An Analysis of Figurative Language Used in Oscar Wilde’s Poem Entitled “A Lament”

Ni Luh Putu Tisna Murni Apsari (Mahasaraswati Denpasar University)
I Putu Andri Permana (Mahasaraswati Denpasar University)

Elysian Journal : English Literature, Linguistics, and Translation Studies
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): Elysian Journal: English Literature, Linguistics, and Translation Studies

This research is conducted to find the figurative language that used in a poem by Oscar Wilde entitled “A Lament”. Based on Kreutz and Roberts (1993) there are eight form of figurative language, they are: metaphor, hyperbole, idiom, rhetorical question, simile, irony, understatement, and indirect request. These figurative languages are usually used to express what people thought in novel and proper manner. Throughout the examination, the researcher finds that “A Lament” used metaphor, hyperbole, and simile. But the main figurative language that used was metaphor. These findings come out from the researcher’s perspective when reading the poem. In order to get the validation, the next researchers should examine this poem from their perspective. Keywords: figurative language, metaphor, hyperbole, simile