ALLITERATION

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds within a line/verse. Poets use alliteration to draw attention to certain words or ideas, imitate sounds, establish mood and create a musical effect. Alliteration is mainly a poetic device.

A picture of African traditional music instrumenta

To Illustrate

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,

The furrow followed free.

We were the first to ever burst

Into that silent sea.

By S. Coleridge

The words fair, foam, and flew in line/verse one, are alliterating since there is the repetition of the consonant sound /f/ at the begging of the aforementioned words. Likewise, in the second verse, the words furrow, followed, and free are alliterating since they share a consonant sound /f/ at the begging of each word.

Note that the same words do not alliterate. Alliteration may also occur within words.

Such as

He was always wide – awake. /w/

Rhythm of the Pestle

Listen – Listen

Listen to the palpable rhythm

Of the periodic pestle

Plunging in proud perfection

Into the cordial cavity

Of maternal mortar

At each succeeding stroke

The grain darts, glad to be scattered

By the hard glint

Of the pestle’s passion.

During the aerial suspension

of the pendant pestle

the twice asked, twice-disappointed girl

thinks of the suitor that didn't come,

of her who dragged her name through ashes...

of her bridal bed

that vanished with the ephemeral dream,

of her twin firstlings

that will never be born

and her weltering hands

grip, grip, rivet hard

and downright down

comes the vengeance of the pestle.

By Richard Ntiru

Task

Identify instances of alliteration from the poem by Richard Ntiru.

Functions of Alliteration.
ü It creates rhythm, therefore, making the poem musical.
ü It makes the poem memorable.
ü It emphasizes what is important in the poem.
ü Calls attention to the words used.
ü To emphasize particular images and moods
ü To give the poem greater unity.