What is an Extended Metaphor | Extended Metaphor Example?
Writers utilize a variety of terms and themes in literature to make their work approachable and imaginative for the audience. One literary device used to improve writing is the metaphor.
Metaphor is usually used to describe an action or object that is not real but aids in comparison and idea explanation. Poetry and other literary works frequently employ this kind of metaphor, which is a typical metaphor. This is a straightforward metaphor, but are you familiar with the extended metaphor?
The elaborated version of a simple or regular metaphor that extends across multiple sentences or even the full text is called an extended metaphor.
In this blog, let’s find out the extended metaphor's meaning and its examples by the greatest classic poets, and explore much more about an extended metaphor.
What is an Extended Metaphor?
An extended Metaphor is a form of literature that is used to describe any object or actions to make a comparison to the length of the literature, allowing the deeper exploration of the comparison.
This type of metaphor unfolds across multiple sentences and even paragraphs, using numerous interrelated metaphors within an overarching one. For example, “Life is the journey” is a metaphor, and “Life is a journey that takes us through green pastures, vast deserts, and rocky mountains” is an extended metaphor.
Structure of Extended Metaphor
Extended Metaphor has the same structure as the regular metaphor. It has two components
- Tenor (Concept being described)
- Vehicle (The object used for comparison)
Tenor
Tenor refers to the subject or concept described in the metaphor. Essentially, it is the main idea that the metaphor is trying to convey.
For example
Her love is a rose.
In the above line, love is the tenor as it is the thing that is being described.
Vehicle
Vehicle refers to the thing that represents the tenor. In simple words, it is the figurative language that describes the tenor.
For example
Her love is a rose.
In the above line, the rose is the vehicle as it represents the condition of the love.
Examples of Extended Metaphors
Classic poets use Extended metaphors in their poetry, songs, and plays. Here are a few examples:
Romeo and Juliet By William Shakespeare
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it.
In this example, William Shakespeare has written the most prominent extended metaphor. In this scene, Romeo compares the beauty of Juliet with the sun and her radiance with the moon. Shakespeare compares her beauty with the moon and later he says “Kill the envious moon” which means Juliet's beauty is enough to suppress the others. Poet extends the metaphor by saying Juliet is “a maid of the moon” which points towards the virginity of Juliet and comparing her to a maid means she should part her virginity. Shakespeare wrote these lines to show Romeo’s intense love and admiration for Juliet at first sight.
The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel to both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
In the famous poem by Robert Frost, the division of the road or “the fork in the road” is the extended metaphor. This metaphor represents the significance of decision-making in human lives, with each road symbolizing the possible choices one could make. In the poem, the poet uses the extended metaphor to convey that unknown roads provide personal growth and new experiences.
As You Like It By William Shakespeare
JAQUES: All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms....
...Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
The first line of the play became quite famous because of the extended metaphor that poet used. However, this line was just the beginning of the extended paragraph that later was followed by several sentences. This extended metaphor was developed by using figurative language, actors, and parts. The metaphor begins with the line “All the world’s a stage” and then it continues with the details of the different stages like infancy, old age, and death. By using the extended metaphor, Shakespeare compares life to the theatrical play, highlighting the roles people play throughout their lives.
In Hope is the Thing With The Feathers
Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
In this poem, poetess Emily Dickinson compares hope with a bird that lives in the human’s body by using the extended metaphor. She says that hope is the name of a feeling that “perches” through the soul and stays always there. Using the extended metaphor, Emily compares human hope to that of a bird, stating that just as a bird remains resilient even under the most difficult circumstances, similarly human hope remains intact during trying times. This poem encourages the readers to see hope as a valuable part of themselves and make the most out of it.
Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
The speech of Martin Luther King is famous for powerful language and skillful usage of the extended metaphor to illustrate the difficulties of civil right moments and his dream of equality. He used the metaphor “ the promissory note” to talk about the promise of freedom that was not kept. In addition, he also mentions a metaphor “ a valley of despair” to describe the challenging life of Black Americans. To describe his imagination of a world free of racism, he used the metaphor “an oasis of freedom”. He also imagines the “symphony of brotherhood” where people of all colors and cultures can live without any discrimination. King delivered this speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 and to connect with the wider audience including Black and White Americans, he cleverly used extended metaphors. These comparisons helped people from all walks of life to understand the struggle for equal rights.
How Can You Write Extended Metaphor?
To write a perfect and catchy extended metaphor, you need to meet specific criteria. Look at the rules in more detail.
Consider it’s Important
Understand why it is essential to write an extended metaphor to explain your idea. Plus, you also need to ensure that what you’re explaining through the extended metaphor is truly important enough to warrant the detailed explanation.
Make it Interesting
The next thing that you need to ensure while writing an extended metaphor is that it should be interesting. If your extended metaphor is not interesting, it will bore your readers.
Make it Clear
Last but not least, your extended metaphor should be clear enough to help your readers understand the complex concepts better.
Simile vs. Metaphor: What’s the Difference
Simile and metaphor are both figures of speech that are used to compare two things that are not alike. However, there are a few things that make these two different from each other. Let’s have a look:
Simile
A simile is a way of comparing two things by using the words “like” and “as.”In other words, simile is an indirect comparison. For example, “ her eyes were like stars.”
Metaphor
The metaphor refers to directly stating that one thing is another thing without using the “like” or “as” words to make the comparison. For example, “Her eyes were stars.”
Wrapping up
Using extended metaphors can improve your writing and increase its impact. Many great writers employed this fantastic approach to capture their readers' attention. Writing an extended metaphor may appear tough at first, but with practice and the criteria provided, you will be able to write a clear and intriguing extended metaphor like the other great writers.
