Night Sweat by Robert Lowell Name: Sebyboo

1. Find an example of alliteration and explain its effect

Example: I dabble in the dapple of the day

Effect: the euphonic sound of “d” emphasizes the positive feel of this line and the previous and
next line are both negative which further emphasizes the unpredictability of his disorder

2. How does Lowell refer to his condition? Find one example. What technique is being used and
what is the effect on the reader

“my life’s fever is soaking in night sweat” uses sibilance to highlight the word ‘soaking’ in order
to make the reader feel sympathy towards him as being soaked by night sweats is something
unpleasant, in the metaphor “my life’s fever” he mentions his condition referring to his bipolar
disorder

3. Comment of the effect of the following word choices: Embalms, wrings, urn, dapple, child, spider’s
sack , absolve

4. Find a metaphor (not previously used) and explain its effect.

The metaphor “this world’s dead weight and cycle on your back” portrays how the poet sees
himself – “dead weight”. This juxtaposes against his opinion of his wife. The effect of this on the
reader is pity towards the poetic voice because this metaphor portrays the poet’s insecurities,
the reader feels empathetic for both the wife and the husband for having to go through a
disorder together even though only one of them has it.
5. Find a simile and explain its effect.

“as your heart hops and flutters like a hare” the effect of this simile is to portray the wife in a
positive light by using words like ‘hops’ and ‘flutters’. These words further illustrate how the wife
always has to run after her unpredictable husband. The husband needs the wife for more of a
caretaker than a lover, leading the wife to be there for him through all of his mood swing.

6. Comment on the structure of the poem

7. Comment on the metre of the poem.

8. How does the use of structure and metre help shape ‘meaning’ in ‘Night Sweat’?
9. How does the tone change between the Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets? Give evidence to
support your answer