Allusion. An allusion is a rhetorical technique in which reference is made to a person, event, object, or work from history or literature. As you read, note the Biblical allusions Finch makes in this selection.
Slant Rhyme, Assonance, and Consonance. A slant rhyme is a substitution of assonance or consonance for true rhyme. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in stressed syllables that end with different consonant sounds. Consonance is the use in stressed syllables of identical final consonants preceded by vowels with different sounds. Slant rhymes are also called half rhymes, near rhymes, or off rhymes.
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“The Introduction” is the first selection in Finch’s first and only book of poetry, Miscellany Poems on Several Occasions, Written by a Lady, published in 1713. This thoughtful poem expresses Finch’s feelings about the lost opportunities of women in a world that treats them as mindless persons interested only in fashion, dances, and the like. In the poem, Finch comments on the experiences and ambitions of women through the ages by making Biblical references and by emphasizing the role that learned prejudices play in hindering the development of female potential.
Keep a chart of the slant rhymes you find in this poem.
Write about a social custom or rule with which you disagree.
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