English controlled assessment

In this assessment I will analyse and discuss how Romeo & Juliet, Ozymandias and A song in the storm show the use of literary techniques to communicate their ideas about fate. I am going to discuss the 3 main types of literary ltechniques which are, metaphors, iambic pentameter and narrative structure e.g. (Volta).These are 3 very important features because they prove how fate is shown in all 3 pieces of text. Shakespeare wrote “Romeo & Juliet” during the Elizabethan times  around the 16th century. Shakespeare strongly believed in God that’s why he included God a number of times during the play. Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote “A Song In A Storm” during the Enlightnement times around the 18th century. Rudyard Kipling wrote “Ozymandias” between 1914-1918. I  this script Kipling identifies that it is bravr to die at war.

Metaphors

What are metaphors?

A metaphor can be described as an object being described as if it was human. Shakespeare uses metaphors in Romeo & Juliet as a literary techniques to promote the idea of fate. An example of Shakespeare using metaphors is when Romeo and Benvolio are outside the Capulet house, discussing the consequences of what they will face if they get caught at this party.  When questioned if it was really worth putting their lives in danger Romeo says “I fear too early for my mind misgives, some consequences yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date” this suggests despite knowing his inevitable he is going to achieve his destiny.  By using “stars” Shakespeare is referring to God which further suggests that Romeo’s fate is unstoppable, is in God’s hands and is out of his control. Another quote from the Shakespeare has used to indicate fate is “By some vile forfeit of untimely death. But He that hath the steerage of my course Direct my sail!” This informs us that Shakespeare is saying that Romeo is going to die but the biggest loss is turning back.

Kipling also uses metaphors in a song in the storm to promote fate, this is clear when saying “Almost these mindless waters work as though they had a soul.” This indicates that the water they are battling is fighting back as if it and the crew’s fate was being controlled by somebody or something else. This can be linked to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet they both are uncontrolled of their fate and they have nothing else to do but follow it because it is unstoppable the use of metaphors in the pieces of texts indicates that someone has decided their fate and that they had no control of it. It also shows that fate is unstoppable and continuous like time. This quote from the song in the storm, “No matter though our decks be swept and mast and timber crack—we can make good all loss except the loss of turning back. Kipling links with Shakespeare because they both suggest that they are going to die but they will look more of a coward if they turn back and don try.

In Ozymandias, Shelley doesn’t use metaphors to communicate the ideas of fate, however but she uses a number of different literary techniques. One technique she uses which both Shakespeare and Kipling is iambic pentameter

                                                                          Iambic Pentameter

Iambic is commonly used in poems, it is a 10 syllable constant rhythm that never changes. This beat links in with fate because like fate this rhythm is unstoppable and continuous. Shakespeare first introduces this technique in the prologue, this is when he sums up the theme of the play. Within the prologue Shakespeare addresses fate for the first time when saying “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life”, this is suggesting that if these two people fall in love they are going to die as a consequence. Furthermore, iambic pentameter is used as a method of time; promoting the eventual destiny of the characters in the play. Also Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter later on in the play  “If love be rough with you be rough with love” this shows that rhythm has been followed throughout the play, this is because they rhythm is unstoppable and has a connection to fate. Mercutio  is telling Romeo that if he cant find love that love must find him, Shakespeare uses this technique to indicate fate because referring back to the prologue it said how lovers will die to stop their parents rage.

Kipling uses iambic meter which is similar to iambic pentameter, but Kipling uses this technique to structure is poem as well as fate. Kipling shows fate by indicating that their fate is shown throughout the play by him mentioning this at the end of each stanza, “Fate’s discourtesy whereby it will shall be found etc.” which tells us that no matter what the end result is the crew is going to die, and that their fate is yet to be found. This poem links in with Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet because in the prologue it informs us that 2 lovers are going to die and that both in a song in the storm and Romeo and Juliet their fate was decided before they encountered each other.

In Ozymandias Shelley uses iambic pentameter to show the continuous flow of the rhythm to build up to fate. The theme of this poem is that even the greatest and most powerful king has to die eventually. Shelley also uses iambic pentameter to  structure out his poem. He mentioned a hint of fate in the quote ” Look on my works, ye mighty and despair! nothing beside remains.” this tells us that one day he was the king and he had everything he had ever dreamed for and now all that has been swept away due to his death. This links in with Romeo & Juliet because the Capulet’s and the Montegue’s were fighting for a long time God has decided to punish them by sentencing them to death.

Structure

In Romeo & Juliet Shakespeare shows fate through structure by giving us a  short summery of the play of before we start to read it. The prologue indicates fate by telling us that two star crossed lovers will die to stop their families rage. Shakespeare wrote the prologue to sum up the theme of the play to make it look like a coincidence, this shows fate because Shakespeare had structured out the play to ensure Romeo & Juliet meet. Also because Romeo & Juliet are from rival families and for them to get together is against their family law,that God has no choice but to sacrifice them to stop the rage between both families.

Kipling uses repetition to indicate fate so that the readers know that no matter how long and hard the crew fight for the end result is that they are going to die. By repeating the phrase “Fate’s discourtesy whereby it shall be seen etc.” indicates that fate is unstoppable and continuous like time. Kipling tells us that the only biggest loss is turning back, and by saying that it shows that the crew are trying to escape their death but by fighting on they are edging closer to it. This link in with Romeo & Juliet because Romeo and friar Lawrence come up with a plan to get Romeo and Juliet together peacefully but because there plan has failed they end up killing themselves which we was told in the prologue

In Ozymandias the use of Volta’s shows fate. Volta’s are a sudden change of theme during a poem. This introduces fate because there might me a clear indication of fate in the first half of the poem, but when the Volta is introduced it can begging to show a sight of fate.”The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed, (Volta) And on the pedestal these words appear” in-between those lines a Volta was placed that shows a clear change of theme and a build up of tension.  This links in with Romeo & Juliet because they both have a glimpse of power, for instants when Romeo & Juliet get married up until the point  Romeo gets banished, in Ozymandias the point where the king is looking over the town he rules up until the point that everything he had is banished and he slowly dies. This is a good technique because it allows the authors to stretch the length  of their script  and impute twists and turns until the finally reach there fate.

Conclusion

In conclusion I have found that all three texts use of literary techniques   to show fate. The technique that mostly identifies fate is the use of iambic pentameter because this is they only literary techmique that is continous throughout the scripts. The constant flow of the rhythm links the idea of fate with time. That shows that all 3 authors use this technique to be be continue the plot of their stories and look fot a slot to introduce fate.