Extended metaphors

Definition

An extended metaphor is a literary device where a comparison between two unlike things is developed over several lines or throughout an entire work. This technique allows poets to create deeper meanings and connections between ideas, enhancing the emotional resonance of their themes and imagery.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Extended metaphors are prevalent in Victorian poetry, where poets often use them to convey complex emotions and societal critiques.
2. This literary device can be found in various forms, including entire poems dedicated to a single metaphorical concept, allowing for a nuanced exploration of themes.
3. In Victorian poetry, extended metaphors often relate to nature, love, and the human condition, reflecting the era's preoccupations with industrialization and social change.
4. Poets like Alfred Lord Tennyson and Elizabeth Barrett Browning frequently employed extended metaphors to link personal experiences with broader societal issues, making their work both intimate and universal.
5. The use of extended metaphors can also serve to unify a poem's structure, creating coherence and reinforcing the central message throughout.

Review Questions

• How do extended metaphors enhance the emotional impact of Victorian poetry?
  • Extended metaphors enhance the emotional impact of Victorian poetry by allowing poets to create deeper connections between abstract ideas and tangible images. By developing a metaphor over several lines or stanzas, poets can evoke complex feelings and resonate with readers on multiple levels. For example, a poet might compare love to a journey, elaborating on the various stages and challenges faced along the way, which invites readers to reflect on their own experiences.
• Discuss how specific poets utilized extended metaphors to address themes of social change during the Victorian era.
  • Specific poets, such as Tennyson and Browning, utilized extended metaphors to address themes of social change by drawing parallels between personal experiences and broader societal issues. For instance, Tennyson's metaphor of nature as a reflection of human emotions allows readers to see how the industrial changes of the time impacted individual lives. Through this technique, poets not only conveyed personal struggles but also critiqued the changing society around them.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of extended metaphors in reinforcing thematic elements in Victorian poetry. Provide examples from notable works.
  • Extended metaphors are highly effective in reinforcing thematic elements in Victorian poetry as they provide a framework for exploring complex ideas. For example, Browning’s use of the metaphor of a caged bird in 'The Last Ride Together' illustrates themes of love and longing while emphasizing feelings of entrapment. This not only enriches the reader's understanding but also allows for layered interpretations that reflect personal and societal conflicts. Such depth makes extended metaphors essential tools for conveying intricate emotional landscapes in Victorian literature.

Related terms

metaphor: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlike entities without using 'like' or 'as'.

imagery:

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and helps to create vivid mental pictures in the reader's mind.

symbolism: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, often conveying deeper meanings beyond the literal sense.