The poem “For Anne Gregory” by W.B. Yeats, included in the NCERT Class 10 English curriculum, employs various poetic devices. These include a rhyme scheme of abcbdb, metaphors such as ‘honey-coloured ramparts’ to describe Anne Gregory’s hair, and apostrophe where the poet addresses Anne directly. Alliteration is also present with phrases like “Love you for yourself alone.” Here a list of major poetic devices is given.
Poem: For Anne Gregory
“NEVER shall a young man,
Thrown into despair
By those great honey-coloured
Ramparts at your ear,
Love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.’“But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair
May love me for myself alone
And not my yellow hair.’“I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”– W. B. Yeats
Poetic Devices in ‘For Anne Gregory’
Major Poetic Devices used in the poem “For Anne Gregory’ are given below. These poetic devices enhance the meaning and emotional resonance of the poem, enriching the reader’s experience and understanding.
1. Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme of the poem is abcbdb.
2. Dialogue: The conversational style between the young man and Anne adds a dynamic element, making the poem feel more intimate and relatable.
3. Tone: The tone shifts from despair to hope and then to philosophical contemplation, reflecting the complexities of love and attraction.
4. Apostrophe: The poem is a direct address to Anne Gregory, as the speaker talks to her throughout the poem.
5. Enjambment: Several lines flow into the next without punctuation, creating a continuous, flowing rhythm. For example:
“Never shall a young man, Thrown into despair By those great honey-coloured…”
6. Metaphor: “Honey-coloured ramparts at your ear”: Anne Gregory’s hair is metaphorically described as “ramparts,” comparing her golden hair to a barrier that prevents men from seeing her true self.
7. Alliteration: Some examples are given below:
- Love you for yourself alone
- ‘your yellow hair’
- And set such colour there
- Brown, or black
8. Imagery: The poem evokes imagery.
- “Honey-coloured ramparts”: Evokes a vivid picture of Anne’s golden hair.
- “Brown, or black, or carrot”: Creates a visual image of different hair colors, helping the reader imagine her change in appearance.
9. Repetition:
- “Love you for yourself alone”: This phrase is repeated in different stanzas, emphasizing the theme of being loved for one’s inner qualities.
- The phrase ‘yellow hair’ has been repeated many times.
- The word ‘despair’ repeated in 1st and 2nd stanza
10. Irony: Anne Gregory suggests that changing her hair color might lead men to love her for her true self, but it is ironic because she is still focusing on her appearance to achieve that.
11. Allusion: “An old religious man”: A subtle reference to religious wisdom, possibly alluding to spiritual teachings about God’s unconditional love.
12. Symbolism: “Only God”: Represents the idea of pure, unconditional love, contrasting with human love that is often based on physical attraction.
13. Anaphora: Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of sentences or clauses that follow each other, done for emphasis
In the 3rd stanza – the second and third line
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
14. Refrain: A refrain is a phrase or line that is repeated at intervals throughout a poem, often for emphasis or thematic reinforcement.
In this poem, the line: “Love you for yourself alone / And not your yellow hair” (or variations of this phrase)
- “Love you for yourself alone” appears in both the first and the third stanzas.
- “And not your yellow hair” repeated in the last line of every stanza.
This repetition emphasizes the central idea of the poem—that true love should be based on a person’s inner qualities, not their outward appearance. The refrain reinforces the speaker’s concern about the superficial nature of human love and contrasts it with deeper, more meaningful affection.
15. Contrast: The contrast between human love (which is conditional and often superficial) and divine love (which is unconditional and profound) emphasizes the poem’s central theme.
