Analysis Of The Owl By Edward Thomas And Robert Frost

Edward Thomas and Robert Frost both write about the harshness of life. In his poem 'The Owl ', Thomas provides a didactic character in the form of the owl and describes his literal and metaphorical journey towards the realisation of his privilege, compared to others around him who are suffering. The title focuses on the owl, and is chosen as the poet is reflecting on hearing the owl 's cry. On the other hand, Frost uses 'Out, Out ' to describe a tragic event in which the harshness of life is hammered home to a young boy as well as those who surrounded him. The title chosen here is a reference to the Shakespearean 'Macbeth ' in which the titular character remarks at the death of his wife, "Out, out brief candle", symbolic of the brevity of both Lady Macbeth 's life and the life of the boy described in Frost 's poem.
Form and structure is used by both poets in their poems in order to emphasise the harsh realities of the world we live in. In 'Out, Out ', Frost utilises dramatic narrative to convey the realism of the harshness of life on a New England rural farm. Blank verse is used to recreate the …show more content…
This concrete image grounds the poem in reality, and the sibilance creates a gentle tone that strongly juxtaposes the menacing tone caused by the saw. Frost ultimately depicts the landscape as good and beautiful as evidenced by his continuation of the use of sibilance, "sweet-scented stuff", with an ethereal tone sustained "as the breeze drew across it". Assonance is used to show Frost 's appreciation of the landscape, yet alliteration depicts how rare it is for "those that lift(ed) eyes" to enjoy the beauty surrounding them, as they are always too engrossed in their work. Frost contrasts the brevity of the boy 's life with the permanence of the "five mountain ranges" that nature has created, once again conveying the way in which Frost is writing about the harshness of