The phenomenon of repetition in Chinese Poetry and Western Poetry
Frequent questions and concerns have been raised worldwide about what poetry is and what role it plays in the society. The word ‘poetry’ is an importation of something whose nature is quite peculiar. In the real sense, poetry results in something that exists in prose and in verse form, and this something is known as a poem. Apparently, poems do not require the instrument of words but can be spoken or read through musical sounds, which are audible symbols. At times, poems can be read out or spoken through visible symbols such as the language of sculpture, architecture, or painting. There is a belief that all the mentioned symbols must be felt by individuals who provide audience to spoken or read poetry.
The intent of poetry is to ensure that the emotions of the audience are acted upon, and this underlines the difference between poetry and other literary devices (Sun 9). Arguably, the readers or audience of poems have been fundamental in the growth and development of poetry. The fact that readers have appreciated poets around the world has provided motivation and encouragement for them to come up with more poems, and this has contributed significantly to the growth of the field. People have come up with arguments regarding the difference between poetry and science. It should be noted that while science is focused on and addresses itself to the belief, poetry on the other hand focuses on and addresses itself to the feelings of individuals who provide audience platforms. Moreover, whereas science carries out its work and operations by moving from one place to another, poetry carries out its work through persuasion and convincing the audience. Another notable difference is that poetry acts through the presentation of a position to the understanding while science acts through the provision of interesting objects of contemplation to the human sensibilities. Irrefutably, myriads of poems that are in existence in the world today are in the form of narratives that are fictitious. This underscores the argument that true poetry exists in almost all good serious fictions. Despite the fact that both stories and poems leverage on language, there is a radical distinction between the interests felt in the two perspectives. It should be noted that the interest in a story is derived from a particular incident while the interest in a poem is derived from the representation of feeling. In poetry, the exhibition of a state of human sensibility acts as the source of emotion whereas in story telling sessions, the source of emotion is a series of states of mere and imaginary outward circumstances (Sun 9). All in all, poetry plays a fundamental role in the modern society, and this is owed to the fact that it is a way of expressing emotions and feelings. It is easier to persuade and convince a person through poetry as compared to other perspectives such as songs or stories.
Poetry is in existence in every corner of the world, and thus, there have been comparisons of poetry from various regions. In this case, there is a comparison of Chinese poetry to the Anglo-American, also known as Western poetry. Forming the basis of the comparative study is the phenomenon of repetition, which is seen to exist in the Chinese poetry and the Western poetry. It should be noted that both Western and Chinese poetry use aspects such as assonance, alliteration, reduplication, refrain, and rhyme. Another key observation is that both Western and Chinese poetry leverage of the repetition of word clusters and phrases to facilitate the creation of cadences and rhythms. In line with this argument, it is important to note that repetition is a powerful sound device used in almost all poetic contexts, and it refers to the act of repeating words, lines, phrases, or stanzas. In poetry, stanzas refer to the groups of lines that are put together and convey a particular message to the audience. The primary purpose of using repetition as a sound device in poetry is that it emphasizes an idea or feeling. Also, repetition results in the creation of rhythm and the development of a sense of urgency. In Sir Thomas Wyatt’s poem title “The Long Love that in my Thought doth Harbor” the use of repetition is evident.
The Long Love that in my Thought doth Harbor
The longë love that in my though doth harbor
And in mine hert doth keep his residence,
Into my face presseth with bold pretence
And therein campeth, spreading his banner.
She that me learneth to love and suffer
And will that my trust and lustës negligence
Be rayned by reason, shame, and reverence,
With his hardiness taketh displeasure.
Wherewithhall unto the hert’s forest he fleeth,
Leaving his enterprise with pain and cry,
And there him hideth and not appeareth.
What may I do when my master feareth
But in the field with him to live and die?
For good is the life ending faithfully.
Chinese Poetry
From the myriads of Chinese poems that are in existence, the presence of the use of the phenomenon of repetition, which is a sound device in poetry, cannot be refuted. Repetition in Chinese poetry is evident in the manner in which words and phrases are recurrent. Many a times, people have argued that repeating ideas and opinions over and over is annoying. In the poetic context, repetition has been appreciated and welcome because of the positive contributions it has made in the field of poetry. In fact, repetition plays an integral role in poetry and this makes its exclusion from poems an impracticable venture. The phenomenon of repetition is not only used in poetry but other perspectives such as songs and stories. The phenomenon of repetition in story telling sessions helps the audience to memorize or remember the content or message conveyed later on, and this one of the key purposes of the use of the phenomenon of repetition in poetry (Sun 15).
