LECTURE 9

Poetry: Types and Figures of Speech

Poetry is a literary form that uses heightened language, rhythm, and often meter to express
emotions, ideas, or tell stories. Unlike prose, poetry focuses on the aesthetic qualities of
language, such as sound and meaning, to evoke a deeper emotional response.

Types of Poetry:
1. Lyric Poetry:
Lyric poetry is primarily focused on expressing the personal feelings and
emotions of the poet. It does not tell a story but instead reflects the speaker's
emotions or thoughts.
Examples: Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by
William Wordsworth.
2. Narrative Poetry:
Narrative poetry tells a story, often with characters and a plot, much like prose
fiction. It can be long or short and may include epics, ballads, and romances.
Examples: The Iliad by Homer, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel
Taylor Coleridge.
3. Epic Poetry:
An epic is a long, narrative poem that often deals with heroic deeds and events
that are significant to a culture or nation.
Examples: The Aeneid by Virgil, The Odyssey by Homer.
4. Dramatic Poetry:
Dramatic poetry is written in verse and designed to be performed. It usually
portrays a conflict or situation and may include a chorus or dialogue between
characters.
Examples: The Divine Comedy by Dante, Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

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 5. Elegy:
An elegy is a type of poem that laments or mourns the death of an individual or
the passing of a period of time. It is often serious and reflective.
Examples: Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray, To an
Athlete Dying Young by A.E. Housman.
6. Sonnet:
The sonnet is a 14-line poem that usually follows a specific rhyme scheme. There
are several forms, including the Shakespearean sonnet (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG)
and the Petrarchan sonnet (ABBA ABBA CDE CDE).
Examples: Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 130 by William
Shakespeare.
7. Free Verse:
Free verse poetry does not follow a specific meter or rhyme scheme. It allows the
poet more flexibility in expression and structure.
Examples: The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams, Song of Myself by
Walt Whitman.
8. Haiku:
A traditional Japanese form of poetry that consists of three lines with a syllable
pattern of 5-7-5. Haikus often focus on nature and the changing seasons.
Examples: An old silent pond... / A frog jumps into the pond— / Splash! Silence
again. — Matsuo Bashō.
9. Limerick:
A limerick is a humorous, often whimsical five-line poem with a specific meter
(anapestic trimeter) and a rhyme scheme of AABBA.
Examples: There was an Old Man with a nose / Who said, “If you choose to
suppose / That my nose is too long / You’re completely wrong!” — Edward Lear.

Figures of Speech in Poetry:

Figures of speech are rhetorical devices used in poetry to convey meanings in a more
imaginative or expressive way. They often involve the use of language that deviates from the
literal meaning of words.
1. Simile:
A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as."
Example: "Her smile was like the sun" (comparing a smile to the sun).

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2. Metaphor:
A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
Example: "Time is a thief" (implying time steals moments from us).
3. Personification:
Giving human qualities to non-human things or abstract concepts.
Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
4. Hyperbole:
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.
Example: "I've told you a million times."
5. Alliteration:
The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of closely connected
words.
Example: "She sells seashells by the seashore."
6. Onomatopoeia:
A word that imitates the sound it represents.
Example: "The bees buzzed around the flowers."
7. Assonance:
The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
Example: "The early bird catches the worm."
8. Consonance:
The repetition of consonant sounds, typically at the end or middle of words.
Example: "The lumpy, bumpy road."
9. Irony:
A contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs, often used for
humorous or emphatic effect.
Example: A fire station burns down.
10. Oxymoron:
A figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are used together.
Example: "Deafening silence."

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 11. Synecdoche:
A figure of speech where a part represents the whole, or vice versa.
Example: "All hands on deck" (hands represent people).
12. Metonymy:
A figure of speech where one thing is substituted for another with which it is closely
associated.
Example: "The crown will find an heir" (crown representing the monarchy).
13. Pun:
A form of wordplay where a word with multiple meanings or similar-sounding words are
used to create a humorous effect.
Example: "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."
14. Anaphora:
The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
Example: "I have a dream..." (Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech).
15. Epiphora (or Epistrophe):
The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.
Example: "I want pizza, she wants pizza, we all want pizza!"
16. Allusion:
A brief reference to a person, event, place, or artistic work.
Example: "He was a real Romeo with the ladies" (alluding to Shakespeare's Romeo and
Juliet).
17. Rhetorical Question:
A question asked for effect, with no answer expected.
Example: "Who doesn't love a good story?"
Conclusion:
Poetry is a diverse and rich genre that uses various forms and figures of speech to communicate
emotions, tell stories, and provoke thought. Whether through structured forms like sonnets and
haikus or through free verse, poetry employs language in unique and creative ways to evoke
powerful responses from readers. Understanding the types of poetry and the figures of speech
used within them helps to appreciate the depth and beauty of this literary form.

