Figurative Language

Figurative language is defined as “an intentional departure from the normal order, construction, or meaning of words.” This can become a different misspelling of a word in order to make it fit into a rhyme scheme, or switching words to make the meter fit. Five examples of these are Caedmon’s Hymn, Beowulf, Eloisa to Abelard, A Modest Proposal, and Dr. Faustus.
In Caedmon’s hymn words are switched in order to make the rhyme scheme fit better. Instead of “established the beginning” it becomes “the beginning established”. Not a major change, but it does make the rhyme flow.
In Beowulf, the figurative language also takes the form of kennings or metaphorical noun compound instead of always using the proper name for the person or creature. Grendel, the monster, is often referred to as “God-cursed” or “shadow-stalker” as often as Beowulf is called a “Half-Dane” or referred to as someone’s servant or retainer. This language spices up the oral tale and relieves the monotony of always mentioning the person’s name.
In Eloisa to Abelard, the figurative language is used to thinly veil the desire and rage of Eloisa at not being able to be with the man she loves nor being able to concentrate on her supposed devotion to the Lord she is now condemned to serve by her father. With words like “lost in a convent’s solitary gloom!” referring to her loneliness in the convent and her longing for Abelard’s attention and affection. Figurative language in this piece gives her plight a sense of poetics and begs the reader to sympathize with her plight.
In A Modest Proposal, Swift uses figurative language to refer to people and places in order to first protect himself from attacks from the people he is criticizing and second to allow the reader to judge or his/her self exactly who is being condemned and made fun of. This refers to the “Pretender in Spain” which is a reference to James Francis Edward Stuart, the son of James II, a man to whom many of the Irish were loyal to. Writing in figurative language gives Swift the advantage of having “an inside joke” with his readers. Only those in the know would have the insight into what he is talking about.
Finally in Dr. Faustus, figurative language is used again to describe thing and make them appear to be more fanciful than they really are. Faustus uses “Longing to view Orion’s drizzling look” instead of just saying the constellation the constellation Orion. The Devil and Metastophilis use figurative language in order to lure Faustus into signing his soul to the devil and to keep him from renouncing his deal and returning to the arm of God.