The topic of our article is the means of expression in a poem. What it is, we will describe below. As an example of analysis and to consolidate the material, the reader is invited to pay attention to F. Tyutchev's poem "Leaves" and Pushkin's beautiful poetic lines "Winter Morning".
What are means of expression?
The means of expressiveness of speech is a complex of sound (phonetic), syntactic, lexical or phraseological elements used to achieve the best effect from what was said, to attract attention, to emphasize certain aspects in speech.
Highlight:
- Sound (phonetic) means. This includes the use of certain sounds that are repeated periodically, giving a special sound. Such methods were often used by symbolist poets. For example, the well-known poem by Konstantin Balmont "Reeds" fascinates with hissing sounds that create the effect of noisereeds.
- Syntactic. These are the features of the construction of proposals. For example, V. Mayakovsky has short, biting phrases that immediately draw attention to the topic.
- Phraseological. This includes the use by the author of phraseological turns or so-called popular expressions - aphorisms.
- Lexical and semantic: related to the word and its meaning.
- Trails. Most often they are inherent in artistic speech. These are metaphors and metonymy, hyperbole.
Means of expression in a poem
Before turning to the poem and studying its means of expression, it is worth paying attention to the style of this genre. As we said above, each genre uses its own means of expression. Most often, these ways of emphasizing the author's intent are found in the artistic style. Poetry is definitely an artistic genre (with some very rare exceptions), therefore, the means of expression in a poem are used so that the reader can perceive more information, better understand the author. For prose writers, the form and style allow them not to be constrained in the size of their works, while it is more difficult for poets to fit their feelings and thoughts, vision and understanding into relatively short lines.
The most commonly used expressive techniques in poetry
The means of artistic expression in the poem are quite diverse. They are not the property of a particular author, as they have been created and improved over decades. But with specific examples and favorite means, sometimes it becomes very easy to recognize the author. The poetry of Sergei Yesenin, for example, is always filled with beautiful epithets and amazing metaphors. If a person who knows his style is read an unknown poem, most likely, he will name the author without a hitch.
Means of expression in a poem:
- Allegory. Its essence is in the expression of an object or character trait through a certain image. For example, a wolf in fairy tales and fables is always an allegorical symbol of cruelty, ferocity, self-will.
- Hyperbole and Litota. Simply put, artistic exaggeration and understatement.
- Antithesis. A way of expressiveness, which is achieved by comparing or placing two or more contrasting concepts side by side. A. S. Pushkin, for example, says about the storm: “Like a beast, she will howl, then she will cry like a child.”
- Anaphora. This is the same beginning of several lines, as in Konstantin Simonov's brilliant poem "Wait for me."
- Alliteration. The use of consonant sounds of a specific sound range, as in Balmont's "Reeds", hissing sounds, alternating with each other, create a mystical presence of plant noise at night.
- Metaphor. The figurative meaning of a word based on one or more features. "The old woman's hut" by Yesenin, for example. The flimsy hut is compared to the old woman due to the advanced age of both.
- Metonymy. One word instead of another, or partinstead of an integer.
- Incarnation. A technique when the properties of a living object are attributed to an inanimate object.
- Comparison and epithet. The first is when one object is compared with another for the best effect of information transfer. The second one is known to many from literature lessons and is an artistic definition.
Means of expression in the poem "Leaves" by Tyutchev
To better consolidate the topic, we will consider specific poems and, using their example, we will try to figure out what expressive techniques are.
This poetic attempt by the writer to understand the meaning of life, to mourn its transience is a real masterpiece of landscape lyrics. She is, as it were, a monologue of leaves that are sad about their fate and the summer that has flown by so imperceptibly.
There are many means of expression here. This is both personification (leaves speak, reflect, the author presents them to the reader as living beings), and antithesis (leaves oppose themselves to needles), and comparison (“hedgehog needles” they call pine needles). Here we can also see alliteration techniques (sounds “zh”, “h”, “sh”).
Playing with tense forms of verbs helps the author achieve the effect of dynamics, movement. Thanks to this technique, the reader practically feels the transience of time and the movement of leaves. Well, like any poem, "Leaves" was not without the use of epithets. There are a lot of them here, they are colorful and lively.
Pay attention to the size of the poem. In just four small lines, the poet usesmany means of expression and raises several philosophical questions. Always be careful when reading poetry, and you will be pleasantly surprised by how much the author tells us.
Poem "Winter Morning"
The means of expression of the poem "Winter Morning" delight with their diversity. This work is an example of the best landscape lyrics.
Tricks that A. S. Pushkin uses to achieve a special mood - this is primarily an antithesis. The contrast between the gloomy yesterday and the beautiful today distinguishes both pictures of nature - a cold snow storm and a beautiful morning - into separate canvases. The reader seems to see both the sound of a blizzard and blinding snow.
Special positive epithets "charming", "magnificent", "wonderful" emphasize the mood of the author and convey it to us. There is also personification in poetry. The blizzard is "angry" here, and the haze "rushed" across the gloomy sky.
In closing
Means of expressiveness of speech do not just decorate and complement speech, they make it lively, artistic. They are like bright colors with which the artist enlivens his picture. Their goal is to emphasize and draw attention, enhance the impression, perhaps even surprise. Therefore, when reading poetry, do not rush, think about what the author wants to convey. Skipping the thoughts of great artists hidden between the lines of the word, you lose a lot.
