The Spider and the Fly: Poetic Devices: 2023

The Spider and the Fly: Poetic Devices

1. Simile –

A simile is a figure of speech in which a likeness between two different things is stated
explicitly, using the words ‘as’ or ‘like.’ For instance,
“Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead.”
Here, the fly’s eyes have been compared to a diamond and the spider’s eyes to lead.

2. Anaphora –

It is a figure of speech in which there is a deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the
beginning of a sequence of sentences, paragraphs, and lines. For instance,
“How handsome are your gauzy wings? How brilliant are your eyes!”

3. Repetition –

It is a word, phrase, sentence, or poetical line repeated to emphasize its significance in the
text. For instance, “O no, no,” said the little fly, “for I’ve often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed.”
The use of the phrase ‘O no, no’ and ‘never, never’ emphasizes the fly’s firm dedication
to not enter the spider’s web.

4. Alliteration –

The close repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words, is called
alliteration. For instance, they
“fiercely held her fat.”
“dismal den”

5. Assonance –

It is the repetition of similar vowel sounds. For instance,
“ This the prettiest little parlor” – (‘i’ sound is repeated here)

FAQs and Headers updated by Anjali Roongta on 25th April 2023.