Literature-In-English Paper 3 WASSCE (PC), 2017

Question 12

    Comment on three poetic devices used in Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar”?


Observation

A good number of candidates attempted this question. Although they were able to mention poetic devices used in the poem, they failed to show how it is used to enhance or reinforce its theme and substantiate their answers.

The required answer should include the following points:

  • The theme of death and after death, immortality.
  • The poem’s structure as a poetic device.
  • The use of metaphor and euphemism.
  • The poet’s choice of diction.
  • The poet’s use of parallel structures.

 

Candidates’ performance was poor