Literary analysis on a haunted House by Virginia Woolf

Literary analysis on A Haunted House by Virginia Woolf

Whatever hour you woke there was a door shutting. From room to room, they went hand in hand, lifting here, opening there, making sure—a ghostly couple.
In this sentence, the phrase “ghostly couple” is included in the epithet because it applies to two people to describe attributed quality.
“Here we left it,” she said. And he added, “Oh, but here too!” “It’s upstairs,” she murmured. “And in the garden,” he whispered “Quietly,” they said, “or we shall wake them.”
In this sentence, murmur and whisper are included in the direct onomatopoeia since these words imitate the sounds of voices.
But it wasn’t that you woke us. Oh, no. “They’re looking for it; they’re drawing the curtain,” one might say, and so read on a page or two. “Now they’ve found it,” one would be certain, stopping the pencil on the margin.
In this sentence, stop the pencil on the margin is included in the periphrasis because the author is choosing a longer or less straightforward way of saying “finish writing”.
And then, tired of reading, one might rise and see for oneself, the house all empty, the doors standing open, only the wood pigeons bubbling with content and the hum of the threshing machine sounding from the farm.
In this sentence, "Hum" and "bubble" are included in the category of onomatopoeia because they imitate or represent the sounds they describe.
When we say "hum," it mimics the steady, low-frequency sound produced by vibrating or buzzing objects, such as the hum of an electronic device or the hum of bees flying. The word itself sounds like the sound it represents, adding aural texture to the description.
Similarly, "bubble" imitates the sound of air or gas being released or rising through a liquid, creating a series of small, popping sounds. When we say "bubble," the word itself contains the repetitive and percussive sound that is associated with the action of bubbles forming and bursting.
“What did I come in here for? What did I want to find?” My hands were empty. “Perhaps it’s upstairs then?” The apples were in the loft. And so down again, the garden still as ever, only the book had slipped into the grass.
In the first sentence, the question “What did I come in here for? What did I want to find?” is a rhetorical question or an expression of confusion or forgetfulness, and includes parallel construction of two sentences “What did I come, what did I want”.
But they had found it in the drawing room. Not that one could ever see them. The window panes reflected apples, reflected roses; all the leaves were green in the glass. If they moved into the drawing room, the apple only turned its yellow side. Yet, the moment after, if the door was opened, spread about the floor, hung upon the walls, pendant from the ceiling—what? My hands were empty. The shadow of a thrush crossed the carpet; from the deepest wells of silence, the wood pigeon drew its bubble of sound. “Safe, safe, safe,” the pulse of the house beat softly. “The treasure buried; the room . . . " the pulse stopped short. Oh, was that the buried treasure?
In this paragraph, various stylistic devices are used. The first one is Imagery: the author employs vivid imagery throughout the paragraph, painting visual pictures in the reader's mind. Examples include "reflected apples, reflected roses," "all the leaves were green in the glass," and "the shadow of a thrush crossed the carpet." These descriptions create a sensory experience and help the reader visualize the setting. The second one is Repetition: the phrase "safe, safe, safe" is repeated, emphasizing the sense of security and tranquility in the house. This repetition adds rhythm and reinforces the atmosphere of safety. The third one is Metaphor: the phrase "the pulse of the house" uses a metaphor to compare the beat of the house to a pulse. This device suggests a vital and living quality to the house, enhancing the overall atmosphere and mood.
A moment later the light had faded. Out in the garden then? But the trees spun darkness for a wandering beam of sun. So fine, so rare, coolly sunk beneath the surface the beam I sought always burnt behind the glass. Death was the glass; death was between us; coming to the woman first, hundreds of years ago, leaving the house, sealing all the windows; the rooms were darkened. He left it, left her, went North, went East, saw the stars turned in the Southern sky; sought the house, found it dropped beneath the Downs. “Safe, safe, safe,” the pulse of the house beat gladly. “The Treasure yours.”
