Free Role Of Sound And Color In Poem Cavalry Crossing A Ford By Walt Whitman Critical Thinking Example

In order to create a specific poem tone or mood poets use a wide range of stylistic devices. However, it is not the only thing that helps them to establish mood and evoke certain feeling in reader, thus through various details in description poets play with reader`s mind and senses. For instance, poem Cavalry Crossing a Ford composed by Walt Whitman brings reader into the battle field creating impression of inevitable yet pointless war that establishes mood of wait. Through color scheme and sound imitation author paint vivid image of the beginning of battle. Silvery color of river gives suggestion of cold steel of weapon and musical clanking of arms only highlights and escalates tension before battle. Sound and color brings reader directly into the field thus making one not only observer but participant. This participation is gained through focusing on bright colors and specific sound of armor. The most interesting thing is that there are no soft colors or tones everything in this poem is bright like a picture. Skillfully using specific colors Whitman managed to paint a picture of battle in the best classic traditions. However, in his poem there is no feeling of epic war, on the contrary, there is feeling of a slight anxiety before the beginning yet for some dramatic and inevitable end of fight.
As can be seen with the help of color and sound Whitman subtly managed to recreate tension before battle. Bright colors paint realistic picture of war drawn by some famous artist. Sound and color merges reader into the battle, thus evoking feelings of anxiousness and tension.