Poetic Techniques (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes

Poetic Techniques

Poetic Technique	Description	Example/Effect
Theme	The central idea or message of the poem.	Common themes include love, war, nature, childhood, etc.
Tone	The poet's attitude towards the subject; can change throughout the poem.	A poem might start with a calm tone and shift to a more chaotic one, reflecting changes in emotion.
Imagery	Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating mental images.	"The soft lapping of lake water" enhances a peaceful atmosphere.
Metaphor	A figure of speech where something is described as if it were something else.	"Hope is the thing with feathers" (Emily Dickinson) • describes hope as a bird, suggesting its lightness and resilience.
Simile	A comparison using "like" or "as".	"Her smile was like sunshine" • suggests warmth and positivity.
Personification	Giving human qualities to non-human things.	"The wind whispered through the trees" • suggests a gentle, almost secretive movement.
Alliteration	The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.	"She sells sea-shells" • creates a musical effect or emphasises certain words.
Assonance	The repetition of vowel sounds within words.	"The light of the fire is a sight to admire" • creates internal rhyming and a flowing sound.
Onomatopoeia	Words that imitate natural sounds.	"Buzz," "hiss," "clang" • enhances the sensory experience of the poem.
Rhyme Scheme	The pattern of rhyme at the end of each line.	ABAB, AABB • Can create harmony or emphasise key ideas.
Enjambment	The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line.	Speeds up the pace of the poem, can create a sense of urgency or flowing thought.
Caesura	A pause in a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation.	"To be, or not to be—that is the question." • Adds emphasis or mirrors natural speech patterns.
Allusion	A reference to another work of literature, person, or event.	"No, I am not Prince Hamlet" • references Shakespeare's Hamlet to draw comparisons or contrasts.
Symbolism	The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.	A rose often symbolises love or beauty.
Irony	A contrast between expectation and reality.	Saying "What a beautiful day" during a storm • can create humour, emphasise contrast, or criticise.
Meter	The rhythmic structure of a poem, determined by the number of syllables and the pattern of emphasis.	Iambic pentameter (five pairs of unstressed/stressed syllables) • creates a rhythm that mimics natural speech.
Juxtaposition	Placing two contrasting elements close together to highlight their differences.	"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" • emphasises the extremes.
Oxymoron	A figure of speech where contradictory terms appear together.	"Deafening silence" • highlights the paradox of silence being overwhelmingly loud.
Tense	The time in which the poem is set (past, present, future).	Shifting from past to present tense may indicate a realisation or conclusion by the poet.
Punctuation	The use of commas, full stops, dashes, etc., to control the rhythm and pace.	Dashes can create pauses, emphasising a change in thought or tone.