Charlotte Smith's final poem "Hymn to Death", published in 1797 in her collection of Elegiac Sonnets, is based on the idea to accept death as a "friend" (l.1) rather than fear it. The ode carries with it a deep sense of desperation and pain, as it alludes to the pain Smith endured throughout his life; referring mainly to the disappearance of his daughter, Anna Augusta de Foville. This highlights Smith's ability to manipulate his pain as a poetic construct, as the speaker acts as a stand-in for his own identity. By dwelling on the 'torturing pain' (l. 7) of life, the poet manages to present mortality as somehow desirable, personifying it as a 'cure for misery' (l. 21). This allows the reader to reflect on his ability to provide relief to those who suffer. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The speaker's willingness to embrace death is evident in the poem's opening line, as the emphasis on the word "friend" (l. 1) draws attention to itself. Despite the general use of iambic pentameter in the ode, here the emphasis is placed on the first syllable of the verse, meaning that the image of death as a companion is more prominent. The abrupt nature of the exclamation "Friend of the wretched!" (l.1) is also significant, as it alludes to the desperation of the speaker, who seems to be impatiently awaiting death. The caesura in lines 1-3 of the first stanza heightens this sense of urgency, as it produces a jolting rhythm. This weight of exigency is demonstrated throughout the poem, as Smith's use of ecphonesis reinforces the speaker's restlessness and inability to hold back his own sudden bursts of emotion: "Ah!" (l. 3), 'O Death!' (l. 19), 'Oh!' (l.21). Likewise, Smith incorporates a series of rhetorical questions to create a fast-paced verse – this is especially evident in the third stanza, where the simultaneous use of three questions reveals the speaker's impatience: Strong goad Indigence that would not fly, What pushes the exhausted strength at the top to toil? Or to avoid the averted gaze of a once affectionate friend? Or who does not bring into your asylum, To lose the devastating pain of unrequited love? (ll. 11-15)A feeling of bewilderment is created, as the constant questioning reflects the turbulence of the narrator's anguished mind. The use of anaphora in lines 13-14 also intensifies the mood of unease, meaning that the speaker's agitation becomes more evident, once again producing a sense of haste. While to some extent the speaker's behavior appears slightly chaotic, at the same time Smith conveys a sense of measured logic behind their thoughts, as continued attention to the miseries of life facilitates the justification of death. The poem therefore suggests that it is wiser to die rather than force oneself to endure continuous difficulties:[...] -Ah! Why does He, who forced every heartbreaking pain to know, fear dying, emptying the cup of pain to the dregs? (ll. 3-5) The rhetorical question allows Smith to rationalize death, as the speaker presents it as an escape from "all aching pain." The regularity of the quintain pattern throughout the poem also maintains a sense of uniformity. In this regard the poem takes the form of a typical Horatian ode; the tone remains level and balanced as the speaker evaluates the arguments in favor of accepting death. The rhyming couplets at the end of each stanza also rely on this sense of stability, as the form remains coherent and orderly. The overall effect is comparable to that of Petrarchan's sonnet; where the internal couplets createthe effect of complete thought and reflection. Death's claim as an ally is further demonstrated through Smith's hyperbolized description of life's afflictions: Fear thee, O Death! sick and reluctant mind? (ll. 19-20)The jarring effect produced by the dissonance in line 20 reflects the speaker's attitude of disgust towards life, as the repetition of the hard "c" creates a jolting and violent atmosphere. The sibilance through the repetition of “less” adds to the aggressive tone due to the clarity of the sound; alluding to the speaker's frustration. Smith's use of imagery also relies on the idea of ​​death as a form of relief, as the narrator's metaphorical image of life as "shackles" implies that death grants liberation from a miserable and limited existence. However, the tone of these lines is different from that of the beginning of the verse, where Smith refers to the death of his daughter Anna, who died in childbirth in 1795. The use of the apostrophe causes the voice to become much softer, in contrast with the generally bitter and harsh tone of the poem: Can then the wounded wretch who must deplore what he loved most, delivered to thy cold arms, who no longer hears the voice that soothed his soul anymore, (ll. 16-18 ) The gentle hiss throughout these lines creates a more subdued atmosphere, leading to a slight pause in the line. This means that a more melancholic feeling is produced, as Smith uses the speaker's voice to reflect on his own family misfortune; in addition to the loss of Anna, she had also witnessed the deaths of three of her twelve children in childhood. The sonnet thus questions the pre-eminence of motherhood and, according to Jacqueline Labbe, allows Smith to explore the "ramifications of maternal grief". Smith continues to present death as desirable by contrasting the anguish of life with the seemingly peaceful act of dying: Would cowardice put off thy calm embrace, To linger long years in torturing pain? (ll. 6-7) The use of the word 'Cowardice' here has a rather strong effect, as the accent of the meter falls on the first syllable; producing an explosive sound. This creates a harsh, almost accusatory tone; the speaker appears frustrated by the weakness of those who refuse to openly accept death. The harshness of this word juxtaposed with the softness of the phrase “calm embrace” emphasizes the welcoming nature of death; as the repetition of "m" and "c" builds a soothing sound; conveying the image of embracing Death itself. It is also notable that Smith exaggerates the pains of life through the use of alliteration in line 7, as the repetition of "l" in "linger" and "long" lengthens the vowels to create a slower pace, suggesting pain prolonged life. The idea of ​​incessant misery is reinforced through the internal rhyme of the sonnet - for example in 'linger' and 'years', and 'long' and 'torturing' (l.7). Here the repetition of the vowel sounds "i" and "o" lengthens the length of the line, causing the reader to slow down, thus reflecting this idea of ​​perpetual suffering. This is evident throughout the poem; 'last [...] trouble' (l. 5), 'who also' (l. 9), 'vain [...] help' (l. 10), 'once affectionate' (l. 13) , 'wasted pain' (l. 15), 'hurt [...] that' (l. 14), 'your [...] delivered' (l. 17), 'mental [...] life' (l. 17), l. 20), 'angel [...] saves' (l. 22). The assonance created as a result contributes to the poem's overall sound of desperation, as the repeated emphasis on vowels produces plaintive, haunting overtones and continues to draw on the idea of ​​endless pain. Smith's manipulation of meter is also significant in terms of reflecting pain. Although most of the poem is in iambic pentameter, the last lines of stanzas 2 - 5 are in hexameter.