Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Part 6 "Starbuck's Soliloquy"- Emily Rew

The central trope that Melville employs in Starbuck's soliloquy is the use of alliteration.Alliteration is a stylistic device, or literary technique, in which successive words (more strictly, stressed syllables) begin with the same consonant sound or letter.(Wikipedia) Alliteration also helps to highlight short segments or phrases and lends to the movement of the laguage and the euphony of the passage. This use of alliteration in starbucks soliloquy is particularly useful because it presents the soliloquy as a sort of lamentful song that starbuck is saying to himself inside.

My soul is more than matched; she's overmanned; and by a madman! Insufferable sting, that sanity should ground arms on such a field! But he drilled deep down, and blasted all my reason out of me! I think I see his impious end; but feel that I must help him to it. Will I, nill I, the ineffable thing has tied me to him; tows me with a cable I have no knife to cut. Horrible old man! Who's over him, he cries;—aye, he would be a democrat to all above; look, how he lords it over all below!

One can see in this passage the repreated use of alliteration and how it lends to the poetic nature of the soliloquy.This soliloquy is written in a very romantic style and is very appropraite because the author, by introducing soliloquys, is using a Shakesperian form a writing.

I don't see alliteration as the central trope, but you've made a reasonable case for it. 5/5

posted by NCHS AP English Language III @ 11:30 PM