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Short Questions Answers

1. What is lyric poetry?

Answer: Lyric poetry expresses personal feelings and emotions, often focusing on a
single theme or idea, without a narrative structure.

2. What is narrative poetry?

Answer: Narrative poetry tells a story, with characters, a plot, and often a setting, similar
to prose fiction.

3. What is an epic poem?

Answer: An epic poem is a long, narrative poem that deals with heroic deeds and events
of cultural significance, often involving gods or legendary figures.

4. What is the difference between elegy and sonnet?

Answer: An elegy is a poem of mourning or reflection, while a sonnet is a 14-line poem
with a specific rhyme scheme, typically about love or philosophical themes.

5. What is free verse poetry?

Answer: Free verse poetry does not follow any specific rhyme or meter and allows the
poet greater flexibility in structure and expression.

6. What is a limerick?
Answer: A limerick is a humorous five-line poem with a distinct AABBA rhyme scheme
and a specific meter, often featuring playful or witty themes.

7. What is a haiku?
Answer: A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem consisting of three lines with a 5-7-5
syllable pattern, often focusing on nature or the seasons.

8. What is a metaphor?
Answer: A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using
"like" or "as," suggesting that one thing is another.

9. What is personification?
Answer: Personification is giving human qualities to non-human things or abstract
concepts, such as "The wind whispered."

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 10. What is hyperbole?
Answer: Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally,
such as "I've told you a million times."

11. What does alliteration mean?

Answer: Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of
closely placed words, like in "Peter Piper picked a peck."

12. What is onomatopoeia?

Answer: Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate natural sounds, such as "buzz,"
"clang," or "sizzle."

13. What is an oxymoron?

Answer: An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms, like
"deafening silence."

14. What is a rhetorical question?

Answer: A rhetorical question is a question asked for effect or emphasis, where no
answer is expected, such as "Who doesn't love a good story?"

15. What is synecdoche?

Answer: Synecdoche is a figure of speech where a part of something represents the
whole or vice versa, like "All hands on deck."

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What is the main characteristic of lyric poetry?
(a) Tells a story
(b) Expresses personal feelings and emotions
(c) Focuses on nature
(d) Describes historical events
Answer: (b) Expresses personal feelings and emotions
2. Which of the following is an example of narrative poetry?
(a) Sonnet
(b) Epic

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 (c) Haiku
(d) Limerick
Answer: (b) Epic
3. How many lines are typically in a sonnet?
(a) 10
(b) 12
(c) 14
(d) 16
Answer: (c) 14
4. What is the primary feature of a limerick?
(a) It has a serious theme
(b) It follows an AABBA rhyme scheme
(c) It is written in free verse
(d) It has no rhyme scheme
Answer: (b) It follows an AABBA rhyme scheme
5. Which of the following is a characteristic of a haiku?
(a) 5-7-5 syllable pattern
(b) AABBA rhyme scheme
(c) 14 lines
(d) Written in free verse
Answer: (a) 5-7-5 syllable pattern
6. Which figure of speech involves exaggeration for emphasis?
(a) Simile
(b) Hyperbole
(c) Personification
(d) Metaphor
Answer: (b) Hyperbole
7. What is the definition of a metaphor?
(a) A comparison using "like" or "as"
(b) A direct comparison without using "like" or "as"

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 (c) Giving human traits to non-human things
(d) The repetition of consonant sounds
Answer: (b) A direct comparison without using "like" or "as"
8. Which figure of speech gives human qualities to non-human things?
(a) Personification
(b) Oxymoron
(c) Synecdoche
(d) Alliteration
Answer: (a) Personification
9. What does the term "alliteration" refer to?
(a) Repetition of vowel sounds
(b) Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
(c) Exaggeration
(d) A direct comparison
Answer: (b) Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
10. What is onomatopoeia?
(a) The repetition of a word at the beginning of sentences
(b) Words that imitate sounds
(c) A figure of speech involving contradictions
(d) A rhetorical question
Answer: (b) Words that imitate sounds

True/False Questions
11. A haiku is a 14-line poem.

Answer: False

12. In a limerick, the rhyme scheme is usually AABBA.

Answer: True

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 13. Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves a direct comparison between two unlike
things.
Answer: False

14. A metaphor involves a comparison using "like" or "as."

Answer: False

15. Personification involves giving human characteristics to non-human things.

Answer: True

Fill in the Blanks

16. A limerick has a distinct rhyme scheme of ________.
Answer: AABBA

17. A haiku typically follows a ________ syllable pattern.

Answer: 5-7-5

18. The figure of speech in which an object is compared to something else directly is
called ________.
Answer: Metaphor

19. The repetition of consonant sounds, often at the beginning of words, is known as
________.
Answer: Alliteration

20. The phrase "the wind whispered" is an example of ________.

Answer: Personification

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