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Shiloh Poetic Devices

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Shiloh Poetic Devices
During the Civil War, there were a lot of people using poetry to express themselves. The American Civil War began in 1861 as a result of growing tensions between the Northern and Southern states over issues such as slavery as well as economic differences. The conflict was primarily fueled by the divide between the abolitionist North and the pro-slavery South, with each side seeking to protect their interests and way of life. The authors of these poems use poetic devices and literary elements to capture the feelings of the nation during the times of the Civil War. For example, "Gathering Song" by Annie C. Ketchum is a poignant poem that explores the themes of community and togetherness. Ketchum utilizes various poetic devices to convey the sense of …show more content…
The poem's rhythmic cadence and rhyme scheme further enhance its message of togetherness, making it a powerful and moving piece of poetry. Another example of this is in "Shiloh: A Requiem" "Shiloh: A Requiem'' by Herman Melville is a powerful and haunting poem that captures the devastation of the American Civil War. The poem is filled with poignant imagery and employs various poetic devices to evoke the sense of loss and despair experienced by those who fought in the war. One device that expresses this is symbolism, as seen in the repeated references to the battlefield of Shiloh as a place of death and destruction. Melville also uses irony to highlight the futility of war as exemplified in the lines "fame or country least their care." During the Civil War, people in America were feeling deeply divided and conflicted. Families were torn apart, and friends became enemies; the authors of these poems conveyed these harsh feelings beautifully. Melville also used imagery as in the lines "The church so alone the log-built one that echoed to many a parting grown and natural prayer of dying Foreman mangled

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