" A Dream Within A Dream"
by Edgar Allan Poe
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow--
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand--
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep--while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
1. How is the figurative language used in the poem? Give the specific word(s), explain what type of figurative language it is and why the poet chose to use this figurative language?
Ans: There are a few types of figurative language in this poem.
Firstly, the use of words such as "O God" repeatedly are an example of the "hyperbole" type of figurative language. It relates the reader of this poem to the emotions of Edgar Allan Poe.
Secondly, there is also personification in this poem. As quoted from the poem:
"Grains of the golden sand--
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep"
This is an example of personification, where the grains of sand, though they are inanimate objects, are given human qualities such as being able to "creep through the author's fingers to the deep".
Lastly, there are examples of metaphors, where the author claims that " days have been a dream". Literally, days cannot be dreams, hence this is a metaphor which claims that days can be dreams.
2. Tell why you like this poem in no less than 100 words.
Ans: This poem is relatively interesting, and allows the reader to be drawn into the author’s train of thought, and through the author’s strong usage of figurative language such as metaphors, symbolism and personification, the whole picture is well-described. From the poem, we can tell that the author is trying to portray the significance of dreams, composed using his imagination. Furthermore, the author uses the personification technique very strongly, describing days as dreams, hope being able to fly away, and the golden specks of sand creeping through his fingers to the deep waters. Overall, this poem is an intriguing, fascinating poem, which relates extremely well to the reader.
