Paul Dunbar's main theme through out the poem is the agony of captivity. ... Paul Laurence Dunbar also uses diction to link back to his theme. He uses a particular structure to link it to the theme of his poem. ... Paul Laurence Dunbar uses many literary devices to express to the reader how he felt as an African American. ... The literary devices all help to show the apparent theme of the agony of captivity since the bird harmed itself trying to gain freedom. ...

• Word Count: 692
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

At first glance, Yeats" poetry may seem to be merely spontaneous emotion, however, after close literary analysis, it is clear that Yeats" poetry is often fairly systematic and reveals an assortment of reoccurring ideas. ... "Politics" (1939) is another of Yeats" poems which embodies one of his many re-occurring themes. ... The persona in "politics" is clearly yearning for the return of his youth, a theme prevalent in Yeats" later works. ...

• Word Count: 823
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

" (I.i. 134) Earnestly professed by Lysander in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the character assertively articulates one of the play's most crucial themes: the complexities of love. ... In lines 1-2, Duffy presents somewhat of a literary crescendo. ... The term could further underscore a crucial theme of the poem, as fire, in the context of love, is generally associated with passion. ... Duffy is world-renowned for her skilful intermeshing of intertextuality in her literary works, and, in this specific poem, we can assume that she alludes to Vincent Van Gogh'...

• Word Count: 1990
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Alongside the character's loss of innocence, other supporting themes are present, such as drug abuse, the passage of time, and violence. ... The theme of the passage of time is elementary to a 'coming of age' story. ...

• Word Count: 809
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate