Sunday, December 6, 2015

What are metaphors in The Eagle and what are they comparing?

This short little poem is loaded with literary devices
that connect to the overall intention of the poem which is to present the majesty of an
eagle.  Here are few of note:


  • the claws of the
    eagle are compared to hands that "clasp" which suggests strength.  The sound device in
    that first line is alliteration -- the repetition of the hard "c" sound in "clasps"
    "crag" "crooked" all conjure his harsh and strong
    claws.

  • As he stands alone on the crag of rock, he is
    looking down on a "wrinkled sea" that "crawls."  From above, that is exactly how the sea
    would look.

  • In the last line, his take-off and flight
    down are compared to a "thunderbolt" which suggests sudden energy and power.

  • Each of the 2 3-line stanzas contains one end rhyme
    sound which unifies the image of each stanza.

  • Here is
    another example of alliteration ( ie. lonely
    l
    ands)

  • Here is an example of consonance
    (wrinkled
    crawls)

  • Here is an example
    of assonance (sea
    beneath)

  • All of the sound
    devices unify the language of the image.

  • The meter is
    iambic tetrameter which is a short and melodic meter, especially when the poet also uses
    end rhyme which creates unity in the
    poem.

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