Blazon
A poetic convention in which the beloved's physical features are detailed, often through extended metaphors comparing body parts to precious objects, natural phenomena, or ideals. The blazon celebrates beauty through elaborate description.
Real World
Edmund Spenser's 'Amoretti' sonnets catalogue his beloved's golden hair, sapphire eyes, and ivory neck in classic blazon style — the very excess of precious-object comparisons reveals the convention's artificiality, raising questions about whether such poetry truly honours the beloved or merely displays the poet's wit.
Exam Focus
When identifying blazon, always analyse the cumulative effect of the metaphors chosen — the specific objects selected reveal the poet's values and cultural assumptions.
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