This paragraph is full of devices. This first one is Repetition: the repetition of phrases like "so fine, so rare," "death was," and "safe, safe, safe" creates a rhythmic and poetic quality to the writing. It adds emphasis and reinforces certain ideas and themes. The second one is Metaphor: the paragraph employs metaphors to convey deeper meanings. For example, "Death was the glass" and " Treasure yours" use metaphorical language to symbolize separation, loss, and safety. These metaphors add layers of meaning to the text and contribute to its poetic nature. The next one is Parallelism: the repetition of the phrase "left it, left her" and the use of parallel sentence structures, such as "went North, went East," create a sense of balance and symmetry in the writing. This adds coherence and rhythm to the paragraph. The last one is Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds in phrases like "sealed all the windows" and "sought the house" creates a pleasing and musical effect. It adds emphasis to certain words and helps to create a memorable and rhythmic flow to the language. The wind roars up the avenue. Trees stoop and bend this way and that. Moonbeams splash and spill wildly in the rain. But the beam of the lamp falls straight from the window. The candle burns stiff and still. Wandering through the house, opening the windows, whispering not to wake us, the ghostly couple seek their joy.
“Here we slept,” she says. And he adds, “Kisses without number.” “Waking in the morning—” “Silver between the trees—” “Upstairs—” “In the garden—” “When summer came—” “In winter snow time—” The doors go shutting far in the distance, gently knocking like the pulse of a heart.
Nearer they come; cease at the doorway. The wind falls, the rain slides silver down the glass. Our eyes darken; we hear no steps beside us; we see no lady spread her ghostly cloak. His hands shield the lantern. “Look,” he breathes. “Sound asleep. Love upon their lips.”
The following paragraph is rich in distinct stylistic devices. The first one is Repetition: the repetition of phrases like "Here we slept," "Kisses without number," and "In the garden" creates a rhythmic and lyrical quality to the writing. It adds emphasis and reinforces the intimate and dreamlike atmosphere. The next one is Simile: the comparison of rain sliding down the glass to silver adds a visual and sensory element to the description. It creates a vivid image and enhances the overall atmosphere of the scene. It also includes Metaphor: the use of metaphors like "the pulse of a heart" and "Love upon their lips" adds depth and emotional resonance to the paragraph. These metaphors evoke feelings of intimacy, connection, and tenderness.
Stooping, holding their silver lamp above us, long they look and deeply. Long they pause. The wind drives straightly; the flame stoops slightly. Wild beams of moonlight cross both floor and wall and, meeting, stain the faces bent; the faces pondering; the faces that search the sleepers and seek their hidden joy.
“Safe, safe, safe,” the heart of the house beats proudly. “Long years—” he sighs. “Again you found me.” “Here,” she murmurs, “sleeping; in the garden reading; laughing, rolling apples in the loft. Here we left our treasure—” Stooping, their light lifts the lids upon my eyes. “Safe! safe! safe!” the pulse of the house beats wildly. Waking, I cry “Oh, is this your buried treasure? The light in the heart.”
The first stylistic device in this paragraph is Repetition: the repetition of phrases like "Stooping," "long they look and deeply," and "Safe, safe, safe" creates a rhythmic and poetic quality to the writing. It adds emphasis and reinforces certain ideas and themes. The second one is Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds in phrases like "Wild beams of moonlight" and "faces that search the sleepers" creates a musical effect. It adds emphasis to certain words and helps to create a memorable and rhythmic flow to the language. The third one is Metaphor: the paragraph employs metaphors to convey deeper meanings. For example, "The light in the heart" symbolizes the buried treasure and hidden joy. These metaphors add layers of meaning to the text and contribute to its poetic nature. The following one is Personification: the personification of the heart of the house, beating proudly and wildly, adds a sense of life and emotion to the inanimate object. It creates a vivid image and enhances the overall atmosphere of the paragraph.