Literary Devices
Literary Devices are the technique that a writer uses to expresses his ideas in a more elaborated way to enhance their writings.
- Simile
A simile a comparison between two objects of different kinds which have at least one point in common. It draws a resemblance with the words like- ‘ as’ ‘like’ and ‘so’.
Example:-
1. Hritik is as brave as a Lion.
2. The moon is broken like a Mirror.
3. It dropped as a gentle rain from heaven.
4. The night is as dark as a black stone.
2. Metaphor
A metaphor is an implied simile. It is used to make a comparison between two objects of different kinds but does have something in common. The words of resemblance ‘as’ ‘like’ or ‘so’ are not used here.
Examples
1.The camel is a ship of the desert.
2.Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.
3. Friendship is a sheltering tree.
4. The paper seeming boy with rats Eyes.
Difference between simile and metaphor
In Simile two objects are compared on the basis of quality
while in Metaphor both the objects are assumed as same.
3. Personification
In personification lifeless objects, ideas or animals are given human attributes.
or
In personification lifeless objects and abstract ideas are thought of as having a life.
Examples
Opportunity knocks at the door but once.
The trees inside are moving out into the forest.
Anxiety was sitting on her face.
Love is blind.
4. Apostrophe
An apostrophe is a direct address to that to the absent or a personal fight object.
Example
Oh, death come soon!
Oh , freedom ! Why are you so dear.
Difference between personification and apostrophe
In personification, we assume lifeless objects or ideas as having a life.
5. Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound in
a sequence of words to give a musical effect to enhance the beauty of our writing.
Examples
Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
Now in memories comes my mother
I stand and I look I stand and look at them long and long
Locked in a concrete cell.
6. Assonance
Assonance is a repetition of a vowel sound across words
within the lines of the poem creating internal rhyme/rhythm.
Example –
a. A stitch in time saves nine.
b. Honesty is the best policy.
c. Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
7. Repetition
A Repetition is the repetition of words, phrases, sentences or sometimes a complete is stanza to highlight some particular part in our writing to make the idea clearer and memorable.
Example:-
a. Rain Rain Go Away!
b. Balinda tickles him, she tickles him unmercifully.
c. Pistol in his left-hand pistol in his right hand.
8. Anaphora
Anaphora is a poetic device in which the writer repeats the same beginning in the form of same words, same phrases or with the same complete line chiefly with a purpose of emphasizing the repetition of elements to bring them in writing.
Example
They do not sweat and whine about their condition
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins.
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God
Not one is dissatisfied known ;not one is demanted
With the Mania of living things
The difference among Alliteration, Assonance, Repetition and Anaphora
Alliteration- repetition of consonant sound
Assonance – a repetition of vowel sound
Repetition–a repetition of words, phrases or sentences
Anaphora – a repetition of the beginning of any sentences with the same word Phrases.
Onomatopoeia-Onomatopoeia is a poetic device in which the Sound suggests the meaning.
Examples
a. I Babble on the Pebble.
b. I chatter chatter as a flow
c. Cuckoo coo
9. Hyperbole
In hyperbole, things are shown as greater or less, better or worse than they really are.
Example
a. She wept ocean of tears.
b. Rivers of blood flowed in the battle.
c. I have not seen him for ages.
d. I saw ten thousand in a glance.
10. Oxymoron
An oxymoron, two opposite qualities are added to the same thing.
Example
a. Life is bitter sweet.
b. It is an open secret.
c. He is regularly irregular.
d. And having nothing he hath all.
11. Enjambment
It is a literary device in which a line carries the idea onto the next line without the usage of any punctuation mark at the end of each line and the thought ends at the line which meets with the punctuation mark ( often full stop.)
Example
The tree inside is moving out into the forest
The forests that were empty all these days
Where no bird could sit no insect hide
no sun bury its feet in Shadow
the forests that were empty all night
will be full of trees for warning
12. Transferred epithet
A transferred epithet is a poetic device in which an adjective is used not with the noun which it normally qualifies but with some other nouns.
Example
I passed Sleepless Night yesterday.
I met with the lovely rose yesterday.
The few steps of his cage on pets of velvet quiet in his quiet rage.
QUIZ LITERARY DEVICES POETIC DEVICES
LITERARY ELEMENTS FIGURE OF SPEECH
[ays_quiz id=’3′]
PRACTICE WTH SOME MORE EXERCISES
- Mercy drops from heart as gentle rain from Heaven.
- Rise, like a fountain for me day and night.
- He is a man of iron will.
- The news was a dagger to his heart.
- I just heard the mew of the cat.
- Life is a tale told by an idiot.
- His language is sweet like honey.
- He could take mountains of meat and oceans of teas.
- Roll on! thou deep and dark blue ocean roll!
- Sweet Thames! Run swiftly till I end my song.
- I am the daughter of earth and water.
- Sweet bitter tears flowed from my eyes.
- Truth sits upon the lips of a dying man.
- She accepts the kind cruelty of a doctor’s knife.
- I heard the lake lapping with the low sound.
ANSWERS
- 1. Simile
- 2. Simile
- 3. Metaphor
- 4. metaphor
- 5. Onomatopoeia
- 6. Metaphor
- 7. Simile
- 8. Hyperbole
- 9. Apostrophe
- 10. apostrophe
- 11. Personification
- 12. Oxymoron
- 13. Personification
- 14. Oxymoron
- 15. Onomatopoeia