Literary analysis of Skelton’s “With lullay lullay like a child”

The literary analysis of any poetry work helps to reveal the underlining meaning of the poem and bring out the message of the author envisioned to pass to the reader. Some of the literary element that are revealed in the analysis of poetry are metaphors, repetition, the rhyme scheme, and symbolism among many others. These elements are employed to showcase the point of view of the persona, the tone of the poem as well as the themes passed across. This paper will analyze the literary devices evident in Skelton’s poem called “With lullay, lullay, like a child”

in order to understand the meaning.

Literary Analysis of the poem ”With lullay, lullay, like a child”

The poem evidence various literary elements such as imagery, symbolism, and repetition. First, the rhyme scheme is ”aXXaaBB XcXccBB XXXXXBB XddddbbbB.” It is an irregular rhyme scheme as it does not have similar rhyming words at the end of all the stanzas. It makes the poem to sound musical to the reader. The effect is that it makes it interesting to the reader as the poem comes out to be enjoyable and pleasurable when read aloud. The rhyme scheme develops a certain form that achieves a captivating tonal variation and thus emphasizes the important phases found at the end of the lines in every stanza (Infobase 6). Moreover, the meter of the poem is an iambic tetrameter and this makes it easier for one to read it aloud. The poem entails four stanzas and the word syntax that is employed in entire poem elaborates the meaning of love and how it is important to the characters. Notably, the author uses a grammatical aspect that alludes to an ancient times. For example, the first stanza, the poem says ”Let me,”quoth he, “lie in your lap”/“Lie still,”quoth she, “my paramour” (Skelton). The lines of the poem also have dependent clauses of purpose, and they climax the rhetorical element which links the sequence of the lines to form the rhyme scheme. The primary clause is thus differed and comes out to be fairly simple in the stanzas. The syntax and the grammatical figures showcase the delicate mood of the characters and give an emotional appeal which expresses the feelings of love to the reader.

Skelton also employs a device called lexical repetition that has been significant in portraying the goal of the writing. Notably, the repetition shows the meaning as well as give the poem a focus. Words like ”her” and ”lullay” have been repeated several times and hence emphasize the theme. It also works to contribute to the poem’s tone as well as the rhyme scheme. The literary devise has been important in describing the love felt between the two lovers and the deep feeling on how they desire one another. The element focuses on the thematic nature of the romantic relationship, and it attributes to the coherence of the text (Infobase, 39). Generally, the literary devices that the writer uses make the poem to be enjoyable. The author repeats the words ”With hey, lullay, etc” which are the end of every stanza and impacts more on the concept of literary emphasis.

There is also another literary device called epiphora that is majorly used at the start of the neighboring lines in the poem. Words such as ”he” are repeated at the start of the lines in the second stanza. The method, of epiphora ignites a repetitive aspect which form the structure and the pattern of the poem. The epiphora gives the poem a form of aesthetic appreciation (Robison 37). The element serves the function of furnishing an artistic effect to text in a poetic aspect. The device also gives emphasis on a certain idea like love. There is also imagery with is evident in the poem especially in the third stanza. The device is seen at the point where the persona says that ”The rivers rough, the waters wan” (Skelton). Indeed, when one reads the poem, the picture of the water that is wan and the river that is rough comes to the mind. The illustration depicted through the use of the words give a sensory experience to the reader and illuminate the importance of the stanza.

Moreover, the use of symbolism in the poem cannot be overlooked. The symbolism is vital in giving the poem its literary appeal and makes it captivating. For instance, symbolism is used in the third line when the speaker says ”My darling dear, my daisy flower” (Skelton). From the context of the poem, the use of the words ”Daisy flower” signifies the strong appreciation and love that the man has for the woman. It is a symbol of the immense love that exists in the characters. The symbol provides complex ideas as well as attains a sense of explicit metaphor throughout the poem. The literary device plays a critical role in building the stanzas to illuminate the aesthetic value. Again, apart from symbolism, the element of simile can be seen in line seven of the first stanza where the speaker says ”His head was heavy, such was his hap” (Skelton). A comparison is provided between the deep love that the speaker feels for the partner and the heaviness of the nap.

In conclusion, the poem is heavily embedded in a rhetorical masterpiece through the numerous literary devices. It uses elements such as symbolism, imagery, repetition, euphoria and simile. Indeed, the literary nature of the poem ignites an ”obsessive rhyming, emotional excitement, tongue-twisting word play, and informal rhythm” (Pfister 27). Another element is also seen in the connotation of words which give the diction. The figurative language in the poem which is seen through the grammatical use and the syntax give the literary meaning. The contrasting element through the simile also enhance the meaning. It is also important to note that all these aspects are in the form of a dialogue between the man and the woman. Therefore, Skelton is an acclaimed writer, and his works will remain to be impactful in the literature world. His poems are influential in the modern times and are widely used by scholars.

Works Cited

Infobase, film distributor. Basic Literary Terms, Volume 6: Understanding Poetry—Rhythm and Meter, Rhyme, Hoboken: Wiley.  2017

Pfister, Joel, author. Surveyors of customs: American literature as cultural analysis. Oxford studies in American literary history. 2016

Robison, Cassandra. Writing and understanding poetry for teachers and students: a heart’s craft. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2015.

Skelton John. ”With lullay, lullay, like a child”. https://keytopoetry.com/john-skelton/poems/with-lullay-lullay/