Module 1

Nature of stylistics Uses of Stylistics Analysis:

Modern stylistics uses the tools of formal linguistic analysis coupled with the • In linguistics, the purpose of close analysis is to identify and classify the elements
methods of literary criticism; its goal is to try to isolate characteristic uses and functions of of language being used.
language and rhetoric rather than advance normative or prescriptive rules and patterns. • In literary studies the purpose is usually an adjunct to understanding exegesis,
What is the nature of Stylistics? and interpretation.
Stylistics is a branch of applied linguistics concerned with the study of style in • In both cases, an extremely detailed and scrupulous attention is paid to the text.
text, especially, but not exclusively, in literary works. Also called literary linguistics, • This process may now be aided by computer programs which will be able to
stylistics focuses on the figures, tropes and other rhetorical devices used to provide variety analyze texts.
and distinctness to someone’s writing. • NB! At this point, the study of language moves into either “stylistics” or “literary
studies” NOTE: NB (Nota Bene) Latin phrase Nota Bene, meaning “note well” It
What are Stylistics figures?
is used to emphasize an important point.
In literature and writing a figure of speech (also called stylistic device or
• Stylistic Analysis is a normal part of literary studies. It is practiced as a part of
rhetorical device? Is the use of any of a variety of techniques to give an auxiliary meaning,
understanding the possible meanings in a text.
idea, or feeling. Stylistic devices often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or
• It is also generally assumed that the process of analysis will reveal the good
clarity. Examples are metaphor, simile or personification.
qualities of writings.
Here is a list of some of the most important figures of speech:
Rhetoric and the History of Stylistics.
1. Accumulation 15. Climax
Stylistics explores how readers interact with the language of (mainly literary)
2. Adjunction 16. Dysphemism
texts in order to explain how we understand and are affected by texts when we read them.
3. Adnomination 17. Ellipsis
The development of stylistics, given that it combines the use of linguistic analysis with
4. Alliteration 18. Euphemism
what we know about the psychological processes involved in reading, depended (at least
5. Allusion 19. Epigram
in part) on the study of Linguistics and Psychology (both largely twentieth century
6. Anaphora 20. Puns
phenomena) becoming reasonably established.
7. Antanaclasis 21. Metalepsis
8. Anticlimax 22. Metaphor Stylistics, then, is a sub disciplined which grew up in the second half of the
9. Antiphrasis 23. Metonymy twentieth century: It’s beginnings in Anglo – American criticism is usually traced back to
10. Antithesis 24. Simile the publication of the books listed below. Three of them are collections of articles, some
11. Apostrophe 25. Synecdoche of which had been presented, as conference papers or published in journals a little earlier:
12. Assonance 26. Tautology Fowler, Roger (ed.) (1966) Essays on Style in Language, London: Routtedge and
13. Cataphora 27. Understatement Kegan Paul.
14. Chiasmus 28.Zeugma and syllepsis Freeman, Donald C. (ed.) (1971) Linguistics and Literary Style. New York: Holt,
Rinehart and
Stylistic analysis in linguistics refers to the identification of patterns of usage in speech Winston. Leech, Geoffrey N. (1969) A Linguistic Guide to English Poetry.
and writing. Stylistic Analysis in literary studies is usually made for the purpose of London: Longman.
commenting on quality and meaning in a text. Sebeok, Thomas A. (1960) Style in Language, Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press

Stylistic Analysis – how to do it. What is the Origin of Stylistics?

