Question

Comment on the symbolism used in the poem .Long Question Answers (100-120 words):

Answer 1

Explanation:

A symbol is a person, object, place, event, or action that suggests more than its literal meaning.

In poetry, symbols can be categorized as conventional, something that is generally recognized to

represent a certain idea (i.e., a “rose” conventionally symbolizes romance, love, or beauty); in

addition, symbols can be categorized as contextual or literary, something that goes beyond a

traditional, public meaning (i.e., “night” conventionally symbolizes darkness, death, or grief;

contextually it symbolizes other possibilities such as loneliness, isolation, fear, or emptiness).

Whereas conventional symbols are used in poetry to convey tone and meaning, contextual or

literary symbols reflect the internal state of mind of the speaker as revealed through the images.

In order to have a better understanding of how poems are written, it is important to review the

use of direct and indirect comparison. The literary term for a direct comparison is simile or a

comparison with the words like, as, as if, or as though; the term for an indirect comparison is

metaphor. Simile and metaphor are used to compare two things that are not similar and shows

that they have something in common, as illustrated in the following examples:

• Life is like a box of chocolates. This is a simile and suggests there are choices to make in

life and one doesn’t always know what to expect from a decision.

• Time is money. This is a metaphor and warns you that time is not infinite and whenever

you expend time, you are making an investment that should be of value.

• O my luve’s like a red, red rose,

That’s newly sprung in June;

O my luve’s like the melodie

That’s sweetly played in tune.

In these lines from a poem by Robert Burns “love” is compared to “a red, red rose,” which

suggests passion and intimacy. The woman loved by the speaker of the poem is like a “melody”

in that she is sweet and harmonious, yet there is a gentle reminder that a melody can also be brief

and fleeting.

• All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players.

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts.

In this monologue from William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, the “world” is compared to “a

stage”; however, it is not stating the world is “like” a stage with people playing roles, etc. but

rather that the world “is” a stage, which opens the door to the imagination—to see what has not

been seen before.

Hope its help..