What is the use of repetition in poetry? Repetition is one of the basic approaches used by poets in writing their work. It is the deliberate, recurring use of words, phrases or even images with the intention of creating a particular effect, evoking certain emotions or even delivering a heightened message. By repeating words and symbols, poets attempt to make a dramatic statement, draw attention to an idea, paint a vivid picture and create an impression on readers. Poets use repetition to deepen the intimate, personal connection between the piece and the audience, making their message even more powerful.
Repetition is often used to create a profound rhythm in the poem which aids both the flow and the emphasis of the work. The theorist Kenneth Burke stated that repetiton allows for a “certain sing-song quality” which not only increases readability, but also increases memorability. For example, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 is fuelled by a powerful sense of repetition with words such as “love”, “not”, “ever” and “changes” enriching the poem’s flow.
The use of repetition can inject a sense of excitement into a poem. It is also used to inject meaning, analysis or significance into a phrase or word. For example, in the poem We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar, the title is repeated in two of the last three lines of each stanza. This serves to reiterate the idea or theme of the title, making the poet’s message even clearer.
Repetition can also be used to suggest contradicting ideas or messages. By repeating some phrases with slight variations, a poet can create an internal dialogue in the poem, engaging the reader in a compelling back and forth regarding the poem’s topic. The poet Ogden Nash did this effectively in his poem How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear by repeating and altering the subject of the poem to create a contrast between “Mr. Lear” and “The Dong With a Luminous Nose”.
Repetition in poetry provides an opportunity for writers to reflect ideas, feelings, and emotions in an efficient and syrupy way. By repeating certain words and expressions, poets emphasize their essential elements and messages. By using a wide range of repetitions such as rhythm, assonance and alliteration, a poet can yield emotional responses and sensations without having to rely on a lengthy or a complex interpretation.
Rhythm
In many poems, the use of repetition is synonymous with rhythm. Meter and stanzas help a poet deliver a powerful rhythm, and within these forms, repetition can create incredible music. Emily Dickinson’s Because I Could Not Stop for Death is an example of a poem that exhibits an impressive rhythm through repetition. Through the lines “And I had put away / My labor and my leisure too”, Dickinson’s repetitive use of syntax creates an almost rhythmical movement which conveys the narrator’s reliable journey to death.
Repetition is also used to create a powerful beat that can be used as a background for the poem’s thoughts and motifs. By alternating long and short syllables, reflecting the regularity of human speech, the poet creates a sense of movement and energy that encourages the reader to take notice of the words and ideas presented in the piece.
In the poem Echoing Footsteps by Rudyard Kipling, repetition is used to create a measure that follows the beat of the human heart. The lines “’Hearken, ye children of sorrow, / Endless your troubles today,” begin with an eight-syllable line and move to an abrupt five-syllable line. This alternating rhythm suggests the eternal cycles of being, while the short second verse makes a stronger impact on the listener by emphasizing the importance of the words.
Alliteration and Assonance
Apart from the use of meter and breath in repetition, other literary devices such as alliteration and assonance are also used to create emphasis and enhance rhythm. Alliteration refers to the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of a series of words or syllables, while assonance refers to the repetition of a string of vowel sounds in a sentence.
In the poem Hurt Hawks by Ted Hughes, alliteration is used to create a deep resonance with the reader. The poet uses alliteration to recognize and empathize with the subject of the poem, a trap that had caught and injured a hawk. The lines of the poem open and close with the letter “h,” thus creating an emphasis on the creature’s suffering and the harshness of its captor. Similarly, in conjunction with assonance, alliteration can be used to emphathize with a wider range of emotions.
Not only can alliteration and assonance be used in poetic devices to accentuate the general rhythm of a poem, they can also be employed to emphasize the emotions conveyed by a poem. In the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou, alliteration is used to convey the hopeful tone of the piece. Repetitions, such as “you may write me down”, “you may shoot me” and “you may thrust” convey the strength of the poem’s message in a powerful and poetic way.
Word Choice and Meaning
Words form an essential part of every poem and poets use their words carefully, selecting words based not only on their literal meanings but their general connotations and implications. By repeating certain words, poets give their work an enhanced meaning, connecting them to the reader in an even more intimate way and conveying a much deeper message.
Repetition of certain words gives a certain texture to the poem, making it ubiquitous and highlighting the core message it conveys. This is effectively used in classical and religious pieces, such as the poem Love III by Robert Herrick. Herrick’s poem is built upon the repeated words “love” and “heart,” adding to its lyrical beauty, and conveying harmony and consistency. By repeating these words, the poet touches upon the sensual and romantic aspects of love which, when set against the beauty of the piece, becomes even more powerful.
Word choice and repetition also add a certain rhythm to the poem, allowing the effective manipulation of meter and stanza. This is evident in the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in which phrases such as “the bright eye of the heaven ha”, “cutwater like a turning wheel” and “by the green, grass-bordered” all set up an appropriate tempo and create a sublime flow.
Sound, Music and Pattern
Repetition has a direct impact on the sound and music of a poem, and can be used to create a certain pattern and atmosphere. Poets such as Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson often used repetition to emphasize the main themes in their poems and to create a focused atmosphere. In the poem Nothing Gold Can Stay by Frost, repetition is used to create a pattern of simplistic beauty.
The repetition of the lines “Nature’s first green is gold / Her hardest hue to hold” creates a sense of averse beauty in the poem, combining sorrow and pleasure. The powerful repetition of these words makes them stand out and emphasizes the importance of the idea that beauty can only be temporary.
Emily Dickinson also used structural repetition to create atmosphere. Her poem Hope is a Thing With Feathers is composed of three quatrains of four lines each, using line-repetition to draw attention to the word “hopes.” The poem begins with “Hope is a thing with feathers” and repeats this phrase in the third and fourth lines, giving the poem a sense of musicality and delicacy which serves to highlight the poem’s main idea of hope.
Clarity and Unity
The use of repetition helps to increase the clarity and unity of a poem, allowing the readers to see the relationships between words and ideas. Repetition serves to shape the poem, creating a certain continuity that highlights the main elements of a poem. Through repetition of certain words, a poet can establish clear linkages between scenes and ideas, emphasizing their importance in the grand scheme of the poem.
For example, in the poem The Tyger by William Blake, the lines “What immortal hand or eye / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?” become more significant due to their frequent repetition. Repetition of this phrase draws attention to the idea of a creator’s handiwork and underscores the poem’s central question of the creator’s identity.
The use of repetition also promotes concentration, allowing the reader to focus on the poem’s central message, and enriching the reader’s experience. By relying on repetition, modern poets such as T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound are able to create a sense of cohesion between the words of their poem and streamline the poem’s main theme.
Emphasis on Ideas
Repetition is also used to emphasize ideas, particularly when the poet uses a dominant image or phrase to convey a particular message. In the poem A Faithless Elector’s Warning by Mark Strand, the phrase “Time is so short” is used as a repeating element to emphasize the important point that time is fleeting. Furthermore, repetition can also be used to emphasize a certain feeling or emotion, such as joy, loss or despair, depending on the words and tone employed by the poet.
The use of repetition can also evoke certain feelings and emotions that can enable the reader to identify and connect with the poem. Repetition of certain expressions and words, such as “love” or “fear”, can help the reader to understand the poem’s true meaning, and relate it to their own life experiences.
In the poem What Is Poetry? by Gwendolyn Brooks, the phrase “we may not” is repeated for emphasis, calling attention to the idea of poetry being a form of escape from the harsh reality of life. Through its repetition, this phrase becomes even more powerful and meaningful, demonstrating the poet’s ability to articulate ideas through the use of repetition.
