我古狗了一个问题：意象在诗中的目的是什么？
路兄说的没错，跟下面一个答案很相似， 意象是让读者去发挥想象。 诗人描述事物，让读者去感受。 因为读者是不同的人，他们看事情的角度不同，所以感受就不同。
但就这首诗的题目而言 “我跨越大半个中国去睡你” ， 作为现代人一看，脑海首先出现的是否是：网恋，出轨，偷情，夸张，不道德这些字呢？ 还有 疯了，神经。。。 这就是作者用“睡”这个意象的目的，去使读者震惊，她意料之内。 但由于这是一个社会普通现象，每天打开新闻网页，跳出来不就是这些消息吗？ 所以我说“睡” 译成f**k，应该不会有人被误会， 在这个语境里符合原诗所指。 另外，不能单独看“睡”字，还有“半个中国” 这个意象也同样重要，几个意象合起来，雷人，轰动。
我觉得外国人读者一看题目也明白是怎么回事，正常来说， 他们脑海里出现的应该也是出轨，见二奶，和Crazy， Insane等等形容词，跑大半中国那么远，附近的StripperS罢工了吗？ Shock...Shock....
What is the purpose of imagery in poetry?What is the purpose of imagery in odes, elegies, haikus, sonnets and lyrics? Thanks
There are numerous answers to your question about the purpose of imagery in poetry. I'll mention one that is particularly relevant to poetry, as opposed to prose.
There probably is no accurate definition (in our current literary climate) of poetry, that covers everything that today is considered poetry. For instance, what we accept today as prose poetry doesn't fit any standard definitions from the past of what poetry is. If there is a single characteristic that at least fits most of what is considered poetry, it may be compressed language.
Poetry has a need to say as much as possible in as few words as possible. That is true with most successful writing, of course, but the need is more pronounced in poetry.
Imagery is an important form of compressed language, and is therefore vital in poetry. Other forms of compressed language, such as simile and metaphor, often create imagery. They help a writer to accomplish as much as possible in as few lines as possible.
Consider Randall Jarrell's "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner":
From my mother's sleep I fell into the State
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.
Looking at only the final line, the image of fellow soldiers washing the leftover bits of a man ripped to shreds by shrapnel creates multiple meanings, reactions, and emotions:
•Horror
•Shock
•Disgust
•Disbelief or at least discomfort at the nonchalance that seems to be involved
•anti-war sentiment
•irony
•pity
Notice that none of the words I use to describe the meanings, etc. of the image are used by the writer: they are all revealed by the image. That's what imagery does for poetry.
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coachingcorner | High School Teacher | (Level 1) Senior Educator
Posted on March 24, 2010 at 11:20 PM (Answer #2)
The purpose of imagery in poetry is to help get the poet's message across in language that is strong, vivid and very visual. The poet will use words to create images in our heads that help us to interpret the poem in the way he sees it. Every person has a different view on life and poets are inspired to record theirs for others to read and identify with. Sometimes, such as in "Vampire" by Ted Hughes, the images will be gruesome - as in a party host with a slack mouth like a gaping sack. Sometimes, such as in Shakespeare (Sonnet 18) the images are delicate and beautiful as in "shall I compare thee to a summer's day." Sometimes poets use similes in comparison, sometimes they use personification and sometimes metaphor. All create visuals for us, whether to shock or delight.
http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-purpose-imagery-poetry-150809
