{"id":82,"date":"2017-09-04T06:19:06","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T06:19:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/?page_id=82"},"modified":"2017-09-21T14:01:45","modified_gmt":"2017-09-21T14:01:45","slug":"elements-of-poetry","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/elements-of-poetry\/","title":{"rendered":"Elements of Poetry"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"twelve columns\" style=\"margin-top: 10%;\">\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/sound\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/interpretation-of-literary-text\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/further-reading-for-interpreting-literary-texts\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- CONTENT BEGINS HERE --><\/p>\n<h1 id=\"title\">Elements of Poetry<\/h1>\n<h4>Objective<\/h4>\n<p>Now we will look at other elements of poetry that contribute to our understanding of poems: graphic elements and literary devices.<\/p>\n<h4>Previously Covered:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Previously, we addressed elements of sound and form in poetry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Graphic Elements<\/h4>\n<p>Poets often play with grammatical structure, word position, line length, and punctuation to manipulate language. E. E. Cummings is a poet who is well known for his manipulation of words, letters, and page space. Poets must make decisions about which words to capitalize (or not) and when to end a line. Capitalization imparts significance and urgency while a lowercase letter may indicate subordination. Missing spaces in between words indicate a rush. Repetition of letters may indicate a stutter. As poetry is concerned with conveying an emotional message in few words, these decisions are crucial. Decisions about line length can help a turn an ordinary poem into a picture poem. \u201cThe Altar\u201d by George Herbert is a perfect example of this.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>A broken A L T A R, Lord, thy servant reares,<br \/>\nMade of a heart, and cemented with teares:<br \/>\nWhose parts are as thy hand did frame;<br \/>\nNo workmans tool hath touch\u2019d the same.<br \/>\nA H E A R T alone<br \/>\nIs such a stone,<br \/>\nAs nothing but<br \/>\nThy pow\u2019r doth cut.<br \/>\nWherefore each part<br \/>\nOf my hard heart<br \/>\nMeets in this frame,<br \/>\nTo praise thy Name;<br \/>\nThat, if I chance to hold my peace,<br \/>\nThese stones to praise thee may not cease.<br \/>\nO let thy blessed S A C R I F I C E be mine,<br \/>\nAnd sanctifie this A L T A R to be thine.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Notice the words that are printed in all capital letters. Also, notice how his spacing and line length create the picture poem. The subject of the poem is an altar that mimics the shape of the poem. He also divides the lines meaningfully. Notice that \u201ca HEART alone\u201d is on a line all by itself, further emphasizing the feeling of aloneness the poet wishes to convey.<\/p>\n<p>We will conclude our poetry lesson with a brief discussion of poetic devices. See the following chart for device names, their definitions, and brief examples of how they are used in actual poems.<\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\">\n<div class=\"white_lesson_header\" align=\"center\">\n<h4>Poetic Devices&gt;<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong>Poetic device<\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\"><strong>What it is<\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\"><strong>How it looks<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Apostrophe <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">A person or personified object is addressed as if it is present.<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">From Lord Byron\u2019s \u201c Childe Harold\u2019s Pilgrimage\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRoll on thou dark and deep blue ocean.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Conceit <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">An extended metaphor<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">In John Donne\u2019s \u201cThe Flea,\u201d the poet compares a flea bite to the act of lovemaking, thus urging his lover to give in to his advances.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Hyperbole <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">An obvious exaggeration that serves to emphasize a point or add humor to a poem<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">From Mark Twain\u2019s \u201cCelebrated Jumpin\u2019 Frog of Calaveras County\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf he even seen a straddle-bug start to go anywheres, he would bet you how long it would take him to get wherever he was going to, and if you took him up, he would foller that straddle-bug to Mexico but what he would find out where he was bound for and how long he was on the road.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Metaphor <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">Comparing two unlike things by calling one thing another; a staple of all poetry<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">From William Cullen Bryant\u2019s \u201cA Forest Hymn\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe groves were God\u2019s first temple.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Metonymy <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">Referring to something or someone by naming one of its attributes or correlatives<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">Using \u201cthe White House\u201d to mean the president and his advisors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Personification <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">Giving human characteristics to an inanimate object<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">From John Donne\u2019s \u201cDeath be not Proud\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDeath be not proud, though some have called thee<br \/>\nMighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,<br \/>\nFor, those, whom thou think&#8217;st, thou dost overthrow,<br \/>\nDie not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Pun <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">A play on words with similar meanings; Shakespeare is a master at puns<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">From Shakespeare\u2019s <i>Romeo and Juliet<\/i> after Mercutio has been stabbed<\/p>\n<p>No, &#8217;tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a<\/p>\n<p>church-door; but &#8217;tis enough,&#8217;twill serve: ask for<\/p>\n<p>me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I<\/p>\n<p>am peppered, I warrant, for this world.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Simile <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">Comparing two seemingly unlike things using \u201clike\u201d or \u201cas\u201d; the simile is less powerful than the metaphor<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">From Robert Burns\u2019s \u201cA Red, Red Rose\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy love is like a red, red rose<br \/>\nThat\u2019s newly sprung in June:<br \/>\nMy love is like the melody<br \/>\nThat\u2019s sweetly played in tune.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"145\"><strong> Synecdoche <\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"126\">A part of a thing that replaces the whole<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"319\">Saying \u201cthe crown\u201d when referring to the king<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><!-- CONTENT ENDS HERE --><\/p>\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/sound\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/interpretation-of-literary-text\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/further-reading-for-interpreting-literary-texts\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"backtotop\" href=\"#title\">Back to Top<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2b05 Previous Lesson\u00a0Workshop Index\u00a0Next Lesson \u27a1 Elements of Poetry Objective Now we will look at other elements of poetry that contribute to our understanding of poems: graphic elements and literary devices. Previously Covered: Previously, we addressed elements of sound and form in poetry. Graphic Elements Poets often play with grammatical structure, word position, line length, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-82","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":458,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82\/revisions\/458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}