Examples: Stylistics can trace its roots to the formalist tradition that developed in Russian
A stylistic analysis of a road sign which reads NO LEFT TURN might make the literary criticism at the turn of the twentieth century, particularly in the work of the
following observations. Moscow Linguistic Circle.
• The statement is a command.
• It is cast in the imperative mode. These concepts—deviation, parallelism, and foregrounding—are the foundations
• The statement lacks a subject and a verb. of contemporary stylistics.
• These are implied (THERE IS).
• The statement is unpunctuated. Who is the Father of Stylistics?
• Capitals have been used for emphasis. Sigfried Leo Spitzer (1887-1960), began to analyse literary works from a stylistic
• Simple vocabulary to suit wide audience. point of view, and therefore, Spitzer is often considered as the “father of literary
• Extreme compression for rapid comprehension. stylistics.” From the beginning of 1930’s to the end of the 1950’s stylistics was developing
• Form entirely suited to audience and function. slowly and was only confined to the European Continent.
 Word choice refers to the specific vocabulary the writer uses to convey meaning and
What are the Types of Stylistics? enlighten the reader. It is the uses of rich, colorful, precise language that communicates
1. Literary Stylistics: Studying forms, such as poetry, drama, and prose. not just in a functional way, but in a way that moves and enlightens the reader.
2. Interpretive Stylistics: How the Linguistic Elements work to create meaningful
art. Tone – in literature, the tone of a literary work expresses the writer’s attitude toward or
3. Evaluative Stylistics: How an author’s style works–or doesn’t–in the work. feelings about the subject matter and audience. It often refers to sound, as in music, or the
feeling conveyed by the way someone speaks: “His tone of voice told me I was in
What is the Importance/Purpose of the Stylistics? trouble.” It can also be used to describe the atmosphere of a place – its flavor or spirit – or
Stylistics examines the creativity in the use of Language. It enhances the way we the shades of meaning in a work that might reveal the larger intentions of an author.
think about Language and each uses. Thus, the Stylistic process, examining the creativity
of Language use, develops our understanding of Literature. Voice – or voicing is a term used in phonetics and phonology to characterize speech
sounds (usually consonants). Voicing can refer to the articulatory process in which the
What are Stylistics Examples? vocal folds vibrate, its primary use in phonetics to describe phones, which are particular
Stylistics is the study of varieties of Language whose properties, position, that speech sounds. Speech sounds can be described as either voiceless or voiced.
language in context. For Example, the Language of Advertising, politics, religion,
individual authors, etc, or the language of a period in time, all are used distinctively and Voiceless sound vs. Voiced sound
belong in a particular situation.
Voiceless sound, in phonetics, is made when there is no vibration of the vocal cords. For
Caesar and Analogists: instance, when you make the sounds for the English consonants P, F and S. Examples:
 Stressed regularity and system rules. Park, Town, Coat, Fan, Sip, Sure, Chain, Thigh.
 Focused on facts and data. Voiced sound, technically speaking, is a strong sound in which the vocal cords
 Their aim was to create simple, clear, and straightforward speeches. vibrate. All vowel sounds and diphthongs are voiced sounds, but only some of the
 Seneca and Tacituts. consonant sounds (/b/, /d/, /g/, /j,/ /v/, /z/, /th/ as in that and /w/ as in wail) bat, dot, gap,
gym, mail, root, wet, yard.
Cicero and Anomalists
 Aimed at creation of flowery language. Norm
 Used unnatural syntactic patterns, artificial sentence structures.  The literary norm or linguistic norm or linguistic standard or language norm is a
 Created anomalies on all language levels. historically determined set of commonly used language assets, as well as rules for
 Their true message was secondary to the form presentation. their selection and use, which have been recognized by society as the most
appropriate in a particular historical period.
Module 2  Norms are most commonly defined as rules or expectations that are socially
How are styles in language and literature differentiated? enforced. Norms may be prescriptive (encouraging positive behavior, for
Style in literature is the literary element that describes the ways that the author example, “be honest”) or proscriptive (discouraging negative behavior, for
uses words – the author’s word choice, sentence structure, figurative language, and example, “do not cheat”).
sentence arrangement all work together to establish mood, images, and meaning in the
text. Style describes how the author describes events, objects, and ideas. Individual Style
Stylistics refers to a field of study which looks into how people use language. This
Language style is defined as the choice of words used by a specific group of people when addresses not so much how to use language correctly, but rather how one can use language
they speak. for more elaborate purposes. Individual style implies the peculiarities of a writer’s
Definition of style: individual manner of using language means to achieve the effect he desires.
• The way a writer writes and the technique which an individual author uses in his Idiolect
writing. The speech of any individual, which is characterized by particular elements, is called an
• This varies from author to author and depends upon syntax, word choice, and idiolect that reveals his breeding and education. Idiolect is the dialect of an individual
tone. person at one time. This term implies an awareness the no two persons speak in exactly
• Also described as a voice that reads listen to when they read the work of a writer. the same way and that each person’s dialect constantly undergoing change – e.g., by the
introduction of newly acquired words.
Syntax is the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a
language. Idiolect vs. Dialect
A dialect is a version of a language spoken by a group of people. An idiolect is much ● Personal essays
smaller – it’s the way a particular person speaks, at a specific time, as distinct from others. ● Most forms of writing
This word is mainly used by linguists when discussing differences in speech from one ● Fairy tales
person to another. ● Short stories
Sociolect ● Novels
A dialect is a version of a language spoken by a group of people. An idiolect is much ● Plays
smaller – it’s the way a particular person speaks, at a specific time, as distinct from others.
This word is mainly used by linguists when discussing differences in speech from one Functional Style is a system of interrelated language means serving a definite aim in
person to another. communication. It is the coordination of the language means and stylistic devices which
shapes the distinctive features of each style and not the language means or stylistic devices
Four main types of Writing themselves. Each style is recognized as an independent whole. The peculiar choice of
- Expository (explains something) language means is primarily dependent on the aim of the communication, on the function
- Descriptive (puts a picture in your head) the style performs.
- Persuasive (wants the audience to agree) Classification of Functional Style (Arnold)
- Narrative (tells the story) - Formal Style
- Neutral Style
Expository is writing that seeks to explain, illuminate, or “expose” (which is where word - Non-Formal Style
“expository” comes from). This type of writing can include essays, instruction manuals,
textbooks, encyclopedia articles, and other forms of writing, so long as they seek to Formal Style is a broad term for speech or writing marked by an impersonal, objective,
explain. and precise use of language. A formal prose style is typically used in orations, scholarly
Examples of Expository Writing: books and articles, technical reports, research papers, and legal documents.
● Newspaper articles Different types of formal writing:
● How-to manuals ● Inquiry letters
● Assembly instructions ● Sales letters
● Academic writing ● Acceptance letter
● Replying to an inquiry
Descriptive is a type of writing that gives a clear and concise description of everything. It ● Making a claim
includes places, people, object, or an event. The primary objective of descriptive writing is ● Apology letter
to provide a clear picture on the place, people, or thing in reader’s mind. It is much like ● Cover letters
painting with words. It focuses one subject and uses specific detail to picture it. How do you write a formal style?
Examples of Descriptive Writing: ● Do not write in the first person. First person pronouns include I, my, we, our, us,
