of his love. While nature and day are subject to rough winds ( line 3 ) yet his lover and their love are not affected by any defects or chance occurrences.

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This comparison is extended into the other quatrains.

In the third quatrain the focus is on the eternal quality of the beloved. The protagonist in the poem uses metaphor in the comparison of his love to summer. He states that, "…thy eternal Summer shall not fade"( line 9), which clearly implies that the beauty of his beloved is eternal.

While the images and metaphors uses by Shakespeare are carefully crafted and evoke the argument for the wonder of love, an ironic contrast to this style and language can be found in Howard Moss's ironic takeoff, Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day.

While the intention and central meaning of this poem is similar to the Shakespearean sonnet, there is a vast difference in the use of language, metaphor and imagery. Moss parodies the elegant and carefully crafted language of Shakespeare's sonnet when he states that;

Who says you're like one of the dog days?

You're nicer. And better

(lines 1 and 2)

While the sentiment being expressed is comparable to the original, the language and tone of the above lines are very different. The language is sharp and colloquial and does not provide the same resonance and feeling of the original. The following lines clearly show the comic parody of the original lines.

Who can stay young forever?

People break their necks or just drop dead!

But you? Never!

(Lines 7-9)

What this ironic poem clearly demonstrates is that while the ostensible and surface meaning may be conveyed in simple language, the actual meaning and depth of the poem lies in the subtle use of images and metaphor. This emphasizes the fact that poetic….....

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