Friday, July 25, 2014

In the poem "The Creditor to His Proud Debtor," what literary terms does George Moses Horton use?

In George Moses Horton's poem, "The Creditor to His Proud
Debtor," there are several literary devices used.


The
following includes a metaphor, comparing the debtor to a bird, that struts about in his
finery, referring to his "feathers" and "crowing"
days.



...strut
and boast, 
But think of what your feathers cost; 
Your crowing days
are short at most...



The
second stanza refers to the "jingle" in his pocket, which might be an example of
onomatopoeia.


Repetition is used with some semblance of the
line "debts were paid," or "your accounts paid," as well as "with a sheriff at your
back." Repetition generally is used to drive an important idea or symbolic message home
to the reader.


Imagery is provided especially in the last
stanza where the speaker describes how he would look, bringing a
picture to the mind of the reader. He will wear a "light cravat," "a bell-crown hat,"
sitting as a man of means would, "cross-legged on my chair / Within the cloister
shade." The word "creaning" in the line…


readability="5">

…And creaning wear my bell-crown
hat...



may
refer to an archaic use of the word "creancer" which refers to a
creditor.

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