● Her last smile to me wasn’t a sunset. It was an eclipse, the last eclipse. Noon etc.
dying away to darkness where there would be no dawn. ● Write out contractions in full.
● My Uber driver looked like deflating airbag and sounded like talk radio on ● Do not abbreviate.
repeat. ● Do not use slang or idioms.
● Do not use clichés.
Persuasive is a more sophisticated type of writing you are going to learn. It contains an ● Do not use excessive punctuation, especially exclamation marks.
explanation of the opposite point of view and uses facts, statistics, or both to disprove that ● Avoid phrasal verbs.
opposing view and support the writer’s position.
Examples of Persuasive Writing: Transitions – Informal and Formal
● Newspaper columns Informal Formal
● Letters to the Editor - Plus/Also - Moreover/Furthermore
● Advertising campaigns - But - However
● Academic essays - So - Therefore/ Thus
Narrative it tells a story. Though its most commonly used in personal essay (“What I Did - Also - In addition/ Additional
to Celebrate the Holidays”), this type of writing can also be used for fictional stories, - Say sorry - Apologize
plays, or even a plot summary of a story of someone has read or intends to write. Narrative - Go up - Increase
writing is often, but not always, in the first person and is organized sequentially, with a - Go down - Decrease
beginning, middle and end. - Set up - Establish
Examples of Narrative Writing: - Look at - Examine
- Find out - Discover positive connotation. Note: these words are not proper nouns, so it not necessary to
capitalize them, unless they are at the beginning of a sentence. Connotation is an idea or
Neutral is a kind of abstract notion that has no distinctive features, and its function is to feeling that a word evokes. If something has a positive connotation, it will evoke warm
provide a standard background for the other styles. feelings. Meanwhile, something with a negative connotation will make someone feel less
than pleasant.
The other – “real” styles can be broadly divided into two groups:
• Colloquial styles: literary colloquial; familiar colloquial; low colloquial. Negative Connotation is a bad feeling or emotion that people get when hearing a specific
• Literary bookish styles: a) scientific; b) official documents; c) publicist word or phrase. In writing, you need to be very careful when using words that have
(newspaper); d) oratorical; e) poetic (lofty-poetical) negative connotations to avoid changing the meaning of your writing. Words with the
same denotation can give people very different feelings.
Non-Formal is a broad term for speech or writing marked by a casual, familiar, and
generally colloquial use of language. This type of writing style is often more direct than a Example of Connotative words:
formal style and may rely more heavily on contractions, abbreviations, short sentences, Positive Neutral Negative
and ellipses. Thrifty Saving Stingy
Steadfast Tenacious Stubborn
What is the difference between formal writing and informal writing? Sated Filled Crammed
Formal language is less personal than informal language. It is used when writing for Courageous Confident Conceited
professional or academic purposes like university assignments. Formal language does not
use colloquialisms, contractions, or first-person pronouns as “I” or “we”. Informal Denotation
language is more casual and spontaneous. A word’s denotation is it’s literal meaning – that is, the definition you found on dictionary.
Connotation
The Difference between Denotative and Connotative A word’s connotation is the feelings and ideas associated with a word.
The denotative meaning of a word is its main meaning, not including the Example: Blood
feelings and ideas that people may connect with that word: although words have both
denotative and connotative meanings, there has been little research on a child’s acquisition Denotation: Thick red liquid from a living organism.
of connotations. Denotation represents the explicit or referential meaning of a sign. Connotation: May refer to life or death.
Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the dictionary definition. For example,
the name “Hollywood” connotes such things as glitz, glamour, tinsel, celebrity, and Lexical vs. Stylistics Meaning
dreams of stardom. Denotation means the literal definition of a word. To give an example, Lexical definition specifies the meaning of an expression by stating it in terms of other
the denotation for blue is the color blue. For example, the girl was blue. expressions whose meaning is assumed to be known (e.g., a ewe is a female sheep). What
Denotative Examples: does lexical mean in grammar? Words can be classified as lexical or non-lexical. Lexical
● The boy was pushy. words are those that have independent meaning such as a noun (N), verb (V), adjective
● She was cold. (A), adverb (Adv), or preposition (P). the definition which reports the meaning of a word
● It was too hard. or a phrase as it is actually used by people is called a lexical definition.
● The dog is a mutt.
● Trevor is a bull. Non-lexical fillers are extra words which comes meaninglessly in case of verbal
● The woman was frugal. communication. Typical non-lexical fillers in English are: er, erm, um, mm, hm, h-nmm,
hh-aah, hn-hn, unkay, myeah, ummum, uuh and um-hm-uh-hm.
Connotation, on the other hand, refers to the associations that are connected to a certain
word or the emotional suggestions related to that word. The connotative meanings of a What is a non-lexical word?: not lexical: not pertaining to words and their definitions the
word exist together with the denotative meanings. The connotations for the word snake inclusion of non-lexical material in a dictionary.
could include evil or danger. Connotation is the use of a word to suggest a different What are lexical and grammatical words? They are the little words that act as the glue
association than its literal meaning, which is known as denotation. For example, blue is a or connectors inside a sentence. Without them, lexical words might still carry meaning,
color, but it is also a word used to describe a feeling of sadness, as in: “She’s feeling but they do not make us much sense. Grammatical words include articles, prepositions,
blue.” Connotations can be either positive, negative, or neutral. conjunctions, and pronouns.
Examples of lexical in a sentence:
Positive Connotation is a positive or good association that connects to a specific word. ● While teaching kindergarteners the English language, I took a lexical approach
The connotation makes the word seem pleasant or affirmative in the context it is used. by teaching each English word by using pictures.
Take a look at the word “smell”. Here the word smell is neutral, words odor and stench are ● While diagramming sentences, the students used lexical manner by simply
nouns describing unpleasant smell, so they are negative. Aroma is a nice smell, so it has knowing the part of speech in order to place the word in the correct place.
 ● The college student had to pass a vocabulary test by taking a lexical method of message. Context clues in a literary work create a relationship between the writer and the
simply memorizing words and definitions. reader, giving a deeper understanding of the intent and direction of the writing.
Stylistics is a branch of applied linguistics concerned with the study of style in texts,
especially, but not exclusively, in literary works. Also called literary linguistics, stylistics Why is context important in writing?
focuses on the figures, tropes, and other rhetorical devices used to provide variety and Context is information that helps the message of a literary text make sense.
distinctness to someone’s writing. What is stylistics in simple words? Stylistics, study of Whether it’s a novel, a memoir, or a collection of short stories, a piece of writing can be
the devices in languages (such rhetorical figures and syntactical patterns) that are interpreted variably depending on the contextual factors you provide as the author. Some
considered to produce expressive or literary style. context is obviously stated, and some requires a close reading of the literary work – so it’s
important for every writer to know what context is and how to use it in their own writing
What are stylistic devices in English? process.
Stylistic devices refer to any of a variety of techniques to give an additional and/or
supplemental meaning, idea, or feeling. Also known as figures of speech or rhetorical What are four types of contexts in writing?
devices, the goal of these techniques is to create imagery, emphasis, or clarity within a text - Historical context - Cultural Context
in hopes of engaging the reader. - Physical context - Situational context

