Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /w/ in “with winter outside,” and /s/ sound in “smiles as she sings.”.Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /o/ in “To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside” and the sound of /e/ in “ I weep like a child for the past.”.Lawrence has also used some literary devices whose analysis is as follows. Literary devices are tools the writers use to give deeper meanings to their poetic efforts. Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Piano” Therefore, the woman’s melody cast a nostalgic impact on him it evokes a strong emotional response in him due to which the lines between present and past become blurred. The description shows that the speaker shared a candid relationship with his mother, who is perhaps no longer with him. Throughout the poem, the speaker tries to establish that no matter how far we go in life, we feel a strange belonging and attachment to our childhood. Major Themes in “Piano”: The role of memories in one’s life, nostalgic impact of music, and sadness are the major themes of the poem.These thoughts corrode his present-day joy and make him long for a time that can never be reversed. He remembers how he used to spend time with this musical equipment. At first, he gets captivated by her melodious voice, but the charm disappears when the same melody makes him dive deep into the time he wishes to forget. Presently, the woman’s singing brings him both pleasure and pain. To support that child, his mother sings on the tune he plays. It begins when the speaker sheds light on a lady whose singing and piano playing skills take him back to the past, where he sees a child under the piano. “Piano” As a Representative of Sorrow: The poem explores the childhood memories of the speaker and their relation with his present-day life.
The actual representation of the speaker’s connection with his past and its realistic comparison with his adulthood make this poem alluring for the readers. It illustrates how he wishes to dart back in time when he hears a woman singing while playing the piano. The poem is about a man reminiscing about his childhood.
It was published in his collection, Love Poems, and Others, in 1913. Popularity of “Piano”: “Piano” by David Herbert Lawrence, a great English poet and writer, is a lyrical poetic piece.