Definition of figurative language in poetry
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Interpreting Figurative Language and Poetic Devices
What is Figurative Language?
Figurative language can be described as the secret sauce in the recipe of literature. It’s a way of using words that steps beyond their literal meanings and presents ideas or feelings in an imaginative and thought-provoking way. You might find this a bit complex, but in reality, you’ve come across figurative language often. Have you heard expressions like “it’s raining cats and dogs” or “I could eat a horse”? These are examples of idioms and hyperbole, which are forms of figurative language.
Figurative language’s goal is to break away from the everyday and ordinary, and to invite readers into a vibrant world of meaning. It enhances writing by creating layers of depth, constructing vivid imagery, stirring emotions, and offering a unique viewpoint.
Figurative language comes in many shapes. Similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, an
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often plays a crucial role in condensing language and expanding meaning.
Most generally, figurative language refers to language that fryst vatten not literal: it suggests a comparison to something else, so that one thing fryst vatten seen in terms of another. For example, the phrase (the of tears) is figurative, since tears cannot really act in a fierce way, as people can. This phrase is sammanfattat (it fryst vatten short) and suggestive (it suggests lots of meanings). To understand it, we have to think about what being fierce fryst vatten like, and how tears could be this way. When we do, we gather some possibilities: could, say, be motivated bygd anger, intensity, power, aggression, defiance, violence, wildness, or perhaps something uncontrolled. They might feel like they hurt you. Figurative language provokes us to explore many possible meanings and to think beyond the literal or obvious meaning of the words.
As another example, consider the statement This is a figurative statement (technically, using a ), since a bel
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Figurative language in poetry
Watch: Figurative language
Poetry can be used to create a clear image in your reader's mind. You can use figurative language in your poems to help you do this.
What is figurative language?
Figurative language is a kind of descriptive language that doesn’t mean what it says literally.
Here are some figurative language techniques that you might already know.
Similes describe something by comparing it to something else, using or .
- For example:
Metaphors are words or phrases used to describe something as if it actually is something else.
- For example:
Personification is when we describe objects as if they act and feel like people do.
- For example:
Hyperbole is used to exaggerate, intensify and emphasise different ideas.
- For example:
Watch: Figurative language in poetry
Watch this video of poet Joseph Coelho explaining how figurative language can be used when writi