To A Friend Whose Work Has Come To Nothing Personification

The poem, “To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Nothing,” by William Butler Yeats, expresses the honor found in defeat through the use of personification, slant rhyme, and similes.

Yeats’s usage of personification in his poem helps to symbolize how there is honor to be taken away in defeat. Throughout the poem, it describes how in a competition the crowd’s “mad fingers play” (12) on “a laughing string” (11). In this, the audience is an instrument; they both compose a note or a voice, however the instrument is used brashly to convey anger and frustration from the spectators to a performer. By adding this , he emphasizes the emotions/passion of the audience for the contestant; shouting ugly words and snickering, which utterly embarrasses the speaker. William is expressing the embarrassment and fears in performing; the harmfulness of the audience. These types of reactions can shatter one’s integrity and honor; meaning that it is important to ignore the negative reactions of others during a competition.

Within the poem, the speaker states to “be secret and exult”(14) when taking defeat because “that is most difficult” (16) to do; taking in the pain of losing and not showing weakness. This use of slant rhyme asks the question, how can you be willing to compete if you cannot take defeat in silence; it will result in destroying your integrity and pride if not prepared. The poetic device emphasis this idea, and makes it stand out more clearly as well as reinforces