UNIT 2
POETRY
How A Poem Sounds
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Hundreds of years ago, before people wrote down poems in books, they were recited or performed. Therefore, how a poem sounds has always been very important. There are a number of language techniques a poet can use to make their poem sound good, such as alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia.
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What is alliteration?
Alliteration is repeating the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely connected words.
Etymology
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The word ‘alliteration’ comes from Latin and means ‘to add on a letter’.
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Examples
‘From forth the fatal loins of these two foes…’
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping…’
(from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)
(from ‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allen Poe)
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She sells sea shells on the sea shore
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She sells sea shells on the sea shore
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F
While I nodded, nearly napping…
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Th
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From forth the fatal loins of these two foes…
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What is assonance? Assonance is repeating similar vowel sounds in a series of words or phrases.
Etymology The word ‘assonance’ comes from French and means ‘to respond to sound’.
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