For Anne Gregory Poem Poetic Devices

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


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. 

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


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This Post Has 9 Comments

  1. Yaswitha

    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.

    1. Jay

      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. 👍

  2. Yaswitha

    If Anne is considered as an absent audience how is she able to give a reply and how is Yeats able to hear her

    1. Sirji

      Hi Ashwita
      We have updated the post with the mening of the poetic device ‘Apostrophe’ to make you understand the concept.

      1. Jay

        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?

        1. JUICE WRLD

          same bro.. didnt understand

  3. Jay

    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?

  4. JUICE WRLD

    Good evening sir, shouldn’t metonymy be also used, since carrot is completely replacing the colour orange or red

  5. san

    guys it’s hell not an apostrophe.. cuz.. the second stanza Anne’s speakin der.. so faq it

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