1. "Ode to a Nightingale" by John Keats:
> "My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
> My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
> Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
> One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:"
* Hyperbole: Keats exaggerates the pain of his heartache by comparing it to the effects of hemlock and opiates. He uses hyperbole to convey the overwhelming intensity of his emotions.
2. "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe:
> "While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
> As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door."
* Hyperbole: Poe describes the tapping of the raven as "gentle" despite the fact that it is loud enough to wake him from his sleep. This hyperbole emphasizes the speaker's anxiety and anticipation.
3. "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth:
> "I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
> What wealth the show to me had brought:"
* Hyperbole: Wordsworth uses the repetition of "gazed" to emphasize how intently he stared at the daffodils. The hyperbole highlights the profound impact of the flowers on him.
4. "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron:
> "She walks in beauty, like the night
> Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
> And all that’s best of dark and bright
> Meet in her aspect and her eyes:"
* Hyperbole: Byron compares the woman to a beautiful night sky, exaggerating her beauty and grace. He uses hyperbole to create a powerful image of her.
5. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost:
> "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
> But I have promises to keep,
> And miles to go before I sleep,
> And miles to go before I sleep."
* Hyperbole: Frost emphasizes the speaker's desire to stay in the woods by saying that he has "miles to go before I sleep," even though he is only stopping for a moment. This hyperbole reflects the speaker's longing for the tranquility of nature.
These are just a few examples of how poets use hyperbole to create vivid imagery, emphasize emotions, and engage their readers.