An example of more effective use of literary terms and concepts

Sample essay 2: 'Metaphysical poetry values intellect above emotion'. To what extent have you found this to be the case?

This is an extract from the essay:

'This poem values intellect highly, as there are a number of witty comments throughout that lend themselves much more to use of ingenious and risqué images than romantic ones, for example:

Thine eyes, and on the forehead gaze;
Two hundred to adore each breast,
But thirty thousand to the rest (l.14-16)

This clever manipulation of the blazon then turns with a sexual innuendo to the woman’s sexual organs.'

Q. Why is this effective ?

TUTOR'S REPLY

The essayist is making appropriate use of a particular critical term ('blazon', which refers to the listing of the physical attributes of the beloved) to describe a feature of the poem.

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