Title: What is the difference between literal language & figurative language, and why is poetry often figurative? - eNotes.com
Headings: What is the difference between literal language & figurative language, and why is poetry often figurative?
Poetry
What is the difference between literal language & figurative language, and why is poetry often figurative?
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Content: By using figurative language, the poet can create emphasis and provide common words with symbolic meanings. The technique essentially compels the reader to infer the writer's purpose. Also, the use of figurative language adds color and a deeper dimension to the poet's writing and enhances the enjoyment of his or her work. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team
Isabell Schimmel
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Literal language means exactly what it says. If some word is written, it means exactly that. Let's think about Frost's "Desert Places." He says that he has his own desert places that scare him. If that were literal, it would mean that he was afraid of deserts or of some other deserted place. Figurative language is language that has a meaning that isn't literal. The line about the guy's "desert places" is figurative.