Extended Metaphors in Poetry: Exploring Its Use & Impact - Essay Sample

Introduction

According to Meyer an extended metaphor is a sustained comparison in which part or all of a poem consists of a series of related metaphors. Usually, extended metaphors are more detailed than ordinary metaphors, so they can be as long as a sentence or an entire paragraph. Some extended metaphors could as well be complete works of art. In extended metaphors, one metaphor is adopted and developed in detail with various images and subjects. In poetry, extended metaphors are used to communicate intended messages to audiences. In the poems, I taste a liquor never brewed and “Hope” is the thing with feathers, Emily Dickinson carefully employs the use of extended metaphors to communicate various themes. This paper focuses on how the poet uses extended metaphors to discuss the themes of hope and the power of nature.

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In the first poem, and "Hope" is the thing with feathers, Emily Dickinson uses extended metaphors to discuss the theme of hope. In the poem, hope is depicted as a bird that lives deep within the soul of humans. The bird of hope never tires as it sings at all times. Emily says that it ‘never stops- at all’ (Dickinson, line 4). The primary metaphor, in this case, lies in the conclusion that hope is a bird. The poet speaks more about the bird, in an attempt to directly compare it to hope. Just like a bird never stops to sing regardless of weather or situations it may be in, hope does not demand anything from its bearer. The poet succeeds in transforming hope into the character of a bad, thereby emphasizing its significance to individuals as well as societies across the globe.

In the first stanza, Emily compares hope to the thing with feathers. Although the reader can instantly assume that the poet is referring to a bird, the next lines demonstrate that Emily is up to more than just birds and their feathers. She intends to paint a picture of significance around hope and does not, therefore, want the audience to take anything for granted. To accomplish this course, she strategically omits the word 'bird' even though the audience understands that she is referring to a bird. This is true because she uses words like 'perches,' which are used to refer to the perching of birds. This strategy redefines hope in the mind of the reader. She says, "And sweetest- in the gale- is heard, and sore must be the storm” (Dickinson, line 5). This justifies the conventional saying that birds sing sweetest in the storm. Even in the worst of adversities, humans, too, should be able to hope.

Emily Dickinson also uses extended metaphors to communicate her main ideas in the poem I taste a liquor never brewed. The whole piece is an attempt by Emily to describe the breathtaking effect of nature. She takes intoxication and uses it to demonstrate the incredible power that nature has over her. She, for instance, says that “not all the Frankfort berries yield such an alcohol” (Dickinson, lines 3-4). Though literally constructed, these metaphors portray how overwhelmingly powerful nature is portrayed by the poet. The metaphor of drinking is established right from the onset as Emily deconstructs the ordinary notion of brewing. She asserts that her type of liquor (which is actually the beauty of nature) is something special and therefore beyond the ordinary brewing

Throughout the poem, Emily gives her audience the impression that she is referring to the ordinary "drunk' while in the real sense, her type of intoxication is more spiritual and influenced by powerful natural forces. Even though it is possible for the audience to assume the literal meaning of drunk and understand this poem superficially, the metaphoric language employed by the poet drops a hint that Emily is using one entity to refer to another. These insights are clear right from the title. It is impossible to have a liquor never brewed as the poet suggests because the audience is aware that liquor must be brewed for it to be termed "liquor." Dew and air have been compared to drink, and it is from this point that Emily portrays intoxication. The butterflies and the bees as discussed are a clear demonstration of the drinking patters. In the second stanza, she uses humor, again, to show the power of nature. Emily says that she is drunk on dew and air. In the end, Emily adopts a carefree attitude as she is confident that God does not have a problem with her type of drunkenness. The saints approve of her obsession, and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Emily Dickinson succeeds in using extended metaphors to convey her messages to the audience. The poems I taste a liquor never brewed, and “Hope” is the thing with feathers, are a demonstration that extended metaphors can be used to creating a lasting impact in the minds of readers. Dwelling majorly on the themes of hope and the power of nature, the two masterpieces are a manifestation of the power of metaphoric language.

Works Cited

Dickinson, Emily. "Hope is the thing with feathers-314,” edited by RW Franklin, Harvard University Press, 1999.

Dickinson, Emily. "I taste a liquor never brewed-214,” edited by RW Franklin, Harvard University Press, 1999.