Examples of stylistics devices: Extra-lingual context means out of the ordinary, not part of the language; extralinguistic.
• Alliteration The prefix “extra” means “outside”, “beyond”. It is the extra-lingual aspect of language.
• Allusion All of these are means of interpreters of meaning intended by speakers outside the
• Anaphora language. These elements are outside the language and can determine the certainty of
• Antithesis purpose, which can also be referred to as a co-text.
• Hyperbole
• Hypophora Cotext (plural cotexts) (linguistics) words that surround node as another word, the
• Litotes linguistic environment of a word. Node is a Java Script primarily used for non-blocking,
• Metaphor event-driven servers, due to its single-threaded nature. It is used for traditional websites
• Simile and back-end API (Application Programming Interface) services, but was designed with
• Metonymy real time, push-based architecture in mind. Examples of nodes include bridges, switches,
hubs, and modems to other computers, printers, and servers. One of the most common
How do you identify a stylistic device? forms of a node is a host computer: often referred to as an Internet node. In graph theory, a
The easiest stylistic device to identify is a simile, signaled by the use of the words node is a unit of data on a graph, connected to other nodes of edges.
“like” or “as”. A simile is a comparison used to attract the reader’s attention and describe
something in descriptive terms. Example: The beast had eyes as big as baseballs and teeth Microcontext is the linguistic (grammatical, phonological, lexical, syntactic, etc.)
as long as knives. environment of a text. It is a very narrow and a specific context. It also refers to small-
scale individual or small group interactions.
What are the seven literary elements? Macrocontext is a broad and wide-ranging context, the macrocontext is the environment
1. Character. There are the beings who inhabit our stories. in which the macro is executed. It is large, thick, or exceptionally prominent.
2. Plot. It is what happens in the story, the series of events. Megacontext is the context of book chapter, a story, or the whole book. It is an
3. Setting. It is where the story takes place. extralingual (situational) context is formed by extralingual conditions in which
4. Point-of-View. A particular attitude or way of considering a matter. communication takes place: physical context and abstract context.
5. Style. It is how a writer decides to express whatever he wants to say. Physical context is the setting where the speech occurs. You can prepare for three
6. Theme. It is the subject of a talk, a person’s thoughts. different contexts – face to face with co-located audience, a speaker with live audience to
7. Literary devices. Any technique used to help the author achieve his or her remote audiences, and a speaker with no live audience to different remote locations by
purpose. video conferencing technology.
Abstract context - many researchers have taken a predominantly theoretical stance and
Linguistic vs. Extra-lingual Contexts have described abstraction as some type of decontextualization. Abstraction in context is
Linguistic context refers to the context within the discourse, that is, the relationship an activity of vertically reorganizing previously constructed mathematics into a new
between the words, phrases, sentences, and even paragraphs. Context – it is the mathematical structure.
circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which
it can be fully understood and assessed. The definition of context is the setting within
which a work of writing is situated. Context provides meaning and clarity to the intended Stylistic Microcontext Stylistic Macrocontext Stylistic Megacontext
- realized within - realized within - realized within
 one sentence. a super phrasal within the whole 1. Kim’s artwork is smooth and colourful, offering emotive force that is beyond
unit or paragraph. literary work. words.
2. The book helps us realize that the autistic world is emotive, empathetic, and
beautiful.
Module 3 3. It was an extremely emotive experience to say the least.
What is expressiveness?
It is the quality of being expressive. Quality is an essential and distinguishing Why is emotive language used?
attribute of something or someone; “the quality of mercy is not strained” – Shakespeare Emotive language often aims to persuade the reader or listener to show the writer or
speaker’s point of view, using language to stimulate an emotional reaction.
Picturesqueness – is the quality of being strikingly expressive or vivid.
What is emotive language?
Expressiveness in stylistics has something to do with the stylistic device. A SD is a Emotive language is the deliberate choice of words to elicit emotion (usually to influence).
conscious and intentional literary use of some facts of the language (including expressive
means) with the purpose of further intensification of the emotional or logical emphasis Easy Examples of Emotive Language
contained in the corresponding expressive means. Ideas can be expressed in a way that is positive or negative or welcoming or threatening. It
all depends on the words selected. Look at this example:
Expressive means – phonetic, morphological, word-building, lexical, phraseological, and The victims were executed in cold blood. (deliberate manner)
syntactical forms which exist in language-as-a system for the purpose of logical and/or Compare the example above to the one below, which uses non-emotive words.
emotional intensification of the utterance. The men were killed. (homicide)

