History of Image in Poetry
Image in poetry is a fundamental tool of a poet’s craft, allowing them to paint vivid pictures with just a few words. The use of images brings deep emotion and a visual representation of the feelings and ideas expressed in the content to the reader. While images in poetry originated in ancient Greece with Homer, image has evolved over the course of history, from the Biblical metaphors of the Old Testament to Shakespeare’s more detailed and sophisticated imagery.
Throughout the Renaissance, image in poetry was associated with the classical stylistic approach adopted by writers of the period. Writers such as John Milton and William Wordsworth brought traditional figures of speech, allegory and simile to their poetic works. As the 18th and 19th centuries evolved, aestheticism and symbolism became popular, allowing writers to use images to advocate a wide range of issues. The Romantics of the period also used imagery in their verse to reflect the beauty of nature and express a deeper understanding of the human experience.
Modern Usage of Image in Poetry
In modern poetry, imagery continues to be used as an effective tool to engage the reader emotionally and aesthetically. Contemporary poets use imagery to create vivid landscapes and explore a variety of themes pertinent to our times. For instance, in a poem by Margaret Atwood, entitled ‘The Animals in that Country’, images of the Canadian landscape erupt from the page as she paints a vivid picture of its beauty with descriptive words: “All morning the sky was the color of cat fur / and the trees drab tatters of cloth blown by the wind”.
Imagery has also been used to comment on social issues, such as race, gender and poverty. Lucille Clifton’s poem ‘won’t you celebrate with me’, for example, reflects on the African American experience. A powerful image of a slave girl “who carries a basket of beaten biscuits” is used to convey her resilience and strength despite the hardship endured. Tarfia Faizullah adds to this tradition by using image in her poem ‘Wood I Carried’ to focus on mixed gender roles and the marginalisation of religious and ethnic minorities in America.
The Use of Metaphors
Metaphors are the main tool of imagery in poetry and allow poets to make comparisons between two different concepts. This technique is used to bring clarity and depth to the ideas and feelings conveyed in the poem. For example, Emily Dickinson compares hope to a “thing with feathers” in her poem ‘Hope is the thing with feathers’. It effectively captures the fragile beauty and elusiveness of hope and its ability to persevere and survive in any situation.
Metaphors are also used to make abstract ideas tangible, as seen in Philip Larkin’s ‘Aubade’ where he compares the fear of death to the sun slowly rising. This allows readers to engage with the concept of mortality and reflect on their own mortality.
Symbolism
Symbols are iconic images used to evoke powerful emotions and create a lasting impact on the reader. Traditionally, symbols were based around religious imagery, as seen in John Donne’s ‘Holy Sonnet XIV’ where he uses a crucifix to represent his spiritual connection with God. In modern poetry, symbols represent a wider range of topics, including political, cultural and social alike.
For instance, Ilya Kaminsky’s poem ‘Imaginary Museums’ combines image and symbolism to explore the role of art in preserving memories of the Holocaust. In the poem, he uses the symbol of an Irish museum to represent the experience of those persecuted during the war.
The Power of Imagery
The use of imagery in poetry entails much more than just creating a visual representation; imagery allows poets to represent the intangible and transcend traditional boundaries, providing readers with a unique point of view. Imagery can also help poets to explore their identity, as seen in Galway Kinnell’s poem ‘The Bear’ where a bear is used to reflect the voice of the poet and to project his fear of a rapidly changing world.
Imagery can also invoke a strong emotional response. By comparing objects or events to central figures in our lives, it can lead the reader to enter a deeply personal realm and nurture a sense of connection with the poem. This is particularly evident in Sharon Olds’ poem ‘Cummerbund’, where she compares her life to her mother’s cummerbund “with its intricate, interlocking folds / as in a mourner’s postures on a podium”.
The Role of Imagination in Using Image in Poetry
Image in poetry can only exist if the poet is able to use their imagination to craft work that resonates with readers and evokes emotion. Imagination allows writers to visualise the scenes and concepts they want to portray in their work, creating an experience for readers that is both imaginative and thought-provoking.
A poet’s imagination is, arguably, the most powerful tool at their disposal. It allows them to create heightened emotions, explore unusual and powerful ideas, and craft vivid images that open new worlds for readers to explore. Derek Walcott’s poem ‘Love After Love’ is an excellent example of this. By comparing love to a heavy burden “From which you escape into freedom”, he invokes a feeling of liberation and hope that resonates with audiences.
The Relationship Between Image and Form in Poetry
The use of image in poetry is highly dependent on the form of the poem. If a poem is in the shape of a flower, the description of the flower in the poem may very well be used as an image. Similarly, in a villanelle, a repeated refrain may be used to represent an image of a repeated cycle or idea.
Form in poetry can also be used to direct the way in which images are used. Some forms such as sonnets, have a limited amount of space to incorporate imagery, which typically requires precise language that carries great meaning with the fewest words. Meanwhile, free verse allows the poet to be more creative, creating longer images and capturing their flow of thoughts in the form.
The Integration of Image and Narrative in Poetry
The powerful combination of image and narrative can convey complex concepts in a way that resonates with readers, creating an immersive experience for them. Writers such as Seamus Heaney and Billy Collins have brilliantly crafted narratives that intertwine image and story with their poetic works.
Heaney’s ‘Follower’, for example, uses vivid imagery to bring alive a young boy’s admiration of his father and their relationship: “His stride was unabated, a resolute hue / settling on him like an easy chair”. By depicting his father’s figure with such detail and vividness, Heaney is able to offer readers a window into the deep respect and admiration the young boy has for his father.
Relationship Between Image and Tone
Image in poetry is also used to determine the tone of the poem. Images can evoke powerful emotions and create an emotional ambiance for readers to experience. For example, in John Keats’ ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’, he uses imagery to set a tranquil and deep meditative tone. His description of an ancient Greek urn in the poem “Sylvan historian, who canst thus express / A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme” helps to create a pensive atmosphere for readers to experience as they ponder the timeless beauty of the urn and its symbols.
Alternatively, imagery can be used to create darker tones, such as the hopelessness found in Walt Whitman’s ‘When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d’. His description of the “gray-brown bird” singing a “questionless song” is used to portray the tragedy of war and the bleakness it has created.
Synergy Between Image, Meaning and Sentiment in Poetry
When used together, image, meaning and sentiment can evoke powerful emotions in readers and create a deeper understanding of the poem. In ‘After Making Love We Hear Footsteps’, Galway Kinnell crafts a beautiful narrative of a relationship that transcends time with the use of powerful imagery and sentiment. His reference to the night sky creates a romantic atmosphere for readers to get lost in, while his metaphors and similes convey a deeper meaning of transformation and hope.
Ultimately, image in poetry can be both powerful and transformative. By using image, poets are able to create vivid and unforgettable worlds for readers to explore, as well as create meaningful stories and powerful emotions that resonate with audiences.
