It Is A Beauteous Evening Literary Devices

"It Is A Beauteous Evening" is a sonnet by William Wordsworth, one of the most influential Romantic poets. The poem describes a peaceful evening by the sea, where the speaker walks with his daughter and reflects on the divine presence in nature and in her. The poem uses various literary devices to convey the speaker's admiration and awe for the beauty and harmony of the natural world.

Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike, without using words such as "like" or "as". Wordsworth uses metaphors to create vivid images and associations in the reader's mind. For example, in the first line, he calls the evening "beauteous", which implies that it is not only beautiful, but also has qualities of grace, elegance, and charm. In the second line, he compares the evening to a "holy time", suggesting that it is sacred, pure, and serene. In the third line, he likens the evening to a "Nun / Breathless with adoration", implying that it is silent, devout, and reverent. In the fifth line, he personifies the "gentleness of heaven" as a motherly figure that "broods o'er the Sea", implying that it is protective, nurturing, and soothing.

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Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close proximity. Wordsworth uses alliteration to create a musical and rhythmic effect in his poem, as well as to emphasize certain words and ideas. For example, in the first line, he repeats the "b" sound in "beauteous" and "free", creating a soft and gentle sound that matches the mood of the poem. In the fourth line, he repeats the "s" sound in "sinking", "sun", and "tranquility", creating a hissing sound that mimics the sound of the sea. In the sixth line, he repeats the "m" sound in "mighty" and "motion", creating a strong and powerful sound that contrasts with the calmness of the previous lines.

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech that gives human qualities or abilities to non-human things or abstract concepts. Wordsworth uses personification to animate and dramatize nature, as well as to suggest a connection between nature and God. For example, in the sixth line, he calls the sea a "mighty Being" that is "awake", implying that it is alive, conscious, and active. In the seventh line, he says that the sea "doth with his eternal motion make / A sound like thunder", implying that it has agency, power, and voice. In the ninth line, he addresses his daughter as a "dear child" and a "dear Girl", implying that he has affection and tenderness for her.

Simile

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things that are alike in some way, using words such as "like" or "as". Wordsworth uses similes to create vivid images and associations in the reader's mind. For example, in the eighth line, he compares the sound of the sea to "thunder", implying that it is loud, impressive, and awe-inspiring. In the twelfth line, he compares his daughter's state to lying "in Abraham's bosom all the year", implying that she is blessed, favored, and close to God.

References

[Wordsworthâs Poetry âœIt is a beauteous evening, calm and freeâ Summary ...]

[It Is a Beauteous Evening Summary & Analysis - LitCharts]

[It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free - Poetry Foundation]

[It Is a Beauteous Evening Analysis - eNotes.com]

[William Wordsworth's It Is a Beauteous Evening Summary & Analysis]

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