a) Phonetic expressive – pitch, melody, stress, whispering, manner of speaking, What is non-emotive language or non-emotional?
pauses, etc. It means not showing emotion. For example, “He’s a very unemotional (or non-emotional)
b) Morphological expressive – is associated with an expressive playful, poetic, or man; he hardly ever laughs or cries.” Non-emotive means not producing or inspiring
simply ostentatious effect of some kind. Ostentatious a pretentious display, emotion. For example, “It was a very non-emotive piece of music. When I listened to it I
designed to impress or attract notices. Morphology – it’s a study and description didn’t feel anything; I was just bored.”
of word formation (such as inflection, derivation, and compounding in language.
c) Word-building expressive – includes being able to label objects in the What is emotive language?
environment, describe actions and events, put words together in sentences, use Emotive language is the term used when certain word choices are made to evoke an
grammar correctly (e.g. “I had a drink” not “me drinked”), retell a story, answer emotional response. It pertains to word choice. Specific diction is used to evoke emotion
questions, and write short story. Expressive language is the use of words, in the reader. Different words can be used to cause different reactions in the audience. Any
sentences, gestures and writing to convey meaning and messages to others. words that cause an emotional reaction are examples of emotive language. “Put that in the
d) Lexical expressive – it’s the intentional mixing of the stylistic aspect of words recycle bin.”
(metaphor, metonymy, irony) interaction of different types of lexical meaning
interaction of primary dictionary and contextually imposed meanings. Expressive
e) Phraseological expressive – is a linguistic phenomenon formed on the basis of It is an effectively conveying thought or feeling. “She has big expressive eyes.” It is
the need for figurative, emotional-expressive expression of a person’s mental conveying a specified quality or idea. “The spires are expressive of religious aspiration.”
state, emotions, inner experiences, attitudes to events. Big smiles, loud crying, jumping for joy and making crazy art are all expressive, which is
to effectively show feelings. Anything that communicates thoughts or feelings is
Syntactical expressive – means problems concerning the composition of spans of expressive. Expressive comes from the French word “expres” for “clear plain.” It’s easy
utterance larger than the sentence, it is a particular way of combining parts of the utterance to read people who are expressive, their emotions are clear. Smiling, laughing, shouting,
and a particular use of colloquial instructions. crying and pouting are all expressive. So is art whether it’s music, sculpture or writing.
This is a word that applies to things that communicate. If you’re not revealing how you
Emotiveness feel, you’re not being expressive.
It is of or relating to emotion: the emotive aspect of symbols, characterized by expressing,
or exciting emotion. What is emotive? The definition of emotive is someone or something Stylistic Devices
with the ability to express emotions. A painting that perfectly expresses an artist’s feelings
and that inspires emotion in its viewers is an example of something that would be What do you mean by stylistic devices?
described as emotive. It appeals to one’s emotions. In literature and writing, a figure of speech (also called stylistic device or rhetorical
Emotive sentence examples: device) is the use of any of a variety of techniques to give an auxiliary meaning, idea, or
feeling. Stylistic devices often provide emphasis, freshness of expression or clarity.
 make use of rhetoric is called a “rhetorical situation.” For example, the metaphor used in
How many stylistic devices are there? the expression “He is a tiger.” is a complete altered form of a simple idea “He is brave.”
The six types of stylistic devices we covered in this lesson were:
1. Metaphors – compare two unlike things that share a common characteristic. They are Try to compare this example to the use of a rhetorical device in the example below:
also known as direct comparison.
“I am never ever going to rob anyone for you never, never ever give in to your sinful
Examples: wish.”
 The calm lake was a minor. - The repetition in the above example does lay emphasis on the statement but does not
 Her tears were a river flowing down her cheeks. alter the sense of it.
 Kisses are the flowers of affection.
4. Personification – is a figure of speech that attributes human nature and characteristics
2. Simile – is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things and uses the words to something that is not human – whether living or non-living. What is personification
“like” or “as” and they are commonly used in everyday communication. in literature? Personification is a literary device that uses the non-literal use of
language to convey concepts in a relatable way. Writers use personification to give
Examples: human characteristics, such as emotions and behaviours, to non-human things, animals
 You were as brave as a lion. and ideas.
 They fought like cats and dogs.
 He is as strong as an ox. How do you identify personification?
 Watching the show was like watching grass grow. You can identify personification by noticing any moments where the author
describes something non-human with human characteristics. Personification examples
3. Hyperbole – is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device of figure of speech. In could include a writer comparing the sun’s warmth to the arms of a loving mother.
rhetoric, it is also sometimes known as auxesis. In poetry and oratory, it emphasizes,
evokes strong feelings, and creates strong impressions. As a figure of speech, it is How to write a personification?
usually not meant to be taken literally. a. Think of the feeling you want to express or draw out.
b. Now think of a situation that would fit that feeling.
Examples: c. Use personification by describing the objects and scene as if they were people
 I wandered lonely as a cloud. showing that feeling.
 My love is like a red, red rose.
 He’s running faster than the wind. How can we use personification in a sentence?
 This is the worst day of my life. Personification sentence example:
What is an auxesis?  He was the personification of evil.
It is the Greek word for “growth” or “increase”. In rhetoric, it refers to varying  She is the personification of the earth suffering from drought, on which the fertilizing
forms of increase hyperbole (overstatement): intentionally overstating a point, its rain descends from heaven.
importance, or its significance. Climax (ascending series): a series of clauses of increasing  Her bright and airy living room décor is the personification of spring.
force. It is a rhetorical term for a gradual increase in the intensity of meaning with words  It was the personification of an abstract idea.
arranged in ascending order of force or importance.
Common personification examples:
Examples of auxesis:  Lighting danced across the sky.
 It’s a well hit ball, it’s a long drive, it might be, it could be, it is… a home run.  The wind howled in the night.
 Edgar Allan Poe: “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering,  The car complained as the key was roughly turned in its ignition.
fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dare to dream.”  Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name.
 My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every morning.
What is the difference between rhetorical device and figures of speech?
Rhetorical figures or devices are employed to achieve particular emphasis and effect. 5. Synecdoche – is a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or
Rhetorical devices, however, are different from figures of speech. Whenever and wherever vice versa, as in Cleveland won by six runs (meaning Cleveland’s baseball team).
a figure of speech is used in written text and speech, it alters meanings of words. For
instance, a person gets on your nerves, you start feeling irritated and you say “Why don’t What is synecdoche in writing?
you leave me alone?” by posing such a question, you are not actually asking for a reason. Synecdoche is derived from the Greek word “synekdoche” defined as “simultaneous
Instead, you simple want him to stop irritating you. Thus, you direct language in a meaning.” The contemporary English definition synecdoche is a literary device where a
particular way for effective communication, making use of rhetoric. A situation where you word for a small component of something can stand in rhetorically for the larger whole, or
vice versa. Synecdoche is an incredibly useful tool to employ in your prose to help cultural, and political (what we may collectively call ideological) factors that impact upon
emphasize important themes for your reader and to make the imagery in your writing more its construction and reception.
vivid.
How many functional styles are there in English?
2 Types of Synecdoche Others insist on including the language of everyday-life discourse into the system
There are many different types of synecdoche that function slightly differently, but all can of functional styles. There are only two main functional styles: the language of science
have generally categorized them into two broad categories: and that of emotive literature.
a) Macrocosm – this is when a larger entity is used to refer to a small part within it.
When we say, “Los Angeles beat New York last night.” We are using the city What is the language of science?
name Los Angeles to refer to a team that plays for Los Angeles. English is certainly the language of science in the modern world, with an
b) Microcosm – this use of synecdoche occurs when a small part of something estimated 98% of all scientific publications being written in the language. But the 17 th
stands in to refer to the larger whole. Sometimes people use “gray beard” as a century, scientific publications were mostly written in Latin. English is the international
figure of speech to an old man, using a small part of an elderly man’s body to language of science for better or for worse, but most of world’s scientists speak it as a
refer to a single man or class of men as a whole. second language.