In the various Chinese poetry, the use of repetition aids in the emphasis of an opinion or idea to ensure that the audience clearly understands the poet’s intended message. Besides, the use of repetition is a strategy for the provision of a detailed and vivid description of a prospect that in the end evokes the feeling of the audience or otherwise the readers making them feel part or gain interest in the poem in focus. Essentially, the phenomenon of repetition in Chinese poetry is used for the purpose of emphasis and to evoke the feeling of the audience towards a particular opinion or idea presented in a poem. When a word or a given phrase is repeated severally in Chinese poetry, the intention is to draw the reader’s or otherwise the audience’s attention to a specific theme or idea. The use of repetition in Chinese poetry varies widely, and this is evident in the fact that at times, there is repetition of the same phrase or word in every line in stanzas whereas on other occasions, a word or phrase may be repeated only twice or thrice in an entire poem. Another purpose of repetition in Chinese poetry is to enhance clarity of ideas, opinions, and themes. The device is also used for the purposes of amplification and to induce an emotional effect for the reader or audience. It should also be noted that the use of repetition in Chinese poetry ensures that there is unification of words, lines, or stanzas. The use of the sound device of repetition is evident in Bo Juyi’s song-lyric poem, which has the title ‘Everlasting Love’. In the poem, there is a repetition of the phrase ‘the still flow’.
Everlasting Love
The still flow of Bian River runs,
The still flow of Si River runs.
At the Ancint ferry of Gua Zhou
The confluence whirls, eastward.
Beyond,
Jiangnan Peaks emerge as sorrows.
Far is my longing
Deep is my grievance,
No end to my abjection
Till we are reunited.
Now,
In the moonlight a solitary one stands.
Chinese poetry achieves the objective of expressing strong emotions through the use of repetition, an aspect that despite being disguised and obvious at times; remains constant and powerful in Chinese poetry (Sun 14). In Chinese poetry, repetition is seen to express itself through pivoting around a key complex of thought and emotion. Irrefutably, the urge to express an emotion or feeling results in a poet repeating an opinion, idea, or theme, and this is largely highlighted in Chinese poetry. Chinese poets and the poetry fraternity appreciate the importance and significance of including repetition in poems. In fact, Chinese poets are in agreement with poets from the Western world who have the opinion that poems without repetition are flat and boring. Furthermore, Chinese poets give preference to the use of repetition when it comes to word clusters, and the principal purpose of this is to ensure the creation of rhythms and cadences. A focus on the Chinese language reveals that unlike Western world languages such as English, it is tonal, it is not written alphabetically, and it is basically monosyllabic. Despite the language differences, Chinese poetry uses repetition for purposes similar to those of the Western languages such as English. Arguably, Chinese poets struggle to see the delivery of their lyrical sense through the use of repetition in their poems, and this is evidenced by the recurrence of sound patterns in their phonic units.
Another Chinese poem that gives a clear illustration of the use of repetition is titled ‘My Husband is in service’.
My husband is in service, My husband is in service
I don’t know for how long. Not a matter of days or month.
When will he return? When will we meet again?
The chickens roost in their coops, The chickens roost in their perches,
When the day ends. When the day ends.
The sheep and cows come down. The sheep and cows come down.
My husband is in service, My husband is in service,
How can I not miss him? Pray that he be not hungry and thirsty.
Evidently, in the poem above, the poet repeats the phrase “My husband is in service”. The repetition of the phrase is seen to emphasize an idea to the audience, and this enables easier memory and understanding of the phrase. On the other hand, the repetition of the phrase facilitates the expression of the poets emotions to the reader or otherwise the audience. Arguably, the repetition of the phrase several times in the poem enables the reader to understand the feelings that the woman in focus has towards her husband. In the poem above, it can also be noted that the article ‘the’ has been repeated severally in the entire poem and this makes it easier for the reader to understand and memorize the poem. In various Chinese poems, only words are repeated within lines although there are other poems where lines, particularly those at the end of stanzas are repeated in the entire poem (Sun 16). It is easier to remember a poem with a last line that is similar from one stanza to another. The Chinese poem above portrays the repetition of a phrase severally in the entire poem. The primary purpose of repeating the phrase My husband is in service is to emphasize the woman’s feelings or emotions towards her husband, and this in turn evokes feelings of the reader.
