Poetry Hacks

Onomatopoeia

What is it? The use of words that seem to sound like what they describe (e.g. ping).

What effect does it usually have? Onomatopoeic words make description more vivid and effective, since the reader can 'hear' what is being described as well as 'seeing' it in the imagination. What else should I look out for? As well as the obvious examples, onomatopoeia can be subtle. It can play an important role in creating an effective setting or establishing atmosphere. In unrhyming poems, onomatopoeia (along with assonance, alliteration, etc.) enhances the musical qualities of the text.

An example of how it works … ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ by Wilfred Owen:

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons

Here the 't' sounds mimic the sound of gunfire; the 'stuttering' sound is repeated twice in the two lines, helping to create a nervous atmosphere.

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