Which device describes the repetition of a line or phrase at intervals throughout a poem?

Explore the fascinating world of American Literature and Drama with quizzes on literary devices and themes. Discover essential concepts and prepare effectively for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which device describes the repetition of a line or phrase at intervals throughout a poem?

Refrain describes the repetition of a line or phrase at intervals throughout a poem, often appearing at the end of stanzas. This recurring line acts like a chorus, giving the poem a musical rhythm and reinforcing a central idea or mood each time it resurfaces. The repetition isn’t just about repeating words; it strategically appears at intervals to unite the poem’s sections and heighten its emotional or thematic impact. Repetition is a broader term for repeating words or phrases, but it doesn’t specify that the line recurs at set intervals or functions like a chorus. Parallelism focuses on the symmetry and balance of grammatical structures, not on repeating a line or phrase. Metaphor is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things, and it isn’t about repetition at all. So, the description that best fits a line or phrase that returns at intervals throughout a poem is the refrain.

Refrain describes the repetition of a line or phrase at intervals throughout a poem, often appearing at the end of stanzas. This recurring line acts like a chorus, giving the poem a musical rhythm and reinforcing a central idea or mood each time it resurfaces. The repetition isn’t just about repeating words; it strategically appears at intervals to unite the poem’s sections and heighten its emotional or thematic impact.

Repetition is a broader term for repeating words or phrases, but it doesn’t specify that the line recurs at set intervals or functions like a chorus. Parallelism focuses on the symmetry and balance of grammatical structures, not on repeating a line or phrase. Metaphor is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things, and it isn’t about repetition at all. So, the description that best fits a line or phrase that returns at intervals throughout a poem is the refrain.

More practice questions