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Assonance, Consonance, and Alliteration

These three concepts are siblings, in that they all refer to the repetition of certain sounds in adjacent or nearby words. Assonance specifically refers to the repetition of vowel sounds, whereas consonance refers to the repetition of consonant sounds. Alliteration refers to the repetition of any sound at the beginning of adjacent or nearby words. Dickinson deploys these sonic devices consistently throughout the poem, giving the language a harmonious quality that echoes the prevailing emphasis on hope. Her use of these techniques can be quite subtle at times. Such is the case of the opening line, which features repeating I and TH sounds: “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers.” At other times, Dickinson more clearly foregrounds repeating sounds. In lines 6–7, for instance, the punchy use of alliteration and consonance creates a strong sense of internal coherence:

And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird

Note, too, how Dickinson gives sonic shape to these lines through vowel sounds. In the first line she forges a strong connection between “sore” and “storm.” The vowels become even stronger in the second line, where three A sounds quickly give way to a pair of I sounds: “That could abash the little bird.” The internal sense of harmony created by these sonic connections powerfully amplifies the poem’s hopeful message.

Extended Metaphor

An extended metaphor functions in the same way as an ordinary metaphor, but it differs in the amount of space devoted to its development. Whereas an ordinary metaphor may be mentioned in passing, an extended metaphor unfolds over the course of many lines. In this case, Dickinson develops a metaphorical link between the abstract concept of hope and a bird. Dickinson’s use of the bird as a metaphor for hope is at once familiar and surprising. It’s familiar in the sense that poets have long used birds as symbols for abstract concepts. However, when poets do treat birds metaphorically, they tend to emphasize either their capacity for flight as an expression of freedom or their beautiful singing as a symbol for art. Yet Dickinson links the bird not to freedom or to art, but to hope. Though the bird can fly, it’s imagined here as a figure “that perches in the soul” (line 2) and inspires a person from within. Similarly, though the bird’s song is sweet, the point is less its beauty and more its ability to pierce through even the most adverse conditions and still be heard.

Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton (PAWL-ee-SIN-duh-tawn) refers to the use of multiple coordinating conjunctions in close succession. Writers often use this device as a method for extending a sentence, typically using conjunctions like “and” or “but” to link additional clauses. This is precisely what Dickinson does in “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers,” which consists of one long sentence connected by a series of clauses beginning with “and.” A quick glance down the poem reveals that five out of twelve lines begin with this conjunction. In each case, the use of “and” extends the speaker’s description of the bird of hope. The key example of this technique appears across the divide that separates the first and second stanzas (lines 3–6):

And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm

The repetition of “and” has a slightly hypnotic effect that conjures a sense of the hope-bird’s irrepressible nature. The reappearance of “and” at the start of the following line represents hope’s capacity to keep on going.

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