The poet has juxtaposed sets of opposites like numbness pains, waking dream. How does this contribute to the poetic effect? What is this figure of speech called? List other such pairs of poems that you have read.

Question

The poet has juxtaposed sets of opposites like numbness pains, waking dream. How does this contribute to the poetic effect? What is this figure of speech called? List other such pairs of poems that you have read.

Philoid · Accepted Answer

Some other opposites used in poem including numbness pains, waking dream are:

Death immortal

Happiness sorrow

Wake-sleep

These opposites helped poet to plot a difference between those things which play a role in human life and which is a bitter truth that is death and poet had described sorrow feel related to this and compared it with happiness. All these opposites help the author to make an effective distinction between such things.

The figure of speech used is Oxymoron as two opposite words are used.