Analysis Of Sonic Devices By William Blake And...

Sonic devices can be defined as deliberate alterations made in poems that affect the sound quality of the poem for emphasis or seizing the attention of the readers. Sonic techniques can also be used for vivid description (Golston). For instance, onomatopoeia is a technique that mimics the sound created by another object. This is to help the reader create a mental picture of what the poet is trying to describe. Sonic techniques mark the rhythm in a piece. The combination of alliteration, repetition, consonance, assonance, and meter, cumulatively build the rhythmic tone of a poem. This paper seeks to highlight these techniques, and their applications in the works of two prolific poets of their time; William Blake and Langston Hughes. Analysis Blake and Hughes are significantly different. They came from different eras and wrote about diverse themes. This may be attributed to the fact that they are from dissimilar ethnic backgrounds. Hughes is African American while Blake is British. This ominously sets them apart as they experienced different ways of life. Conversely, these two poets share the use of sonic techniques in their work. Once again art has brought together people from different parts of the world. The first and arguably the most mutual sonic device employed by both poets is alliteration. This is the repetition of initial sounds at short intervals or in adjoining words. Alliteration is employed for emphasis and rhyme. In Langston Hughes Theme for English B, the