Anaphora is the repetition of the beginning of a clause. In this case, it’s the double appearance of “Behold, thou art fair.” Don’t confuse this with epistrophe, the repetition of the end of a clause at the end of several clauses in a row (e.g. “I like strawberry ice cream, I buy chocolate ice cream, I eat all kinds of ice cream”). Deus ex machina is the use of a contrived plot device or outside power to solve a problem in a story, novel, or play (e.g. Shakespeare’s use of pirates in Hamlet), and it rarely appears in this kind of poetry. Chiasmus is the use of a crisscross or reverse structure in a sentence or paragraph (e.g. Coleridge’s “Flowers are lovely, love is flowerlike”), and epanalepsis is another word for this strategy.

Passage adapted from the “Song of Solomon,” King James Bible.

The continual and excessive use of the conjunction “and” makes this an example of polysyndeton. Pathos and ethos are specific rhetorical appeals, and synesthesia is the conflation of different sensory perceptions (e.g. a velvety sound, a bright flavor). A soliloquy is a long monologue that, in drama, specifically refers to a monologue in which no other characters are present on the stage (e.g. Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” speech).

Passage adapted from “The Lady of Shalott,” Poems by Alfred Tennyson (1833).

Aposiopesis is the sudden, deliberate breaking-off of a line of writing or speech for deliberate effect. This technique is in fact used throughout the passage, but it’s most concentrated in lines 13-14. Antithesis is a contrast or direct opposite to something. Caricature is a cartoonish or exaggerated portrait of a person. Cliché is a phrase that’s become trite or worn out from overuse (e.g. “fast as lightning”).

Passage adapted from Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” (1842) 

At the end of the sonnet, we have two instances of alliteration: “lone” with “level” and “sands” with “stretch.” Anastrophe is the purposeful inversion of normal word order in a clause or sentence (e.g. “forsake me not” instead of “do not forsake me”). Asyndeton denotes a lack of conjunction words (e.g. “I came, I saw, I conquered”). Caesura refers to a dramatic pause in a sentence or line of poetry, often accomplished by use of an em dash. Synesthesia is the conflation of different sensory perceptions (e.g. a velvety sound, a bright flavor).

Passage adapted from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ozymandias” (1818)

In line 6, we have the purposeful inversion of normal word order in a clause or sentence: anastrophe. Deus ex machina is the use of a contrived plot device or outside power to solve a problem in a story, novel, or play (e.g. Shakespeare’s use of pirates in Hamlet). Conceits are elaborate and extended metaphors. Motif is the recurring use of an image, idea, or subject in a work of literature (e.g. weaving and silk production in Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel Middlesex). Onomatopoeia is the use of a word that mimics the sound of the thing it is describing (e.g. “pop” or “buzz”).

Passage adapted from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ozymandias” (1818)

In lines 1-2, the speaker addresses the poem’s subject directly. This is the technique of apostrophe, not to be confused with epistrophe: the repetition of the end of a clause at the end of several clauses in a row. Anastrophe is the purposeful inversion of normal word order in a clause or sentence. Enjambment is a poetic technique in which the meaning and syntax of one line are carried over and finished in the next line (e.g. Robert Frost’s “And there's a barrel that I didn't fill / Beside it”). Stream of consciousness is a style of writing designed to mimic the free-flowing thoughts of someone’s inner consciousness; the style often involves disorganization and lack of standard punctuation or capitalization.

Passage adapted from John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn" (1820)

In lines 3-4, the speaker claims that the “Sylvan historian” can create a tale more beautiful than the writer of this poem. We could see this claim as either false modesty on the part of the poet or romanticization of an earlier, more lyrical time. Based on the serious and idealistic tone of the rest of the work, we can conclude that the poet is simply romanticizing an earlier time.

Passage adapted from John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn" (1820)

In the final lines of this passage, we see rhetorical questions and parallelism (repetition of the same grammatical structure for literary effect). We also see parataxis: sentences in which short, simple clauses are placed beside each other without subordination. Lastly, we see anaphora: repetition of the beginning of clauses.

Passage adapted from John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn" (1820)

The word order in “I saw a creature, naked, bestial” is inverted: Instead of the usual adjective-noun combination, we have noun-adjective. This is an example of anastrophe. In this case, Crane likely chose the technique for sonic effect and to emphasize these vivid adjectives.

Passage adapted from Stephen Crane’s “In the Desert” (1895)

In line 7, the speaker breaks off and then reiterates his point: “It is bitter—bitter.” This abrupt and deliberate breaking-off is known as aposiopesis. In this case, the device is likely employed to emphasize the word “bitter” and make the creature seem more emotional.

Passage adapted from Stephen Crane’s “In the Desert” (1895)