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5. Synecdoche
Synecdoche is the type of figurative language that the researcher identifies in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” only. Though rarely used, synecdoche is
helpful in conveying the meaning of the poem. It presents the small detail rather than the whole description of a particular object. The presentation of a small detail
narrows the description of the object in order to achieve a vivid picture and highlight its importance. Thus, the use of this figurative language enables the
poem to reach the readers’ compassion deeper. The further explanation below gives clearer description about the employment of synecdoche in poems.
This figurative language appears in line 20 when the speaker expresses that he always thinks and misses his love by saying,
“Careless, eyes, lips, and hands to miss
” John Donne, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”, line 20. “Careless, e
yes, lips, and hands” in that quotation are parts of his lover’s characteristic and body, which he uses to describe his longing. Instead of directly stating that he
misses his lover, he purposely describes her in separated parts in order to achieve deeper emotion. Saying that he misses his lover does not cover his whole longing
because what he misses is not only the lover herself but also everything about her. He misses her “careless”, which is the distinctive characteristic of his lover that
always remains in his mind, and her “eyes, lips, and hands” which are the most attractive parts of her body that he always thinks of. Through that synecdoche, the
readers are able to participate in his feeling and apprehend how much he misses his lover.
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6. Apostrophe
Apostrophe presents the direct addressing toward someone or something that does not really exist in the poem. The addressee can be anything, including spirit,
abstract things, absent things, and other nonhuman objects. Often, this apostrophe is used to address something unusual to be spoken to. The only example of
apostrophe that the researcher identifies in this research is located in opening of “The Sun Rising.”
In line 1 of “The Sun Rising”, the speaker draws attention by calling out the sun as
“Busy, old fool, unruly Sun”. The sun itself is something that people commonly talk to. Therefore, this statement is identified as apostrophe, not as
ordinary addressing. He addresses the sun with some negative adjectives to demonstrate his irritation feeling. This apostrophe is an opening part that begins
the speaker’s vocalizations addressed to the sun in the entire poem.
7. Hyperbole
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