6. Onomatopoeia – it is the formation of word from a sound associated with what is What is emotive language?
named (e.g., cuckoo, sizzle) the use of onomatopoeia for rhetorical effect. Emotive language is the term used when certain word choices are made to evoke
an emotional response from a reader. Emotive language often aims to persuade the reader
What does onomatopoeia mean? or listener to share the writer or speaker’s point of view using language to stimulate an
The naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with emotional reaction. It also pertains to word choice. Specific diction is used to evoke
it (such as buzz, hiss) also: a word formed by onomatopoeia in comic books, when you see emotion in the reader.
someone with a gun, you know it’s only going off when you read the onomatopoeias.
Different words can be used to cause different reactions in the audience. Any
What is onomatopoeia in a sentence? words that cause an emotional reaction are examples of emotive language. Can you
An onomatopoeia is a word that mimics the sound it names. For example, “The analyze this sentence: “Put that in the recycle bin.” This sentence is not emotive. It is a
acorn plopped into the puddle.” Typically, we associate plopping with raindrops. In this command, but it does not cause an emotional reaction.
instance, we are using onomatopoeia to show acorn is imitating that sound. Explore
onomatopoeia sentences for things found in nature. “You should recycle because it saves the planet.” This sentence is emotive. It
suggests an action that elicits an emotional response. “Don’t you want to save the planet?
Onomatopoeia sentence from nature: How could you choose to not recycle since it saves the planet?” The emotive response
 Ducks quack loudly as they splash across the pond. causes a reaction or a response.
 The rocks kerplunk as they fall into the lake.
 Listen to the pitter-patter of raindrops on the leaves. Module 4
Onomatopoeia is the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles or
What is Prose?
suggests the sound that it describes. Such a word itself is also called an onomatopoeia.
Prose is an ordinary language that follows regular grammatical conventions and
Common onomatopoeias include animal voices, such as oink, meow, roar and chirp.
does not contain a formal metrical structure.
Examples:
This definition of prose is an example of prose writing, as is most human conversation,
 The boulder hit the ground with a flump.
textbooks, lectures, novels, short stories, fairy tales, newspaper articles, and essays. It is a
 Lighting crackles and thunder rumbles through the night.
form of written language that usually exhibits a natural flow of speech and grammatical
structure - an exception is the narrative device stream of consciousness. We think of prose
Functional Means in Stylistics
as normal language when we write or speak. Prose consists of ordinary sentences we
Functional style is a system of interrelated language means serving a definite aim
create when we use language. When you read a novel, a newspaper or perhaps even a
in communication. It is the coordination of the language means and stylistic devices which
textbook, you are reading prose.
shapes the distinctive features of each style and not the language means or stylistic devices
themselves.
The simplest definition of what prose is – is a form of writing which has a natural flow
with speech and writing. It is grammatically correct but does not have a metrical structure
What is functionalist stylistics?
as something like poetry would have, for example. However, the prose isn’t limited to
Functionalist stylistics is concerned with the relationship between the forms of
written works. It is also, for the most part, how we speak in our everyday language and
language as a system and the context or situation of its production, as well as the social,
also how we think. When we talk about prose we are referring to a type of language which 5. Folktale – is a traditional narrative usually anonymous, handed down orally e.g. fables,
does not demonstrate any particular structure but leans more in favor of delivering concise fairy tales, legends, etc. A tall tale is special kind of hero story because the heroes of tall
and clear language that can be easily understood. tale are ―larger than life.‖ It is an old story that’s been told again and again often for
generations. Folktales are stories in the oral traditions, or tales that people tell each other
The term prose is derived from the Latin language and translated as meaning out loud, rather than stories in written form. They’re closely related to many storytelling
―straightforward‖. When looking at prose, you will notice that it is made up of sentences traditions, including fables, myths, and fairy tales.
which are grammatically correct and these form paragraphs. In some instances, however,
you might come across another type of prose known as prose poetry which the two What is literary view or criticism?
techniques go together. It is the study and interpretation of works or literature. It involves discussion,
debate, and evaluating meaning of literary texts, aiding our understanding of the
Types of Prose relationship between authors, readers and texts. Literary critics attempt to determine the
1. Nonfiction Prose – a written work based around facts. You might see this in such pieces value and intention of literary works, investigating their structure, genre and style. There
of writing such as autobiographies or an essay. are many sub-forms of literary criticism which are constantly evolving.
2. Fictional Prose – a work of fiction such as a novel or a short story.
3. Heroic Prose – a type of prose which is literary that can be either written or spoken. What is literary criticism?
You might notice this form of prose when looking at myths and legends.  Literary criticism is the interpretation, analysis, classification and ultimately the
4. Prose Poetry – a form of prose that is intertwined with elements of poetry. judgment of literary works.
 It is usually in the form of a critical essay, but in-depth book reviews can sometimes be
Examples of Nonfiction: Examples of Fictional: considered as literary criticisms.
 A diary  Mysteries  Criticisms may examine a particular literary work or may look at an author’s writings as
 Essay  Romance a whole.
 Biography  Classic Examples of literary criticism:
 Literary work based on facts.  Fantasy - Biographical - Feminist
 History of letter writing - Comparative - Historical
- Ethical - Mimetic
- Expressive Pragmatic
Examples of Heroic: Examples of Prose Poetry
 13th Century Iceland Sagas  Spring Day by Amy Lowell What is Literary Theory?
 Fable  Two Shapes Mirrored by Tina Barry Literary Theory is simply the term used for ―A particular way of reading and viewing
 Legend  Big Bang by Leslie Anne Mcilroy texts‖ - or - ―looking at a text from a particular point-of-view‖ - or - ―reading a text from
 Volsunga Saga different perspectives‖ • You do not need to feel intimidated or worried about using
 Traditions literary theory… it’s pretty easy. All literary theorists do is: analyse texts and offer
different interpretations of the social and cultural ideas, values, experiences and
What are the 5 main genres of literature? individuals that are shown in the text. Literary theory is the body and methods we use in
Literary genres are categories in which a work of literature is classified. the practical reading of literature. Literary theory is a school of thought or style of literary
1. Fiction – one of the most popular genres of literature, fiction features imaginary analysis that gives readers a means to critique the ideas and principles of literature.
characters and events. Another term for literary theory is hermeneutics, which applies to the interpretation of a
piece of literature.
2. Nonfiction – prose writing that is based on facts, real events and real people, such as
biography or history. Examples of Literary Theory
The most commonly recognized are:
3. Drama – is a form of writing that focuses on a natural flow of speech to describe an  Marxism- discusses the socioeconomic and class differences.
exciting or unexpected series of events. This type of writing does not follow a metrical  Feminism- reinforcing or undermining the role of women amongst patriarchal
structure. It is different than other types of writing such as poetry, which requires specific society.
structure.  Post-Colonialism- looks at works produced by colonial powers and their
influence of religion and culture.
4. Poetry – is that form of literature which is aesthetic by nature, i.e it has a sound,  Post-Modernism- there are many truths; structures become unstable or
cadence, rhyme, metre, etc. that adds to its meaning. decentered.
 Gender and Queer Studies- discusses the role of sexuality, power, and
marginalized populations.
Prose 3. Analysis Considering texts as a sustained whole. This is your close reading. Note the
It is made up of sentences and paragraphs without any metrical (or rhyming) structure. It is important examples and identify techniques. This process builds your intimate
verbal or written language that follows the natural flow of speech. It is the most common understanding of the text.
form of writing, used both in fiction and non-fiction. Prose comes from the Latin “prosa
oratio,” meaning “straightforward”. In writing, prose refers to any written work that Module 5
follows a basic grammatical structure (think words and phrases arranged into sentences Poetry Genre
and paragraphs). This stands out from works of poetry, which follow a metrical structure Poetry is a form of writing that was not only words, but also a form, patterns of sound,
