List of abbreviated names

P. Abrahams (P.A.)

K. Amis (K.A.)

Sh. Anderson (Sh.A.)

St. Bartsow (St.B.)

S. Beckett (S.B.)

A. Bennett (A.B.)

E.D. Biggers (E.D.B.)

D. Bolingbroke (Bol.)

J. Braine (J.Br.)

E. Bronte (E.B.)

Ch. Bronte (Ch.Br.)

J. Bunyan (J.Bun.)

H. Caine (H.C.)

T. Capote (T.C.)

R. Chandler (R. Ch.)

L. Charteris (L. Ch.)

G. K. Chesterton (G.K.Ch.)

A. Christie (Ch.)

J. Conrad (J.C.)

F. Cooper (F.C.)

D. Cusack (D.C.)

W. Deeping (W.D.)

D. Defoe (D.D.)

Ch. Dickens (D.)

Th. Dreiser (Dr.)

Y. Esar (E.)

E. Ferber (E.F.)

Sc. Fitzgerald (Sc.F.)

J. Galsworthy (G.)

Gr. Greene (Gr. Gr.)

E. Hemingway (H.)

O’Henry (O.H.)

T. Howard (T.H.)

A. Hutchinson (Hut.)

A. Huxley (A.H.)

J. Jones (J.)

R. Kipling (R.K.)

D.H. Lawrence (D.H.L.)

St. Leacock (L.)

H. Lee (H. L.)

S. Lewis (S.L.)

K. Mansfield (K.M.)

S. Maugham (S.M.)

D. du Maurier (D. du M.)

O. Nash (O.N.)

Fr. Norris (Fr.N.)

S. O’Casey (O’C.)

J. O’Hara (J. O’H.)

E. O’Neill (O’N.)

K.S. Prichard (K.P.)

J.B. Priestley (P.)

P. Quentin (P.Q.)

W. Queux (W.Q.)

J. Reed (J.R.)

J.D. Salinger (S.)

W. Scott (W.Sc.)

B. Shaw (B. Sh.)

I. Shaw (I. Sh.)

J. Steinbeck (St.)

W. Thackerey (Th.)

J. Updike (U.)

E. Waugh (E.W.)

O. Wilde (O.W.)

M. Wilson (M.W.)

P.G. Wodehouse (P.G.W.)

V. Woolf (V.W.)

R. Wright (Wr.)

Chapter II samples of stylistic analysis of poetry and prose pieces sample I

A sonnet is a short poem or a stanza, complete in itself, with unity of substance and a fixed form. It consists of 14 lines generally of iambic pentametre rhyming according to a conventionally fixed scheme (often ababcdcdefef gg). It deals with a single emotion, sentiment or reflection which is introduced in the first part and completed in the second part. The second part, therefore, often takes the form of a reinforcement of the impression given in the first part from another point of view or some profound reflection suggested by it. The first part of the sonnet is called the octave, the second—the sestet. The last two lines of the sestet present a conclusion drawn from the whole sonnet. These two lines are called the epigrammatic lines of the sonnet.

Sonnet XXVII

William Shakespeare

1. Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,

2. The dear repose for limbs with travel tired;

3. But then begins a journey in my head,

4. To work my mind, when body's work's expired:

5. For then my thoughts, from far where I abide,

6. Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,

7. And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,

8. Looking on darkness which the blind do see:

9. Save that my soul's imaginary sight

10. Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,

11. Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night,

12. Makes black night beauteous and her old face new.

13. Lo! thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,

14. For thee and for myself no quiet find.

TASK: Read the following example of stylistic analysis paying attention to the wording and the development of the argument.

The structure of the sonnet is not strictly conventional, i.e. it is not divided into the octave and the sestet. However, it must be noted that the poet tackles the same theme (love) in different ways.Analysing the rhythmical pattern of the sonnet one may notice some deviations from the conventional scheme.

Note the rhythmical inversion in lines 1, 8, 9; the cases where it is possible to use spondee as an intensifier (an intensifying modifier of rhythm) in lines 8, 12, 14. Spondee emphasizes the blackness of the ghastly night, and the contrast between its ugliness and the beauty of the vision, which “makes black night beauteous and her old face new” (lines 8, 12). Spondee in the epigrammatic line of the sonnet stresses the poet's attitude towards the objects of his love, the intensity of his feelings which deprives the poet of “quiet”, rest both physical or mental.

The imagery employed by the poet is none the less impressive for being simple and realistic. The poet compares his train of thoughts with the journey of a pilgrim to some sacred place: “For then my thoughts, from far where I abide, intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee...” (lines 5, 6). The metaphors “journey in my head” (line 3) and “pilgrimage” (line 6) as well as the epithet “zealous” (line 6) are keyed to one purpose, namely, to stress the poet's longing for his beloved. Hence a long journey is the key image here.

Note the use of synonyms “travel”, “journey”, “pilgrimage in the sonnet. Pay attention to the fact that the sonnet opens with the inversion “Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed...”. This SD stresses the poet’s physical exhaustion and his craving for rest. The poet uses “work” in the first case as the infinitive (“to work my mind”), in the second case the word “work” is a noun (“when body's work's expired”). This peculiar manipulation with words produces the effect of repetition which brings out the contrast between the physical condition of the poet and his mental state. This contrast may be regarded as a kind of antithesis based on the use of antonyms (mind—body).

Developing his theme further the poet passes over to another set of contrasting images; he describes the ghastly darkness of night and the shining beauty of his vision (“which... makes black night beauteous, and her old face new”). This contrast is revealed through various means. The intensity of darkness is enhanced by the striking use of combinations which have the character of oxymoron: “darkness which the blind do see”, “sightless view”.

The contrast between the ugliness of “ghastly night” and the beauty of the poet's vision is revealed most emphatically by the use of a sustained simile (line 11) “which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night, makes black night beauteous and her old face new”. Note that such adjectives as “black”, “old”, “new”, “beauteous” opposed to each other for the sake of contrast, acquire a great emotional force and become epithets. The epigrammatic lines of the sonnet sum up the idea of the poet, whose overwhelming feeling for his beloved is revealed with a striking force. The parallel constructions help to bring out the intensity of the poet's feelings.

Note the subtle use of antonyms (day—night) and contextual antonyms (my limbs—my mind). These linguistic means supported by parallelism create the antithesis which culminates the whole sonnet.