Major Poetic (literary) devices used in the poem ‘For Anne Gregory’ are given here with a short explanation to give a befitting understanding in a shorter time.
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Poem: For Anne Gregory
“Never shall a young man,
Thrown into despair
By those great honey-coloured
Ramparts at your ear,
Love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”
“But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair
May love me for myself alone
And not my yellow hair.”
“I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”
Poetic Devices – For Anne Gregory
Rhyme Scheme
The rhyme scheme of the poem is abcbdb.
“But I can get a hair-dye a
And set such colour there, b
Brown, or black, or carrot, c
That young men in despair b
May love me for myself alone d
Metaphor:
Definition: A metaphor is a literary device used to represent a comparison without using the words “like” or “as”.
- In the poem, the phrase ‘honey-coloured ramparts’ is an example of a metaphor. Yeats, through the metaphor, compares Anne Gregory’s hair to the walls of a fort.
- ‘Ramparts at your ear’. Just like the walls of a fort hide and protect the city, the hair hides the true self of Anne Gregory.
Apostrophe
An apostrophe is a rhetorical device in which a speaker or writer addresses an imaginary or absent person, object, or concept as if it were present and able to respond. In poetry, an apostrophe is often used to convey intense emotion or to give voice to an otherwise inanimate object or abstract idea.
- In this poem, Yeats is seen talking to Anne Gregory, but the readers don’t see her at any point in the poem.
- The poet makes use of apostrophe to address the poem to Anne, an absent audience.
Note:
some students raised doubts on this device. So here is some more of explanation on the use of this device.
There is a use of apostrophe as a poetic device in the poem. However, it’s important to note that the term “apostrophe” in poetry refers to a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent or imaginary person, or an abstract idea, as if it were present and capable of responding.
In the poem, the speaker seems to be addressing someone directly, possibly a woman with yellow hair. The repeated lines “Love you for yourself alone And not your yellow hair” suggest a direct address to the person with the yellow hair. This can be considered a form of apostrophe, as the speaker is addressing the qualities of the person directly, in this case, the yellow hair.
So, while apostrophe is present in the poem, it is not in the form of the punctuation mark ‘ but rather in the form of a rhetorical device where the speaker is addressing someone or something directly.
Alliteration
- Love you for yourself alone
- The phrase ‘your yellow hair’ is an example of alliteration.
- Brown, or black
Repetition
- The phrase ‘yellow hair’ has been repeated many times. By repeating this phrase, the poet is reinforcing the notion of external beauty.
- The word ‘despair’ is also repeated in the poem. It reflects the young men’s feelings for Anne Gregory.
Anaphora:
Definition: repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of sentences or clauses that follow each other, done for emphasis
In the 3rd stanza – the second and third line
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Enjambment:
Definition: lines in a stanza ending going or continuing without any punctuation
In the 2nd Stanza: the 4th and the 5th Line
That young men in despair
My love me for myself alone
In the 3rd Stanza: 1st, 2nd and the 3rd Line
‘I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
Metonymy – “Carrot”
Metonymy is a figure of speech where something closely related is used to represent the whole.
In “Brown or black, or carrot”, “carrot” is used metonymically to represent the orange or red color of hair.
Synecdoche – “Yellow hair”
Synecdoche is a figure of speech where a part of something represents the whole.
“Yellow hair” is used to symbolize Anne Gregory’s entire appearance, implying that men love her for her beauty rather than her inner self.
I have a doubt. I hope anyone of you would clarify it.
If in this poem Anne is considered as an absent audience then how is able to reply him and how is Yeats able to hear her.
I want it to be clarified very soon. Pleaseeee
Because I’m having my exam tomorrow.
Hi, everything given in a website is not correct. I also read it now, apostrophe won’t be applied here. Btw I also have exam on 27th Feb. 👍
*26th Feb
There is apostrophe. But the website has a wrong meaning of apostrophe. In general terms it is talking to a third person in a poem rather than to us or simple narration.
https://ncerttutorials.com/for-anne-gregory-poem-poetic-devices/#:~:text=some%20students%20raised,or%20something%20directly
Neither of this is happening… She is not replying because she is imaginary. He just tell us, in the name of Anne, to love others for their and not their appearance and not to let anyone love us for our looks only… Hope you understood, All the best…
No you are wrong
the poet uses the rhetorical device of apostrophe to address himself to Anne Gregory, even though the reader never sees her in the poem. Apostrophe is used when a poet addresses an absent audience or an abstract concept
In the poem Yeast was replying to Anne and saying that
If a boy cries for your rejection it doesn’t mean that he truly loves you and the boy cries because of Anne’s rejection and in the poem it says that Anne was very attractive
In the third stanza Anne replies to poet that
She will change the color of her hair and will look not attractive and will find a true love
In the last stanza poet again replied that he heard yesterday night some religious man ( baba ) were talking about a text that they found and where written about God and saying that Only god truly loves us for our inner beauty not for our external beauty
I also have the same doubt. Please clarify ASAP. Thank you!
If Anne is considered as an absent audience how is she able to give a reply and how is Yeats able to hear her
Hi Ashwita
We have updated the post with the mening of the poetic device ‘Apostrophe’ to make you understand the concept.
But clearly poet is arguing with Anne and trying to make her understand. How come she is an absent audience if she is replying to the questions of William?
same bro.. didnt understand
Here it is mentioned that the poet is trying to address and abstract idea.. so Anne is his imaginary character. The poet wants to represent Anne as a present character through her answer
But clearly poet is arguing with Anne and trying to make her understand. How come she is an absent audience if she is replying to the questions of William?
Good evening sir, shouldn’t metonymy be also used, since carrot is completely replacing the colour orange or red
guys it’s hell not an apostrophe.. cuz.. the second stanza Anne’s speakin der.. so faq it
Is refrain poetic device used ???
Yes
Could you tell me where in the poem has the poetic device ‘consonance’ is used.
Brown or black..here ‘b’ sound is being repeated.
it has two more poetic devices metonomy and synecdoche metonomy is used in carrot while synecdoche in yellow hair
Thank you. We have added these two poetic devices.