English Lit 101: Poetic Devices - Sound Devices Alliteration Assonance Consonance Onomatopoeia Euphony Cacophony Repetition Refrain

Sound Devices

Sound devices are literary techniques used to create specific effects through the use of sound in language. They can be used to evoke emotions, create moods, and enhance the overall meaning of a text. For example, in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven," the repetition of the word "nevermore" creates a sense of eeriness and foreboding. This matter for literary analysis because sound devices can reveal the author's tone, style, and themes.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in words that are close together. (Example: "She sells seashells by the seashore.")
• Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together. (Example: "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.")
• Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close together, but not necessarily the same sound. (Example: "The busy bees buzzed loudly.")
• Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate the sounds they describe. (Example: "The sizzling bacon crackled loudly.")
• Euphony: The use of sound devices to create a pleasant or harmonious effect. (Example: The soothing sound of the waves in Shakespeare's "The Tempest.")
• Cacophony: The use of sound devices to create a harsh or discordant effect. (Example: The clanging of swords in Shakespeare's "Hamlet.")
• Repetition: The repeated use of a word, phrase, or sound to emphasize its importance. (Example: The repetition of "I have a dream" in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech.)
• Refrain: A repeated phrase or line in a poem or song that provides a sense of unity and structure. (Example: The refrain in Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.")
• Meter: The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. (Example: The iambic pentameter in Shakespeare's sonnets.)
• Rhyme: The repetition of similar sounds in two or more words, usually at the end of a line. (Example: The rhyme in Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken.")
• Imagery: The use of language to create vivid sensory experiences for the reader. (Example: The imagery in William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.")
• Symbolism: The use of objects, colors, or other elements to represent abstract ideas or concepts. (Example: The rose in William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet.")
• Irony: The use of language to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning. (Example: The irony in O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi.")

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Alliteration is the same as assonance.
• Correction: Alliteration refers to the repetition of initial consonant sounds, while assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds.
• Misunderstanding: Onomatopoeia is only used in poetry.
• Correction: Onomatopoeia can be used in any literary form, including poetry, prose, and drama.
• Misunderstanding: Euphony is always used to create a positive effect.
• Correction: Euphony can be used to create a positive or negative effect, depending on the context.

Quick Application / Identification

1. Identify the sound device used in the following excerpt: "The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky." Answer: Euphony. Reason: The use of alliteration and assonance creates a pleasant and harmonious effect.
2. Identify the sound device used in the following excerpt: "The sizzling bacon crackled loudly in the pan." Answer: Onomatopoeia. Reason: The word "crackled" imitates the sound it describes.
3. Identify the sound device used in the following excerpt: "The repetition of the word 'nevermore' creates a sense of eeriness and foreboding." Answer: Repetition. Reason: The repeated use of the word "nevermore" emphasizes its importance and creates a sense of unity.

Last?Minute Revision

• Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is an example of a poem that uses repetition to create a sense of eeriness.
• The term euphony refers to the use of sound devices to create a pleasant or harmonious effect.
• Cacophony is the opposite of euphony, and is used to create a harsh or discordant effect.
• Meter is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
• Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds in two or more words, usually at the end of a line.
• Imagery is the use of language to create vivid sensory experiences for the reader.
• Symbolism is the use of objects, colors, or other elements to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
• Irony is the use of language to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning.
• The term alliteration refers specifically to the repetition of initial consonant sounds.
• The term assonance refers specifically to the repetition of vowel sounds.
• The term consonance refers specifically to the repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close together, but not necessarily the same sound.
• The term onomatopoeia refers specifically to words that imitate the sounds they describe.