A Psalm of Life Analysis - Literary devices and Poetic devices

A Psalm of Life
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Tell me now not, in mournful numbers,
Life is however an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things aren't what they appear.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave isn't its goal;
Dust thou art, to dirt returnest,
Was no longer spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined quit or way;
But to act, that every to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, although stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad discipline of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be now not like dumb, pushed cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the useless Past bury its useless!
Act,— act inside the residing Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of terrific men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, go away at the back of us
Footprints at the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er lifestyles’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a coronary heart for any fate;
Still achieving, nonetheless pursuing,
Learn to exertions and to wait.

Summary of the Poem A Psalm of Life
Popularity of “A Psalm of Life”: Written through Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a tremendous American poet, and educator, “A Psalm of Life” is a famous pome attributable to its explication the pragmatic view of lifestyles. It become first published in 1838. The poem deals with the situation of lifestyles and the possibilities it gives to human beings. It also encourages readers to live lifestyles to its fullest. Since its publication, it has won immense reputation throughout the globe as a result of its problem matter.
“A Psalm of Life” “As a Presentation of Life”: In this poem, the poet presents a highly positive view of lifestyles. The young speaker of the poem gives the psalmist advice to the readers on how they should lead their lives. To him, existence isn't always a dull, dumb or empty dream but offers immense opportunities to fulfill our dreams. We can gain our goals via using time and working hard. He negates the teachings that lead us to a pessimistic outlook of life. With his arguments, he tries to reveal the strength and capability of lifestyles. He states that we ought to now not spend existence expecting death. Rather, we have to work diligently and devotedly to depart our name in the world. What enchants the readers is the message that lifestyles has an give up and that we must go away our mark on the endless glide of time via our tough paintings.
Major Themes in “A Psalm of Life”: Life and desire are two primary issues of the poem, which the poet has incorporated the usage of aplenty of literary elements. He says we have to no longer mourn the past; instead, we ought to live the present moments of life to the fullest. He compares life with a struggle saying that we should act like a hero and surmount every obstacle that is available in our way. Throughout the poem, he intends to inspire the readers and urges them not to allow the valuable moments of life pass in vain. He instructs them to preserve a stability between happiness and sorrows and carve a better future for themselves.
Analysis of Literary Devices in “A Psalm of Life”
Literary gadgets are equipment that enable the writers to present their ideas, emotions, and feelings and also help the readers apprehend those greater profound meanings. Henry Wordsworth Longfellow has additionally used some literary devices on this poem. The evaluation of some of the literary devices used on this poem has been given below.

Allusions: Allusion is an indirect reference of a person, place, factor or idea of a historical, cultural, political or literary significance. Longfellow has used this device in the starting line of the poem consisting of, “Tell me not, in mournful numbers.” Here the numbers talk to the chapters and sections of the Bible.
Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within the equal line along with the sound of /e/ in “Lives of remarkable men all remind us” and the sound of /i/ in “Still achieving, nonetheless pursuing”.
Imagery: Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things with their 5 senses. Henry has used visible imagery to conjure mental pics consisting of, “In the world’s broad area of struggle” and “Footprints at the sands of time”.
Personification: Personification is to give human traits to inanimate subjects. He has personified the soul in the final line of the second stanza, “Was now not spoken of the soul” as if the soul is human and it is able to speak.
Anaphora: It refers back to the repetition of a word or expression inside the poem. Henry has repeated the word “existence” to emphasize his emotions about existence within the fifth line where it is said as, “Life is real! Life is earnest.”
Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds inside the same line consisting of the sound of /r/ in “A forlorn and shipwrecked brother.”
Paradox: A paradox is a statement that may seem contradictory yet can be true, or at the least makes sense. He has used this device within the fourth line wherein it is stated as, “And things are not what they appear.” Here he talks about appearances versus reality.
Parallelism: Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence grammatically the equal or similar of their construction, sound, meaning, or meter. This device is used in the 2d stanza where “Life is real” is paralleling “Life is earnest!” and again inside the final stanza in which “Still achieving” is paralleling “nevertheless pursuing”.
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds inside the identical line consisting of the sound of /n/ in “Not enjoyment, and now not sorrow”.
The literary evaluation suggests that appropriate use of literary factors has made it a thought-frightening for the readers no matter its simplicity.

Analysis of Poetic Devices in “A Psalm of Life”
Poetic and literary gadgets are the equal, but some are used handiest in poetry. Here is the evaluation of a number of the poetic gadgets used on this poem.

Stanza: A stanza is a poetic shape of a few strains. There are nine stanzas in this poem every having four lines in it.
Quatrain: A quatrain is a 4-covered stanza borrowed from Persian Here, every stanza is quatrain as the first one and the second one one.
Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme followed by the complete poem is ABAB.
End Rhyme: End rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. End rhyme occurs inside the 2nd and 1/3 lines and again in the 2d and fourth lines. The rhyming phrases are “number”, “slumber”, “dream” and “seem.”
Quotes to be Used
The strains quoted below may be utilized in a speech to encourage the devastated people. These can also be utilized in religious sermons to raise the braveness of downtrodden masses.

“In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be now not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero within the strife!”