(think lines and stanzas). Prose simply means language that follows the natural patterns imagery, and figurative language to convey the message. It’s a literature that evokes a
found in everyday speech. concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response
through language chosen and arranged for its meaning, sound, and rhythm. Poetry is a vast
Dramatic subject, as old as history and older, present wherever religion is present, possibly—under
It means something that is noticeable or sudden. An example of dramatic is change in the some definitions—the primal and primary form of languages themselves. Poetry is the
set-up of a room. An example of dramatic is a surprise win by a sports team. Drama in other way of using language. Perhaps in some hypothetical beginning of things it was the
literature refers to the performance of written dialogue and stage action. It is a literary only way of using language or simply was language tout court, prose being the derivative
genre that allows actors to act out a writer’s work. In simple words, a drama is a and younger rival. Both poetry and language are both fashionably thought to have
composition in verse or prose presenting a story in pantomime or dialogue. It contains belonged to ritual in early agricultural societies; and poetry in particular, it has been
conflict of characters, particularly the ones who perform in front of audience on the stage. claimed, arose at first in the form of magical spells recited to ensure a good harvest.
The person who writes drama for stage directions is known as a “dramatist” or
“playwright.” Formally, poetry is recognizable by its greater dependence on at least one more parameter,
the line, than appears in prose composition. This changes its appearance on the page; and
Types of Drama it seems clear that people take their cue from this changed appearance, reading poetry
1. Comedy – Comedies are lighter in tone than ordinary works, and provide a happy aloud in a very different voice from their habitual voice, possibly because, as Ben Jonson
conclusion. The intention of dramatists in comedies is to make their audience laugh. said, poetry “speaketh somewhat above a mortal mouth.” If, as a test of this description,
Hence, they use quaint circumstances, unusual characters, and witty remarks. people are shown poems printed as prose, it most often turns out that they will read the
2. Tragedy – Tragic dramas use darker themes, such as disaster, pain, and death. result as prose simply because it looks that way, which is to say that they are no longer
Protagonists often have a tragic flaw — a characteristic that leads them to their downfall. guided in their reading by the balance and shift of the line in relation to the breath as well
3. Farce – Generally, a farce is a nonsensical genre of drama, which often overacts or as the syntax.
engages slapstick humor.
4. Melodrama – Melodrama is an exaggerated drama, which is sensational and appeals What is form in poetry?
directly to the senses of the audience. Just like the farce, the characters are of a single The form of a poem is how we describe the overarching structure or pattern of
dimension and simple, or may be stereotyped. the poem - how it looks on the page. Some forms of poetry must stick to very specific
5. Musical Drama – In musical dramas, dramatists not only tell their stories through acting rules about length, rhythm, and rhyme.
and dialogue, but through dance as well as music. Often the story may be comedic, though
it may also involve serious subjects. How to identify form in poetry?
1. The form of a poem is how we describe the overarching structure or pattern of the
Stylistic Analysis of Prose poem.
Stylistic analysis deals with analyzing the underlying patterns that make up a 2. A poem’s form can be identified by analyzing its structure.
text. It observes the writer's choice of words, formation of sentences, usage of figures of 3. Poems may be divided into stanzas with different numbers of lines.
speech, the sound patterns and how these elements cohere with the theme of the poem.
It is impossible to list every single form of poetry that writers use, but some of
How to Analyze Prose the most common are sonnet, Shakespearian sonnet, haiku, limerick, ode, epic and
Read any kind of prose: acrostic. Each of these forms has very specific rules that they must follow:
1. Comprehension The first is reading for comprehending the big picture. Reading for An acrostic, for example, is a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a
understanding is the foundation of all great written submissions. Read the text to word, vertically.
appreciate it.
Winter wonderland
2. Meaning The second is reading for finding meaning by looking at chapters and scenes. Ice is slippery.
Annotating a text is fundamental preparation. You’re looking for themes, symbols, and Nothing is hot.
moments of ambiguity. You’ll need to research. The weather is cold.
Everything you touch is cold. Example: A Funeral Hymn
Really cold
 Dramatic monologue- This might be called a "closet soliloquy": a long poem spoken by
A haiku is a Japanese form of poetry where there are three lines, which in total make up a character who often unwittingly reveals his or her hidden desires and actions over the
17 syllables - line one has five, line two has seven and line three has five. course of the poem.
Example: My Last Duches
Example:  Eclogue - A short pastoral poem; Virgil's eclogues are one of the first examples of this
Warm soup in a bowl genre.
Letters of the alphabet Example: Nymph Complaining for the Death of her Fawn
Hang on the teaspoon
 Ekphrasis - Originally a description of any kind, "ekphrasis" is now almost exclusively
Open Form and Free Verse applied to the poetic description of a work of art.
Some poems seem to have no structure or style. This is called open form. These poems Example: Iliad
won’t follow the specific rules and restrictions of some of the other forms of poetry we
have looked at. Open form is much freer and limitless. An open form poem might have  Elegy - This genre can be difficult to define, as there are specific types of elegiac poem
some element of rhyme and rhythm but will not follow a rigid pattern throughout. Other as well as a general elegiac mood, but almost all elegies mourn, and seek consolation for,
poems seem to have a loose or vague structure but definitely don’t rhyme. This is called a loss of some kind: the most common form of elegy is a lyric commemorating the death
free verse. of a loved one.
Example: Lycidas
When reading and analyzing a poem considering and identifying the form is important.
The poem will help to create an effect for the reader so identifying what that form is will  Epic - A long narrative poem that catalogues and celebrates heroic or historic deeds and
help you to consider why it has been used. events, usually focusing on a single heroic individual.
Example: Odyssey
Glossary of Poetic Genres
Whereas a "form" defines the way a poem arranges sounds, rhythms, or its appearance on  Epigram- A brief and pithy aphoristic observation, often satirical.
the page, "genre" is something like the poem's style. Many poetic genres have a long Example: I am not young enough to know everything.
history, and new poems almost always seek to explore a new aspect of the traditional style
and thus to redefine the genre in some way.  Epitaph - A tombstone inscription. Several famous poems end with the poet writing his
own.
The following list is a selection of the major genres of poetry. Example: Rest in Peace
 Allegory - A narrative with two levels of meaning, one stated and one unstated.
Example: Animal Farm  Epithalamion - A song or poem that celebrates a wedding.
Example: A lyric poem in praise of Hymen (the Greek god of marriage)
 Aubade - A song or poem greeting the sunrise, traditionally a lover's lament that the
night's passion must come to an end.  Fable - A brief tale about talking animals or objects, usually having a moral or
Example: The Sun Rising pedagogical point, which is sometimes explicitly stated at the end. Aesop and la Fontaine
are perhaps the most famous fable-writers.
 Ballad - Broadly speaking, the ballad is a genre of folk poetry, usually an orally Example: The Lion and the Mouse
transmitted narrative song. The term "ballad" applies to several other kinds of poetry,
including the English ballad stanza, which is a form often associated with the genre.  Riddle - A puzzling question that relies on allegory or wordplay for its answer. Riddles
Example: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner are often short, and often include an answer to the question posed, albeit an unsatisfying
one.
 Blason - A Renaissance genre characterized by a short catalogue-style description, often Example: The riddle of the Sphinx, which Oedipus solved, is a particularly famous
of the female body. example: "what walks on four legs in the morning, two at midday, and three in the
Example: Epithalamion afternoon?" The answer is man: a person crawls on all fours when a baby, walks upright in
the middle period of their life, and uses a walking stick when they are elderly.
 Cento - A poem composed entirely of lines from other poems.
Example: The Dong with a Luminous Nose  Tragedy - This genre originated in ancient Greek verse drama and received extended
treatment in Aristotle's Poetics, which made the downfall of the main character one of the
 Dirge – a funeral song.
criteria for tragedy. The genre has since expanded to include almost anything pertaining to Rhythm in poetry can be thought of as the beat or the flow of a poem. It is made
a downfall. up of beat and repetition, so it usually refers to features of sound. It is created by stressed
Example: Romeo and Juliet and unstressed syllables in a line or a verse. Poems that don’t have an obvious rhythm are
known as free verse.

