The introductory paragraph in the essay “Eternal Love” dedicated to Theodore Roethke’s poem “I Knew a Woman” is a particularly effective section of the work. The purpose of an introduction is to provide readers with necessary background information on the discussed topic and introduce them to the essay’s thesis statement (“Introduction”). In addition, it can be used to tell the readers what points are going to be examined in the piece of writing (“Introduction”). The introduction fulfills its purpose by stating that Roethke’s poem “I Knew a Woman” is the topic of the essay. In addition, this segment fluently introduces the topics discussed in full in the body paragraphs of the paper, such as the utilization of imagery, metaphors, and personification in the poem. Thus, the paragraph complies with the conventions of essay writing and effectively introduces the topic.
The section on the use of imagery in the poem is also effective. The author uses two strong examples to illustrate Roethke’s command of language and ability to create mental images. However, as it is mentioned that imagery is the most used literary device throughout the poem, the paragraph would benefit from more examples or in-detail descriptions of how the words chosen by the poet help to create an image. In addition, the section on personification is highly efficient. It provides an example of personification in the last verse of the poem and explains its meaning. Furthermore, the author of the essay analyses the grammatical aspects of the language used by the poet, noting the purpose of the tense shift at the end of the poem. Overall, it is a well-structured essay that effectively discusses figures of speech used by Theodore Roethke in his work “I Knew a Woman.”
Work Cited
“Introduction.” Literary Devices, 2017, Web.