Four Quartets Literary Elements

The poems are related from the perspective of a third person objective point of view.

The poems do not have a fixed form and meter.

In the beginning of the poem ‘’East Coker’’ the narrator compares men with houses. The reason why he draws this parallel is to show the temporary nature of humanity and things and also to highlight how we can be replaced should the situation ask for it.

We find alliteration in the line ‘’Thunder roller by the rolling stars/ Simulates triumphal cars’’.

An ironic element is presented in the poem ‘’Burnt Norton’’ in the first part of the poem when the narrator talks about the people who want to reach the wonderful garden. The people believe they will find happiness in the garden but after spending a while there, they are faced with the reality, namely how the garden is far from the perfect place they envisioned. Instead, the garden is just as depraved and not perfect as the rest of the world.

The poems are meditative poems.

The poems do not have a setting because they are meditative poems.

The tone used in most of the poems is a depressing one.

The protagonist is the person who is humble while the antagonist is presented as being the person who can’t accept their limitations and their faults.

The major conflict is between life and death.

The second poem reaches its climax in the fourth part of the poem when the narrator talks about the small child who kneels in front of death.

By mentioning terms related to illness and death the narrator foreshadows the main theme in his poems, namely death.

In the poem ‘’Burnt Norton’’ the narrator insists we must break away from time to be conscious. At the same time, he also reveals how consciousness exists only in time and thus his first statement is an understatement.

The poem ‘’Burnt Norton’’ alludes towards the idea that solitude is something that can be beneficial. The narrator talks about solitude and presents it in a positive manner, as a place where one can find comfort and where no one has power another person.

The terms ‘’passages’’ and ‘’doors’’ are used in the poem ‘’Burnt Norton’’ as terms to refer to ideas people had in the past they did not act upon or maybe things they would have liked to do different but did not for various reasons.

We find a personification in the line ‘’ a white light still and moving’’.

We find a paradox in the line ‘’Only through time time is conquered’’.

We find an onomatopoeia in the poem ‘’Burnt North’’ in the line ‘’Footfalls echo’’.