What is rhythm in simple words?

Rhythm refers to the length of time between each major "beat", or accent, such as in a
Stylistic Analysis of Prose piece of music. It is the sequence of sounds and silences which make up the rhythm. The
Stylistic analysis in linguistics refers to the identification of patterns of usage in first beat of a group of regular, evenly spaced beats usually feels stronger than the others.
speech and writing. In some forms of stylistic analysis, the numerical recurrence of certain
stylistic features is used to make judgments about the nature and the quality of the writing. What is an example of rhythm in poetry?
This poem is written in iambic tetrameter. For example, lines 1,3,4,5,6 and 7, and
How do you analyze a prose? iambic dimeter in lines 2, 8 and 9. The rhythm divides the poem into two proper sections
 Analyzing prose. You should begin a commentary by jotting down your own reactions to while linking the two. Line 5 is a pivot.
a passage.
 Focus. What is this passage about? Meter in Poetry
 Tone. Is the attitude of the narrator significant? Meter is the basic rhythmic structure of a line within a work of poetry. Meter
 Point of view. From whose point of view is the passage told? consists of two components:
 Central Character. Is there a central character? 1.) the number of syllables, and
 Chronology. Is the passage narrated chronologically, or does it look forwards or 2.) a pattern of emphasis on those syllables
backwards at any point?
 Structure. How is the passage structured? What is an example of meter in poetry?
A good example of this is “iambic pentameter”, which can be found in English
 Description / Language. What part does description play?
language poetry across many centuries. Iambic pentameter contains five iambs per line.
Every evennumbered syllable is stressed.
How do you analyze a poetry?
Beat in Poetry
 Title. Does the title compliment or undercut the message of the poem?
Rhythm in poetry can be thought of as the beat or the flow of a poem. It is made up of beat
 Tone. Can you hear a voice in the poem? and repetition, so it usually refers to feature of sound. It is created by stressed and
 Mood. It refers to the emotional atmosphere of the whole poem. unstressed syllables in a line or verse.
 Structure. Does the structure reinforce / contrast with the message of the poem?
 Syntax. Is the poem written in sentences? What is beat in a poem?
 Imagery. Are images complimented by more than one sense? Beats within poetry represent the rhythm, sound, meter and rhyme of the entire piece of
 Symbolism. Be careful not to over interpret. poetry. There are many different types of beats the poet can use as well as different types
 Assumptions. How much does the poem reinforce or challenge accepted assumptions of meters used to write poetry. Rhyme, rhythm, meters and sound are all related to poetic
about pretty ladies, lonely wanderers, Wall Street, etc.? units or poetic beats. Feet are various patterns of accented and unaccented syllables within
the lines of a poem. A meter reflects the number of feet within a line.
What is poetic language?
Poetic language (also called poetic devices) are the tools of of sound or meaning Why is there a beat in poetry?
that a poet can use to make the poem more surprising, vivid, complex, or interesting. Rhythm is created by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line or verse.
Examples of these tools include alliteration, onomatopoeia, imagery, metaphors and Rhythm can help to strengthen the meaning of words and ideas in a poem.
similes, and allusion. Poets don't include poetic language because they want to make their
poem sound complicated or hard to understand. Instead, they use these tools to help you Types of Feet
wake up, pay attention, and look at the world in new ways. Foot is the basic unit of measurement of accentual-syllabic meter. A foot usually contains
one stressed syllable and at least one unstressed syllable. The standard types of feet in
What is language in Poetry Analysis? English poetry are the iamb, trochee, dactyl, anapest, spondee, and pyrrhic (two unstressed
From word choice to imagery, language creates the mood and tone of a poem. syllables).
The way language is arranged also impacts the rhythm of a poem. Sound and rhythm: The
syllabic patterns and stresses create the metrical pattern of a poem. 1. Iamb pentameter – is a type of metric line used in traditional English poetry and verse
drawn. The term describes the rhythm, or meter, established by the words in that line;
Rhythm of Poetry rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables called "feet".
 meaning, sound, and rhythm. Poetry is the other way of using language. Perhaps in some
2. Trochee – in poetic metre, a trochee choree, or choreus, is a metrical foot consisting of a hypothetical beginning of things it was the only way of using language or simply was
stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one, in English, or a heavy syllable followed language tout court, prose being the derivative and younger rival.
by a light one in Latin or Greek (also described as a long syllable followed by a short one).
[1] In this respect, a trochee is the reverse of an iamb. The adjective form is trochaic. Poetry Explication
3. Dactyl - is a foot in poetic meter.[1] In quantitative verse, often used in Greek or Latin, A poetry explication is an analytical essay that comments on a poem’s elements and
a dactyl is a long syllable followed by two short syllables, as determined by syllable possible meanings. In other words, writers make connections between the narrative of the
weight. In accentual verse, often used in English, it is a stressed syllable followed by two poem and the literary choices the poet uses to convey that narrative such as imagery, tone,
unstressed syllables—the opposite is the anapaest (two unstressed followed by a stressed rhythm and meter, and word choice.
syllable).
How do you write a poetry explication paper?
4. Anapest - is a metrical foot used in formal poetry. In classical quantitative meters it 1. Read the poem out loud several times.
consists of two short syllables followed by a long one; in accentual stress meters it 2. Ask yourself who is the speaker?
consists of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable. It may be seen as a 3. Underline all repetitions or devices of sound that you notice.
reversed dactyl. 4. Type the poem out (double-spaced) or a separate sheet of paper.
5. Write in your first paragraph a brief summary of the poem, i.e., a notice of its central
5. Spondee - (Latin: spondeus) is a metrical foot consisting of two long syllables, as statement and constituent parts.
determined by syllable weight in classical meters, or two stressed syllables in modern
meters. The spondee typically does not provide the basis for a metrical line in poetry. What is the goal of a poetry explication?
The purpose of an explication is to show, for an individual poem, how this is true.
6. Pyrrhic - is a metrical foot used in formal poetry. It consists of two unaccented, short Therefore, an explication is a discussion of the art and craft of language. An explication
syllables. It is also known as a dibrach. shows how the form deepens the meaning of the content.

How long is a poetry explication?

Poetic Techniques The poetry explication is usually 1000-1250 words. You are expected to display
The style of writing poetry differs from person to person- long or short meters, three or ―reflective thinking‖ in your explication, use the language of poetic analysis, and use
four lines to a stanza. But the great thing is, no matter how a poem is written, it still holds quotes from the poem as you explicate it.
great emotion. Some common techniques used in poetry are onomatopoeia, alliteration,
assonance, rhyming, simile and metaphor.

Here are just a few methods used by poets to create their masterpieces:
 Rhyming
 Repetition
 Onomatopoeia
 Alliteration
 Assonance
 Simile
 Metaphor
 Hyperbole

What are the poetic elements?

As with narrative, there are "elements" of poetry that we can focus on to enrich
our understanding of a particular poem or group of poems. These elements may include,
voice, diction, imagery, figures of speech, symbolism and allegory, syntax, sound, rhythm
and meter, and structure.

Poetic meaning
Poetry is literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of
experience or a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its