High School

Dickinson uses half rhymes in the first three stanzas and a full rhyme only in the last stanza of the poem "I heard a fly buzz—when I died." What effect does this achieve?

A. It makes the poem sound severe to highlight the tragedy of death.
B. It serves to enhance the musical quality of the poem.
C. It builds tension across the poem that is only relieved at the end.
D. It makes the poem more interesting to read.

Answer :

Final answer:

Dickinson's use of half rhymes creates tension throughout the poem, reflecting the complex emotions related to death. The full rhyme in the final stanza offers a resolution that contrasts with earlier instability. This variation enhances both the poem's musicality and its exploration of mortality.


Explanation:

Effect of Rhyme in Dickinson's "I heard a fly buzz-when I died"

In Emily Dickinson's poem "I heard a fly buzz-when I died," the use of half rhymes in the first three stanzas and the transition to a full rhyme in the final stanza creates a significant effect. The variation in rhyme contributes to the overall tension and atmosphere of the poem, illustrating the complex feelings surrounding death.

The half rhymes, also known as slant rhymes, foster a sense of instability and unease that mirrors the uncertainty of the speaker’s death. These imperfect rhymes evoke the disintegration of life, highlighting the fragile boundary between life and death. In contrast, the shift to a full rhyme in the last stanza serves as a form of resolution, providing a moment of clarity or relief that contrasts with the tension built earlier in the poem.

This deliberate choice enhances the poem's musical quality and invites the reader to ponder the nature of mortality, reinforcing that the experience of dying is often fraught with tension until the very last moment when an acceptance might occur.


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