Literary Analysis of Edward Thomas' Poetry
Discuss the ways in which Thomas makes ordinary things seem extraordinary in ‘Words’
Thomas’ choice of language and use of personification help him create an extradoniary exploration to the nature of ordinary things such as the nature of words. Like many of his other works Thomas’s keen interest in the smallest details adds to the extraordinary atmosphere and helps the reader build a personified character and importance for ‘English words’.
His first personification of words; ‘You English words?’ , at the end of his first stanza gives words a sense of power particularly over Thomas. This first initial personification becomes after language such as ‘will you choose’,’use’,’drain’ are used which are all power giving verbs and adds to this powerful personification. Thomas’s extraordinary personification of words could be seen as a way of counteracting is lack of confidence, by giving words the power to choose him as a poet gives him justification over his modesty.
Idealisation of words is another way in which Thomas makes them appear extraordinary. In the second stanza Thomas suggests a sense of value to words by choosing similes to describe them, with language such as ‘precious as gold’, ‘tough as oak’, ‘as poppies and corn’ each simile has a reference to a natural value and suggests the need Thomas feels for words. For example the simile comparing words to poppies and corn suggests not only a vulnerability from the delicacy of a poppy but life’s fundamental need for foods such as corn. Thomas also builds on the personification of words by creating vivid imagery through his description by using the senses, for example ‘sweet as our birds’, ‘in the heat’ and ‘as the burnet rose’ all have a strong sense of sound, touch, smell and sight. Sibilance is also present in this same stanza with phrases such as ‘strange as the races’ and ‘strange and sweet’ this soft sound adds to the delicate descriptions of words and also strengthens the personification.
Thomas’s
Thomas’ choice of language and use of personification help him create an extradoniary exploration to the nature of ordinary things such as the nature of words. Like many of his other works Thomas’s keen interest in the smallest details adds to the extraordinary atmosphere and helps the reader build a personified character and importance for ‘English words’.
His first personification of words; ‘You English words?’ , at the end of his first stanza gives words a sense of power particularly over Thomas. This first initial personification becomes after language such as ‘will you choose’,’use’,’drain’ are used which are all power giving verbs and adds to this powerful personification. Thomas’s extraordinary personification of words could be seen as a way of counteracting is lack of confidence, by giving words the power to choose him as a poet gives him justification over his modesty.
Idealisation of words is another way in which Thomas makes them appear extraordinary. In the second stanza Thomas suggests a sense of value to words by choosing similes to describe them, with language such as ‘precious as gold’, ‘tough as oak’, ‘as poppies and corn’ each simile has a reference to a natural value and suggests the need Thomas feels for words. For example the simile comparing words to poppies and corn suggests not only a vulnerability from the delicacy of a poppy but life’s fundamental need for foods such as corn. Thomas also builds on the personification of words by creating vivid imagery through his description by using the senses, for example ‘sweet as our birds’, ‘in the heat’ and ‘as the burnet rose’ all have a strong sense of sound, touch, smell and sight. Sibilance is also present in this same stanza with phrases such as ‘strange as the races’ and ‘strange and sweet’ this soft sound adds to the delicate descriptions of words and also strengthens the personification.
Thomas’s