Comparison of Imagery

Funeral Blue by W.H Auden

In "Funeral Blues" Auden makes the bitter attitude of the speaker toward the subject of death apparent to the readers through the use of symbols, imagery, personification, and the metaphor. In the first stanza Auden states, "stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone..."(Auden 1362. 1). The clock being stopped may signify the fact that he who died has run out of time and also to ask those who knew him to stop what they are doing and reflect (www.academon.com).

The telephone being cut off brings forth the idea of silence. Auden does this to show the deceased the respect they deserve. She believes in honouring the dead with a moment of silence to pay respect. In the second stanza the speaker states, "let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead."(Auden 1362. 5). She uses this metaphoric image to convey the pointlessness of her life and also her grief (www.academon.com). What point is there for aeroplanes to fly in circles? She is comparing the pointlessness of flying in circles to her life without her partner.

This poem is packed full of imagery. Perhaps this is to show us the vitality of life, and so give us better a sense of just how much Auden feels he has lost: he has spiritually died along with his lover. A particularly interesting aspect of the imagery used is light vs dark. Throughout, any reference to the past is light, and any reference to the present or future is dark. Often, the dark imagery is seen to smother the light. For example, white gloves are replaced with black and white dove's are blemished with a dark bow (www.academon.com).

Do not get gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas

In comparison, This poem is a villanelle, a type of French pastoral lyric not often ...