A Comparison of two poems based on the same thematic concern - Essay Example

A Comparison of two poems based on the same thematic concern Poetry, one of the literary works of art is unique. This is because it uses a number of devices so that the poet can pass the intended message effectively. The literary devices that may be employed include rhyme, use of free verse, imagery, metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, symbols and repetition. All these are used differently by poets to portray the message that they intend to even when the subject matter at hand is the same.

Both Dylan Thomas and Wilfred Owen have based their poems, ‘Do Not Go Gentle into the Good Night’ and ‘Disabled’ respectively, on the subject matter of death. To portray this theme, both poets have effectively used language and different literary devices like repetition and similes. Despite the fact that they portray the same thematic concerns, the literary devices have been used in different ways to signify different aspects. This paper will compare and contrast the two poems based on the use of literary devices.

Similes have been used as literary devices in both poems. In the poem ‘Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night’, the use if simile is evident in the line ‘blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay’. Here, Thomas compares blind eyes to meteors, the word blaze signifies the fact that blind men burn with a zest for life and do not give up. The simile shows that even though blind men may be helpless, they still strive to live and not die. This contributes to the theme in that many people do not wish to die.

‘Saddening like a hymn’ is the simile in the poem ‘disabled’. Sadness is being compared to something so happy like a hymn. The teenager is so much saddened after losing his limbs to the extent that even the things that should make him happy do not excite him anymore. This shows the extent to which he has given up on life. This literary device has been used to show of the two people to death; while the teenager has given up and simply awaits death, the persona’s father in ‘Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night’ seems to be having some hope that he will live longer.

Repetition is a situation whereby certain words are written constantly in literary works (Poteat 139). This literary device has been employed in both poems. In the poem ‘Disabled’, the words ‘Why don’t they come’ have been repeated at the end of the poem. It is a rhetorical question (Poteat 139), and the young man is questioning why he is being left alone when he is incapable of doing a lot of things by himself. It shows that he has given up and see’s death beckoning. ‘They’ is directed towards the public who now treat him differently since he does not have limbs.

He can no longer touch the waists of the women whose eyes now pass from him to the strong men. This shows that he yearns for his previous life. The repetition emphasizes the fact that he is rather impatient, he fears that no one is coming to help him and he might be left alone to die. In Thomas’ poem, the words ‘Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night’ have been repeated in stanza’s 1, 2, 4 and 6. The line is an emphasis (Poteat 139), with the persona giving his father the urgent message not to die.

Night signifies death. The repetition of the line shows the urgency of the persona to prevent is father’s death, it shows that he has some hope and feels that his father might live longer if he held on. However, while Thomas uses personification and metaphor’s to portray the theme of death, Owen uses epithet, this is the economic use of words (Wheeler). Instead of saying he would be spending years when he is sick, he talks of ‘sick years’. In addition to this, instead of referring to people with their names or subjects, he simply refers to people as ‘them’.

‘Sick years’ as a phrase is used to highlight the tough times the persona is going to go through when he is in the wheelchair. It also shows that the persona is not likely to survive from death for a long time; he is more likely to lose the battle and die. In the other poem, old age has been personified, this is in the line, ‘old age should burn and rave at close of day’. Old age has been given a human attribute where it is being described to burn. Burn in this case is a metaphor signifying an aspect of fighting death.

Close of the day is also a metaphor for dying. This shows that the father is willing to struggle and live on. Literary devices in this instance have been used to show the different ways which people approach death. ‘Rage, rage’ could be viewed as repetition as well as alliteration. For repetition, it emphasizes the struggle to fight death. On the aspect of alliteration, it adds rhythm to the poem though on a sad note, there is the creation of a slow but sad musical feeling. In conclusion, both poem shave addressed the theme of death using various literary devices such as repetition, similes, alliteration and epithet to convey different meanings in the poem.

While ‘Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night’ shows an aspect of struggle against death, ‘Disabled’ shows a situation whereby one has given up on life and is simply awaiting death. But all in all, the main theme that has been highlighted in both poems is death. Works Cited Poteat, Hubert. The Functions of Repetition in Latin Poetry. The Classical Weekly, Vol. 12, No. 18. Pp.139-142 (March 1919). Wheeler, Kip. Epithets. Retrieved on 6th April 2012 from http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/epithets.

html (2012). Annotated Bibliography on Literary Devices Poteat, Hubert. The Functions of Repetition in Latin Poetry. The Classical Weekly, Vol. 12, No. 18. Pp.139-142 (March 1919). The use of repetition is varied and effective in poetry. These functions can be divided into three categories. There is repetition for emphasis, for the enhancement of rhetorical effects and lastly to portray musical convenience. After an observation of many poems, it has come to my realization that repetition is mainly used for emphasis.

Other aspects of repetition, such as the enhancement of musicality are mostly portrayed through the use of rhyme and rhythm. Rhetorical questions are sometimes posed in non-repetitive statements and can be identified without necessarily being repeated. In my opinion, the use of repetition in poems is effective in the portrayal of the message that was intended by the poet if used well. However, an exaggerated use of repetition may make the repeated statement monotonous thus rendering the poem boring.

Therefore, repetition should only be used by the poet when it is necessary to emphasize on some aspects such as thematic concerns. Wheeler, Kip. Epithets. Retrieved on 6th April 2012 from http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/epithets.html (2012). Epithets serve ritualistic as well as literary functions. In literary use, most specifically poetry, they are used to complete the necessary syllables in a line; this is done by using one word to describe a certain scenario or act. Greek and Roman epithets were mostly used in three or six syllable sections of a poem, and were employed when some poets forgot their lines during a recital.

Although epithets were used in the classical period, they are nowadays being used on a rather different note; to describe certain scenarios. Epithets are mostly used to achieve the required syllable structure by poets. The use of epithets on forgotten lines or bits of verses is quite helpful and rids poets of embarrassment at having forgotten their lines. I believe that the use of epithets as a style is always done subconsciously. Poets always describe situations with one word without really knowing that they are employing the use of epithets.

The use of this literary device should be sensitized so that it may be used frequently and with proper knowledge on its application.