2. Imagery
Most figures of speech cast up a picture in your mind.
These pictures created or suggested by the poet are called
'images'. To participate fully in the world of poem, we
must understand how the poet uses image to convey more than
what is actually said or literally meant.
We speak of the pictures evoked in a poem as 'imagery'.
Imagery refers to the "pictures" which we perceive with our
mind's eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin, and through which we
experience the "duplicate world" created by poetic language.
Imagery evokes the meaning and truth of human experiences
not in abstract terms, as in philosophy, but in more perceptible
and tangible forms.
3. This is a device by which the poet makes his meaning
strong, clear and sure. The poet uses sound words and words
of color and touch in addition to figures of speech. As well,
concrete details that appeal to the reader's senses are used to
build up images.
Although most of the image-making words in any
language appeal to sight (visual images), there are also images
of touch (tactile), sound (auditory), taste (gustatory), and
smell (olfactory).
4. Through the words used by the poet, as expressed by the
“persona” / speaker, the vivid images, clear sounds, and exact
feelings are clearly conveyed. The descriptions help in making
sense of the poem.
Read the poem silently and think of the images the
words created in your mind.
Picture them in your mind and try to bring them in
clear focus.
List these words that create clear pictures in your
mind.
Share the feeling each image evokes.
Point out the real-life experience or observation in life
that each image suggests.
Copy the chart shown on the next page and fill it out
with the entries called for.
5. Imagery in The Seven Ages of Man
Words/Lines Images Created Feelings Evoked Meaningful
Experience
Woeful ballad A phonograph playing
sad songs
Grief and Sorrow During a burial
Sighing like Furnace Tired and Weary person Exhausted and worn-out
Loaded with tasks
Creeping like snail A kid forced to go to
school
Reluctant Forced by parents to
wake up early in the
morning
