Here is A Thing of Beauty, a detailed exploration and explanation of the figure of speech and its many facets.  In this post, we have explained various examples of figurative speech, providing a comprehensive understanding of A Thing of Beauty in terms of all Poetic Device. We have also told the reason why a particular figure of speech occurs in a particular line. This is going to help the children of various classes Class XII. Dive in for figure of speech examples- 

Figure of Speech in A Thing of Beauty Stanza 1

A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

1. Figure of Speech: Metaphor
– Exact Line: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”
– Reason: This line directly compares a thing of beauty to a perpetual joy, exemplifying a metaphor.

2. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole
– Exact Line: “Its loveliness increases“
– Reason: Hyperbole involves exaggeration to emphasize a point. Here, the exaggeration is in the phrase “increases,” suggesting that the beauty or loveliness is growing to an extraordinary, perhaps boundless, degree. This emphasizes the transcendent and ever-enhancing nature of the subject’s beauty.

3. Figure of Speech: Assonance
– Exact Line: “Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.“
– Reason: Assonance is demonstrated through the repetition of vowel sounds in close proximity. Here, the long “e” sound in “sweet” and “dreams,” and the short “e” sound in “health” and “breathing,” create a harmonious rhythm. This use of assonance adds to the melodic and soothing quality of the line, enhancing the imagery of tranquility and contentment.

4. Figure of Speech: Enjambment
– Exact Line: (Throughout the stanza)
– Reason: The continuation of sentences beyond the end of a line, without a pause, is used throughout this stanza, creating a flow and connection between the lines.

5. Figure of Speech: Symbolism
– Exact Line: “a bower quiet for us”
– Reason: The ‘bower’ is used symbolically to represent a place of peace and tranquility, indicating the mental and emotional refuge provided by beauty.

6. Figure of Speech: Litotes
– Exact Line: “it will never Pass into nothingness”
– Reason: Litotes is a figure of speech that employs understatement by using double negatives. In this line, the double negatives ‘never’ and ‘nothingness’ are used to subtly emphasize the enduring and immortal nature of beauty. This understatement effectively highlights the concept that beauty is eternal, without directly stating it.

Also Read:

• A Thing of Beauty Extract Questions
• Hard Words : A Thing of Beauty
• A Thing of Beauty MCQ
• A Thing of Beauty Theme
• A Thing of Beauty Author

A Thing of Beauty Poetic Device- Stanza- 2

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. 

1. Figure of Speech: Metaphor
– Exact Line: “wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth“
– Reason: This metaphorically represents the beautiful aspects of life that bind humans to the earth and life itself.

2. Figure of Speech: Anaphora
– Exact Lines: “Of noble natures, of the gloomy days, / Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways”
– Reason: The repetition of “Of” at the start of consecutive lines, highlighting the poet’s emphasis.

3. Figure of Speech: Alliteration
– Exact Lines: “band to bind” (B), “noble natures” (N), “some shape” (S)
– Reason: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in these phrases adds a rhythmic and musical quality.

4. Figure of Speech: Inversion
– Exact Lines: Throughout the stanza.
– Reason: Inversion, or anastrophe, is a literary technique where the normal order of words is reversed, often for emphasis or to maintain a particular rhythm or rhyme scheme. This stanza from John Keats’ poem exhibits inversion in several lines, where the usual syntactic order of words is rearranged, a common feature in poetry to achieve a certain lyrical or rhythmic effect.

5. Figure of Speech: Imagery
– Exact Line: “A flowery band to bind us to the earth”
– Reason: This line vividly evokes the sensory aspects of beauty in nature.

6. Figure of Speech:  Enjambment
– Exact Lines: Throughout the stanza.
– Reason: The continuation of sentences without a pause beyond the end of a line, creating a seamless flow.

7. Figure of Speech:  Personification
– Exact Line: “Some shape of beauty moves away the pall”
– Reason: Beauty is personified as having transformative power.

8. Figure of Speech:  Contrast
– Exact Lines: “Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth / Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,”
– Reason: The stark contrast between despair and the positive influence of beauty.

Also Read:

• A Thing of Beauty Long Question Answer
• A Thing of Beauty Short Question Answer
• A Thing of Beauty Extra Question Answer
• A Thing of Beauty Summary

Figures of Speech Poem – A Thing of Beauty Stanza- 3

Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,

1. Figure of Speech: Imagery
Exact Lines: “Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon / For simple sheep; and such are daffodils / With the green world they live in; and clear rills”
Reason: These lines provide a rich visual description of nature, enhancing the sensory experience of the poem.

2. Figure of Speech: Alliteration
Exact Lines: “Sprouting Shady, Simple sheep” (S), “cooling covert” (C)
Reason: The repetition of consonant sounds adds a rhythmic and musical quality to the stanza.

3. Figure of Speech: Antithesis
Exact Line: “Trees old, and young,”
Reason: The use of opposing concepts (old and young) to highlight contrasts within the natural world.

4. Figure of Speech: Enjambment
Exact Lines: Throughout the stanza.
Reason: The continuation of lines without pause, creating a fluid narrative flow.

5. Figure of Speech: Personification
Exact Line: “That for themselves a cooling covert make”
Reason: Giving human-like actions to the rills, as they actively create a cooling cover.

6. Figure of Speech: Metaphor
Exact Line: “sprouting a shady boon For simple sheep”
Reason: ‘Shady boon’ metaphorically describes the shade as a beneficial gift.

7. Figure of Speech: Synecdoche
Exact Line: “Such the sun, the moon,”
Reason: These celestial bodies represent the larger natural world.

A Thing of Beauty Poetic Device- Stanza- 4

Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

1. Figure of Speech: Imagery
Exact Line: “Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms”
Reason: This line provides a vivid visual description, enhancing the sensory experience of the poem.

2. Figure of Speech: Metaphor
Exact Line: “An endless fountain of immortal drink”
Reason: The poet compares elements of nature to an immortal drink, emphasizing the rejuvenating and perpetual nature of beauty.

3. Figure of Speech: Alliteration
Exact Line: “have heard”
Reason: The repetition of the ‘h’ sound in ‘have’ and ‘heard’ adds a lyrical quality to the line.

4 Figure of Speech:  Enjambment
Exact Lines: Throughout the stanza.
Reason: The continuation of sentences without a pause beyond the end of a line, adding to the fluidity of the poem’s narrative.

5. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole
Exact Line: “An endless fountain of immortal drink”
Reason: This is an exaggeration used to emphasize the infinite and extraordinary nature of beauty.

6. Figure of Speech: Personification
Exact Line: “Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.”
Reason: The act of pouring is attributed to an inanimate object (the fountain), giving it human-like qualities.

7. Figure of Speech: Symbolism
Exact Lines: “the grandeur of the dooms / We have imagined for the mighty dead”
Reason: The reference to the “mighty dead” symbolizes the idea of legacy and remembrance, suggesting that beauty lies in the stories and memories of great individuals.