Literary Devices And Imagery In Millay's Love Is Not All

“It’s not you, it’s me”: Literary devices and imagery in Millay’s “Love is Not all” Poems are able to express a tremendous amount of meaning within a minimal amount of words. In the poem “Love is Not all” there is a plethora of different literary devices that model specific interpretations. The structural setup, metaphors, personification, diction, and imagery create the theme and tone of the poem. The theme and tone are concerning the consequences of love leaving a bitter, longing tone. The orator states that “Love is not all” but is there compelling evidence to support this theory through the structure, literary devices, and imagery? Is irony a primary indicator of the meaning of the poem? Millay’s poem has fourteen lines and contains a predictable rhyme …show more content…
By choosing specific diction it creates a specific connotation attached to a particular word. These word choices attribute to the theme. There are various examples of effective diction throughout this poem. The word “thickened” (5) is a good example of this. This word feels messy, dirty, and leaves a negative connotation. The reason for this is that it adds to the overall theme of the poem that being that love is not everything. It makes you feel that love is this sloppy thing, which is exactly what the speaker wants you to feel. An additional example of diction is “floating” (3). This gives a euphoric, senseless and dreamy reaction which may seem like a positive feeling but adversely it also indicates clouded vision and a disconnection from reality. The word “pinned” (10) has an unfavourable connotation attached as well. It gives the sense that no matter how hard one tries, it is a futile effort and impossible to break. Stuck in the same place. In relation to love, being stuck may only be the inability to see that the relationship is not going anywhere and or is not something