Education

Literary Devices/ Poetic Devices / Writing Techniques

Poetry is a form of literary expression characterized by rhythm, meter, and often heightened language. It uses various literary devices to evoke emotions, create imagery, and convey meaning.

Poetic Devices:

  1. Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”
    Example: “Her voice is music to his ears.”
  2. Simile: Comparing two unlike things using “like” or “as.”
    Example: “Her eyes sparkle like diamonds in the sun.”
  3. Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human entities.
    Example: “The trees danced in the wind.”
  4. Alliteration: Repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
    Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
  5. Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
    Example: “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.”
  6. Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds within nearby words.
    Example: “The light in his heart burned bright all night.”
  7. Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
    Example: “The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen.”
  8. Symbolism: Using symbols to represent ideas or concepts.
    Example: “The dove symbolizes peace.”
  9. Hyperbole: Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
    Example: “I’ve told you a million times.”
  10. Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate the sound they describe.
    Example: “The bees buzzed around the flowers.”
  11. Rhyme: Repetition of similar sounds, usually at the end of lines.
    Example: “I wandered lonely as a cloud
    That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
    When all at once I saw a crowd,
    A host, of golden daffodils.”
  12. Meter: Rhythmical pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
    Example: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare)
  13. Repetition: Repeated use of words, phrases, or lines for emphasis.
    Example: “I have a dream” (Martin Luther King Jr.)
  14. Irony: A literary technique where the intended meaning is different from the literal meaning.
    Example: “The fire station burned down.”
  15. Satire: Using humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize human folly or vices.
    Example: “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift.
  16. Catharsis: Emotional release experienced by the audience through intense emotions or experiences depicted in the work.
    Example: Tragic downfall of the protagonist in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare.
  17. Oxymoron: Combination of contradictory or incongruous words for effect.
    Example: “Jumbo shrimp.”
  18. Euphemism: Substituting mild or indirect words for harsh or unpleasant ones.
    Example: “Passed away.”
  19. Paradox: Statement or situation that appears self-contradictory but may reveal a deeper truth.
    Example: “Less is more.”
  20. Synecdoche: Using a part to represent the whole or vice versa.
    Example: Referring to a car as “wheels.”
  21. Juxtaposition: Placing contrasting ideas, characters, or settings side by side for comparison.
    Example: Contrasting London and Paris in “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens.




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