Literary Devices and Techniques

Study Notes

Literary Devices and Techniques

Sibilance and Compound Noun: "Solemn silence of this glorious presence-chamber" features sibilance in "Solemn silence," enhancing the musicality and solemnity of the phrase. The term "presence-chamber" acts as a compound noun, emphasizing the grandeur of the setting.
Personification and Juxtaposition: "They elevated me from all littleness of feeling" employs personification, attributing human qualities to an unspecified entity. Juxtaposition of "elevated" and "littleness" highlights transformation and emotional growth.
Rhetorical Question and Metaphor: "Where had they fled when the next morning I awoke?" uses a rhetorical question to evoke curiosity and introspection. The metaphorical notion that views and mountains haven't fled emphasizes permanence amidst change.
Metaphor and Hyperbole: "A sublime ecstasy that gave wings to the soul" employs metaphor by suggesting ecstasy provides freedom and elevation, while hyperbole exaggerates the intensity of romantic feelings typically associated with ecstasy.
Metaphor of Emotion: "My soul glowed with love and humanity" uses metaphorical language to convey profound emotional impact, suggesting a transformative effect of love.
Metaphor and Oxymoron: "I with a heavy heart and depressed spirits" employs a metaphorical "heavy heart" to express sadness. The oxymoron "depressed spirits" reflects inner turmoil and contrast between the state of being and emotional lightness.
Personification and Hyperbole: "A dream has power to poison sleep" personifies dreams, demonstrating their emotional impact. The hyperbolic claim that sleep can be "poisoned" conveys the distressing effects of troubling dreams.
Personification: "I felt a faintness seize me" uses personification to depict faintness as an active force, emphasizing its overwhelming nature.
Parenthesis and Exclamatory Phrase: The inclusion of "(sight tremendous and abhorred!)" within parentheses, along with the exclamation mark, underscores astonishment and the depth of negative feeling associated with the sight.
Personal Responsibility and Modal Verb: "I may extinguish the spark which I so negligently bestowed" reflects the narrator's personal responsibility through the use of personal pronouns. The adverb "negligently" indicates regret, while the modal verb "may" conveys contemplation of actions against his creations, indicating a desire to negate past mistakes.

Description

Test your understanding of various literary devices including sibilance, personification, and metaphor. This quiz explores how these techniques enhance the meaning and musicality of texts. Challenge yourself and see how well you can identify and interpret these elements!