Anglo-American Poetry
In Anglo-American poetry, the way lyrical intent is expressed is conditioned by the orientation towards reality. In this poetic context, there is repetition of both sound and sense, and this occurs particularly at the core of lyrical expression. The urge of retention of knowledge or information conveyed through poetry has prompted the use of devices such as repetition (Sun 326). Essentially, when a word, phrase or sentence is repeated, there is likelihood that it will be remembered in the short-term or in the long-term. In Anglo-American poetry, phonic repetition has continued to thrive, and this is despite the fact that poetry has shifted from being an oral-aural affair to a written affair. In the modern world, poetry has been used in conferences, meetings, and political functions as they facilitate easier message conveyance. Moreover, poetry has also had a role to play in the sexual relationships that exist in the world today. It is common for women to express their love for men and vice versa through poems, and the phenomenon of repetition has been omnipresent in such platforms. The phenomenon of repetition in the poetic words exchanged between men and women has boosted intimacy and love in the modern generation.
Like in Chinese poetry, several Anglo-American poems leverage of repetition, which is largely considered one of the most powerful sound devices in poetic contexts (Sun 326). It should also be noted that the use of repetition plays an integral role in Anglo-American poetry, and this is why several Western poets find it difficult to exclude the aspect of repetition from their poems. Like in Chinese poetry, Anglo-American poetry leverages on repetition and this is owed to the fact that it plays a fundamental role in the emphasis of opinions, idea, and also helps the audience to have a clear understanding of the information conveyed by a poet. In almost all Anglo-American poems, repetition is one of the key strategies that provide detailed and vivid descriptions of prospects that in the long run make readers or audiences feel part or gain interest in poems. It is irrefutable that like in Chinese poetry, the primary purpose of the phenomenon of repetition in Anglo-American poetry is to emphasize or stress specific opinions, ideas, or themes. There is a wide variation in the use of repetition in Anglo-American poetry. Whereas some poems repeat same words or phrases in every line, other poems repeat a word or phrase twice in an entire poem. Like Chinese poetry, the phenomenon of repetition in the Anglo-American poetry also plays a fundamental role in the unification of words, stanzas, and lines. The use of repetition in Anglo-American poetry is evident in Thomas Campion’s poem titled “There is A Garden In Her Face”.
There is a garden in her face
Where roses and white lilies grow;
A heavenly paradise is that place
Wherein all pleasant fruits do flow.
There cherries grow which none may buy,
Till “Cherry ripe” themselves do cry.
Those cherries fairly do enclose
Of orient pearl a double row,
Which when her lovely laughter shows,
They look like rose-buds fill’d with snow;
Yet them nor peer nor prince can buy,
Till “Cherry ripe” themselves do cry.
Her eyes like angels watch them still,
Her brows like bended bows do stand,
Threat’ning with piercing frowns to kill
All that attempt with eye or hand
Those sacred cherries to come nigh,
Till “Cherry ripe” themselves do cry.
Evidently, in the poem above, there is repetition of the phrase Till “Cherry ripe” themselves do cry. The repetition of the phrase in the poem is seen as an emphasis of a specific idea or opinion to the audience or otherwise the reader of the poem, and this similar to the purpose of repetition in Chinese poetry. The repetition of the phrase in the Anglo-American poem above enables easier memorization and understanding of the poem, and thus there is a similarity in the purpose of repetition in both the Chinese and Western poetries.
