Anti-blazon
A literary response to blazon conventions in which the poet explicitly rejects idealised physical descriptions, often by describing the beloved in unflattering, realistic, or crude terms. Anti-blazon asserts that genuine love transcends physical idealization.
Real World
Shakespeare's Sonnet 130 ('My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun') systematically dismantles every Petrarchan comparison — her breath 'reeks', her hair resembles black wires — before asserting that his love is more genuine than those offered by poets who use false comparisons.
Exam Focus
Always identify the target of anti-blazon's critique — the poet attacks the literary convention itself, not the beloved, so analyse tone carefully to avoid misreading.
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