Analysis of 'A Musical Instrument'
This piece feels more like a story with a lesson or a song. The structure of the poem is full of patterns and repletion. The poem is made up of seven stanzas with six lines in each stanza. The first line of every stanza has nine syllables and ends with the word “Pan”. The pattern of syllables and repetition of “Pan” in this way create a song-like tone to the poem. The second and last lines of every stanza ends with the word “river”. This repetition of “river” creates a constant flow of ups and downs throughout the piece. The third lines all end with a word that rhymes with “pan” and the fourth and fifth lines of each stanza rhyme with each other (independently from stanza to stanza). The consistent patterns and repetition throughout “A Musical Instrument” make it feel like just as the title states: a musical instrument.
This piece utilizes a few more poetic devices as well. The line “The limpid water turbidly ran,” (ln 9) is an oxymoron. Limpid means clear and turbid means muddy. Browning uses this to again emphasize the duality of what Pan is doing. He is causing destruction to make something beautiful. Similarly, in lines 14-16, Browning describes Pan’s behavior as “turbidly”, “hewed” and “hacked” while describing the reed as being “patient”. This paints the reed in an innocent light while Pan is the guilty. Browning also effectively uses simile as well: “Then drew the pith, like the heart of a man” (ln 21). Browning compares Pan emptying out the pith of the reed to taking out a man’s heart. This personifies the reed and makes it feels as if Pan is killing the reed by taking out his heart. This is extremely effective because it helps the reader understand why the “The true gods sigh for the cost and pain-/For the reed which grows nevermore again” (ln 40-41). The reed was an uneasy sacrifice for the beautiful music of the flute. Line 40 also seems to insinuate that Pan is not a true god because the “true gods” were sad for the reed and Pan was not. There
This piece utilizes a few more poetic devices as well. The line “The limpid water turbidly ran,” (ln 9) is an oxymoron. Limpid means clear and turbid means muddy. Browning uses this to again emphasize the duality of what Pan is doing. He is causing destruction to make something beautiful. Similarly, in lines 14-16, Browning describes Pan’s behavior as “turbidly”, “hewed” and “hacked” while describing the reed as being “patient”. This paints the reed in an innocent light while Pan is the guilty. Browning also effectively uses simile as well: “Then drew the pith, like the heart of a man” (ln 21). Browning compares Pan emptying out the pith of the reed to taking out a man’s heart. This personifies the reed and makes it feels as if Pan is killing the reed by taking out his heart. This is extremely effective because it helps the reader understand why the “The true gods sigh for the cost and pain-/For the reed which grows nevermore again” (ln 40-41). The reed was an uneasy sacrifice for the beautiful music of the flute. Line 40 also seems to insinuate that Pan is not a true god because the “true gods” were sad for the reed and Pan was not. There