In Anglo-American poetry, like the Chinese poetry, there is the achievement of the objective of expressing strong emotions through the use of repetition, an aspect that despite being disguised and obvious at times remains constant and powerful in every poetic context (Sun 326). In Anglo-American poetry, the phenomenon of is seen to revolve around the aspects of thought and emotion. Irrefutably, the urge to express an emotion or feeling results in a poet repeating an opinion, idea, or theme, and this is largely highlighted in Anglo-American poetry. It should be noted that Anglo-American poets are similar to Chinese poets, and this is owed to the fact that they appreciate the importance and significance of including repetition in poems. Anglo-American poets consider poems without repetition as games of tennis without nets. Put simply, in Anglo-American poetry, it is impracticable to ignore the phenomenon of repetition when it comes to poetry. Moreover, Anglo-American poets are seen to follow their Chinese counterparts’ footsteps as they give preference to the use of repetition when it comes to word clusters, and the principal purpose of this is to ensure the creation of rhythms and cadences (Sun 330). Most of the Anglo-American languages are different from the Chinese language in various perspectives such as the tone, alphabetical writing, and syllables. Despite the language differences, Anglo-American poetry is seen to use repetition for purposes similar to those of the Chinese poetry. Arguably, Anglo-American poets struggle to see the delivery of their lyrical sense through the use of repetition in their poems, and this is evidenced by the recurrence of sound patterns in their phonic units.
Another Anglo-American poem that clearly illustrates the use of the phenomenon of repetition is Sir Philip Sidney’s “Astrophil and Stella1: Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show”.
Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,
That she, dear she, might take some pleasure of my pain,—
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,
Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,—
I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe;
Studying inventions fine her wits to entertain,
Oft turning others’ leaves, to see if thence would flow
Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburn’d brain.
But words came halting forth, wanting invention’s stay;
Invention, Nature’s child, fled step-dame Study’s blows;
And others’ feet still seem’d but strangers in my way.
Thus great with child to speak and helpless in my throes,
Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite,
“Fool,” said my Muse to me, “look in thy heart, and write.”
In the poem above, which is sourced from Anglo-American poetry, it is observable that there is an extensive use of the phenomenon of repetition. For instance, in the second line, the word ‘she’ is repeated twice within the line. The purpose of the repetition of the word is to ensure that the word is stressed or emphasized, so that the attention of the reader is drawn. With this in mind, there is a similarity in the purpose of repetition in Chinese poetry and Anglo-American or Western poetry. It can also be noted that there is a repetition of the word ‘pleasure’ in the second and third line of the poem. Without a doubt, the word ‘pleasure’ has been repeated to emphasize or stress a given point or idea. The repetition of the word has also played a crucial role in the unification of the words, phrases, and lines of the poem, roles played by repetition in Chinese poetry, and thus, the similarity between the two poetic contexts is underscored.
In conclusion it is of essence to denote that there is a similarity in terms of the purpose of the phenomenon of repetition both in Chinese and Western poetry. The fact that poetry has drawn attention from every corner of the world has prompted people to understand what the term means and its purpose in the modern society. As discussed above it should be noted that poetry refers to something that is imported and whose nature is quite peculiar. In the real sense, poetry results in something that exists in prose and in verse form, and this something is known as a poem. Apparently, poems, which are products of poetry, do not require the instrument of words but can be spoken or read through musical sounds, which are audible symbols. At times, poems can be read out or spoken through visible symbols such as the language of sculpture, architecture, or painting. There is a belief that all the mentioned symbols must be felt by individuals who provide audience to spoken or read poetry. The primary purpose of poetry notwithstanding the context is to ensure that the emotions of the audience are acted upon, and this underlines the difference between poetry and other literary devices. Poetry leverages on a plethora of stylistic devices, one of them being repetition. The latter refers to the act of repeating words, lines, phrases, or stanzas. It is argued that stanzas in poetry refer to the groups of lines that are put together and convey a particular message to the audience. The primary purpose of using repetition as a sound device in poetry is that it emphasizes an idea or feeling. On the other hand, repetition, a stylistic device in poetic contexts, results in the creation of rhythm and the development of a sense of urgency, which is seen to draw the attention of the reader or otherwise the audience. A comparison of the phenomenon of repetition in Chinese and Western poetries reveals that it is used in a similar manner and for similar purposes. First, it is notable that repetition in both contexts is used to emphasize ideas, opinions, and themes. Second, it can be noted that the use of the phenomenon of repetition in the Chinese and Western poetries is to draw the attention of the readers or the audience. It is also evident that in Chinese and Western poetry, the phenomenon of repetition plays an integral role in the unification of words, phrases, lines, and stanzas.
Works Cited
Sun, Cecile C. The Poetics of Repetition in English and Chinese Lyric Poetry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011. Print.
Sun, Cecile Chu-chin. “Mimesis and 興 Xing: Two Modes of Viewing Reality Comparing English and Chinese Poetry.” Comparative Literature Studies 43.3 (2006): 326-354.