An Early Start in Midwinter by Robyn Sarah
In her poem An Early Start in Midwinter, Robyn Sarah employs a great variety of expressive means to show a person’s negative attitude to a midwinter morning, and particularly to the household chores which occupy the largest part of this person’s life.
The author gives preference to such stylistic devices as metaphor, simile, personification, and alliteration to emphasize this negative connotation.
In the second sentence of the poem, Robyn Sarah uses both alliteration and metaphor. She writes, “At six a scattering of sickly lights shines pale in kitchen windows.”
The repetition of the consonant sound s in the person’s speech can be interpreted as a sign of irritation with the necessity to wake up so early in the winter.
This assuthe motion is further confirmed by the use of metaphors “sickly lights” and “sore bones” which suggest that the unknown narrator is not in the best mood. The writer also combines personification along with metaphor, “And day rumbles up out of cellars.”
One should pay attention to the verb rumbles; it denotes some deep or even deafening noise. The word choice shows that this person wants the night to linger.
We also learn that the unknown narrator is someone who continuously does daily chores. By using epithets, Rob who in Sarah enables us to understand that this person is used to physical labor or. The author says, “The tap runs rust over your chapped hands.”
The very image, produced by this epithet chapped hands produces a very vivid impression on the reader, and we can imagine someone, whose hands are weather-beaten and callous.
To a large extent, Robyn Sarah describes a person, who probably dedicated the entire life to household chores and daily routine, and who has only a very limited amount of personal time.
Through various stylistic devices, the author skillfully shows how daily routine can drive such an individual into a sullen mood or even depression.
Sonnet 18 (Shall I compare thee to a Summer’s day) by William Shakespeare
In his Sonnet 18, William Shakespeare uses a great number of stylistic devices in an effort to describe person, presumably his beloved, whom he considers being perfect.
One of the ideas, which the author wants to emphasize, is that words and human language, in general, are not always able to describe real beauty.
It seems that the author asks for permission his beloved, “Shall I compare thee to a Summer’s day?” since he believes that words may be insufficient for this purpose.
He uses such metaphors as “the darling buds of May,” “the eye of heaven,” “gold complexion” to compare this person with some beautiful flower or even the Sun.
He rejects these images because, in his opinion, they are inferior to the beauty of his beloved. Shakespeare also stresses the idea that his beloved will survive the flow of time. He says,
“Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest.”
The metaphor “eternal lines” is crucial in this sentence because it emphasizes the longevity or even immortality of art, which can save beauty from decay and subsequent destruction.
By writing a sonnet about this person, Shakespeare immortalizes her at least in the minds of other people, who will later read the poem.
This famous sonnet explores such a theme as the ability of art to describe youth and beauty. Shakespeare deliberately avoids describing his beloved, because he wants the readers to create their image or ideal of beauty.
It does not meet any standards or stereotypes upon us, and this is one of the reasons why it remains so appealing.
You All Know the Story of the Other Woman by Anne Sexton
The poem You All Know the Story of the Other Woman written by Anne Sexton shows how women tend to perceive one another, especially if they are rivals. The poet describes the adultery of a significant other, by using such expressive means as similes and metaphors.
Anne Sexton stresses the idea that in some cases, women can view each other through the lens of stereotypes, which are always dehumanizing.
Anne Sexton employs simile to explore this topic; she says, “Look, when it is over he places her like a phone, back on the hook”. This simple “places her like a phone” shows that the other woman is often treated like some inanimate object rather than a human being.
Such a portrayal of this person is a form of self-deception, which is quite widespread among women, who want to convince themselves that they are the only important people in the life of their husbands.
The use of epithets, as well as similes, also helps the poet create this stereotypical perception of the other woman. We need to pay attention to the following lines,
God comes in like a landlord
And flashes on his brassy lamp
No, she is just so-so.
Anne Sexton points out that such stereotypical perceptions always tend to downgrade the other person. Moreover, they continuously emphasize the idea that there is no spiritual bond between the significant other and the woman.
Anne Sexton employs metonymy to prove this point “as his body take off and flies.” The word body is vital in this case since it indicates only at physical adultery, rather than a spiritual or emotional one.
Anne Sexton’s poem gives us great insights into the psychology of the woman, who believes that her husband has been unfaithful to her. Moreover, this poem describes the strategies she uses to reconcile herself with this fact.