2.3 Figures of Speech

 Figures of Speech -  (Stanza 01 to 04 )

1) No stir in the air, no stir in the sea
Repetition- The word 'no stir' is repeated.
Alliteration - The sound of letters 'n' & 's' are repeated.

2) The ship was still as she could be
Personification - The ship is personified.
Alliteration - The sound of letter ’sh’ is repeated.

3) Her sails from heaven received no motion
Alliteration- The sound of letter 'h' is repeated.
Personification - The ship is personified.
Inversion - The word order is changed. The correct order- Her sails received no motion from heaven.

4) Her keel was steady in the ocean.
Personification- The ship is personified. 

5) So little they rose, so little they fell,
Repetition- The word ‘little' is repeated.
Antithesis - Opposite words (rose and fell) are used. 
Anti-climax -The words are arranged in descending order.
Personification - The waves are personified. 

6) On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung
Inversion - The word order is changed.
It floated and swung on a buoy in the storm.
Alliteration - The sound of letter 's' is repeated.

7) And over the waves its warning rung.
Alliteration - The sound 'w' is repeated.
Personification - The waves are personified.

8) When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell
Alliteration –The sound of letter 's' is repeated.
Personification - The rock is personified. 

Figures of speech (Stanza no. 5 to 8)

1) The sun in heaven was shining gay.
Inversion-The words are not in a correct order. The line should be as - The sun was shining gay in heaven.

2) The sea-birds scream'd as they wheel's around.
Alliteration- The sound of letter ‘s’ is repeated.

3) It made him whistle, it made him sing.
Repetition- The words ‘it made him’ repeated.
Anaphora- It made him these words are repeated at the beginning of the line.

Figures of Speech – (Stanza 09 to 12)

1) The boat is lower’d, the boatmen row.

Climax – The words are arranged in the ascending order

Alliteration - The sound of letter ‘b’ is repeated.

2) And to the Inchcape Rock they go
Inversion - The word order is changed. The correct order- And they go to the Inchcape Rock. 
Alliteration – The sound of letters ‘th’ is repeated. 

3) Sir Ralph bent over from the boat.
Alliteration – The sound ‘b’ is repeated. 

4) And he cut the Bell from the Inchcape float.
Alliteration – The sound ‘f’ is repeated. 

5) Down sunk the Bell with a gurgling sound.
Onomatopoeia – The word follows the sound.

6) The bubbles rose and burst around.
Onomatopoeia – The word follows the sound.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘b’ is repeated.
Climax – The words are arranged ascending order.

7) He scour’d the seas for many a day.
Alliteration -The sound ‘s’ is repeated.

Figures of Speech – (Stanza 13 to 17)

1) On the deck the Rover takes his stand,

Inversion – The word order is changed.  The correct word order- The Rover takes his stand on the deck.

2) For there is the dawn of rising Moon.'

Paradox - The line is absurd.

3) 'Canst hear', said one, 'breakers roar?'

Interrogation - The question mark is used here.

4) For me thinks we should be near the shore.

Alliteration - The sound of letter ‘s’ is repeated.

5) Now where we are I cannot tell.

Inversion - The word order is changed. The correct word order-I cannot tell where we are now.

6) Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,

Alliteration - The sound of letter 's' is repeated.

Transferred Epithet – The adjective ‘shivering’ transferred from human to shock.

Personification – The word shock is personified.

7) O Christ! it is the Inchcape Rock!

Apostrophe - One of the rovers is addressing to god.

Exclamation - exclamatory mark is used.

8) The waves rush in every side

Personification – The waves are personified.

9)But even in his dying fear

Transferred Epithet - The adjective dying is transferred from human to fear.

Personification – The fear is personified.

10) A sound as if with the Inchcape Bell

Simile - The sound of sinking ship is directly compared with sound of sinking the Inchcape Bell. 

See the PDF created by:-

Prof. Pralhad R. Sonawane

Shri V.V.K. Sarma High School and Junior College,

Currey Road, Mumbai