Wednesday, June 6, 2018

What are the literary and structural devices used in "Song" by Lady Mary Wroth?

This poem by Lady Mary Wroth is divided into seven stanzas of four lines each, all following a regular aabb rhyme scheme. The rhythm of the poem is also regular, adhering to iambic tetrameter (four beats, or emphases, in each line). This regular structure and rhythm are in line with the title of the poem, "Song." Its sing-song rhythm could indeed be set easily to music.
The poem centers around the personification of love, an abstract concept given human attributes. Love is imagined as a child, and this extended metaphor is continued throughout the poem. Love is "ever crying," "never satisfied with having," and "vows nothing but false matter." The vehicle of this metaphor is used to depict the vagaries and difficulties of love, with the poet ultimately concluding, "as a child then, leave him crying." Love brings us only to "wailing," with his virtues being vastly outweighed by his childlike incessant desire for more.
There are other literary devices within the frame of the core metaphor. Another metaphor describes "endless folly" as love's "treasure," while love, when pleased, is found figuratively "flying." For ironic effect, the poet uses the simile "Feathers are as firm in staying." Feathers and the idea of staying firmly are antithetical to each other: the poet is saying, in using this expression, that love is no more likely to stay put than a feather is (which is to say, not at all). Meanwhile, "wolves" are "no fiercer in their preying," the imagery here indicating the love is exactly as fierce a predator as wolves are and a cause of as much destruction.
We also see some examples of consonance in this poem ("what he promiseth he breaketh"), as well as alliteration ("let him gain the hand, he'll leave you / And still glory to deceive you") alongside the use of rhyme.

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