One of the most striking and unusual poems is Tomorrow at Dawn by Victor Hugo. This author is known for his unusual style and method of presentation, which makes a special impression on the reader (Matthews 682). His work includes several literary devices and features that create a concrete character of thoughts. First of all, enjambment can be traced, the essence of which is reading several lines in one breath until a logical pause (Asbee 40). As an example, we can take the second stanza of the work, despite the long narrative, it is a single thought. “I will walk with my eyes fixed on my thoughts, <…> Alone, unknown, my back curved, my hands crossed…” shows how deep and sensual the state pursues the lyrical hero (Hugo 6-8). The most detailed description of the pose and direction of the eyes indicates not only torment but at the same time the indifference of the character to the world around him. Thus, the reader singles out for himself the severity of the position of the hero, who is in complete decline and spiritual devastation. In particular, crossed arms testify to the uncertainty of each movement, to the closeness from the world due to unbearable torment.
Finally, the burden of the character’s tragedy is manifested through such a technique as rhetorical repetition. Throughout the poem, Hugo uses the phrase “I will” six times. This technique is aimed at emphasizing a certain action or feeling to highlight its special significance, as well as to show a too vivid feeling (Asbee 43). As an example, consider the lines “I will set out. You see, I know that you wait for me. I will by the forest, I will go by the mountains” (Hugo 2-4). Repeated repetition shows the reader that the character is obsessed with a future meeting with someone who is no longer there. This peculiar madness and the inability of the character to accept the truth, which entails his incredible torment. This fills his thoughts, showing the hopelessness of the human condition.
Works Cited
Asbee, Sue. Approaching Poetry. OpenLearn, n. d. Web.
Hugo, Victor M. Tomorrow, At Dawn. All Poetry, 1843. Web.
Matthews, Brander. “The Gateways of Literature.” The North American Review, vol. 190, no. 648, 1909, pp. 675–87. JSTOR, Web.