Chiasmus as a Stylistic Device in Donne’s and Vaughan’s Poetry

Abstract

This study investigates chiasmus as a stylistic device in ten metaphysical poems (five for John Donne and five for Henry Vaughan). It aims at showing how both, Donne and Vaughan, utilize chiasmus at the different linguistic levels as a stylistic device in their poetry. Thus, to achieve this aim, it is hypothesized that chiasmus as used by Donne constitutes a distinctive stylistic device in his poetry, in comparison with Vaughan. Then, in order to achieve the aim of the study and test its hypothesis, the following procedures are adopted: (1) presenting a theoretical background about chiasmus and the linguistic levels on which it can manifest itself. (2) analyzing ten poems (five for each poet) according to an eclectic model developed by the study.

Keywords: Chiasmus, poetry, stylistics.