Imagery in Ezra Pound’s Poetry: A Study of Selected Poems

Abstract

This study examines Imagism as a foundational aspect of modern poetry, focusing on the works of Ezra Pound, a pivotal figure in the development of modernist literature. Pound’s exhortation to “make it new” serves as a guiding principle for poets seeking to revitalize poetic tradition while acknowledging their influences. Through an analysis of selected poems—including “In a Station of the Metro,” “The Return,” “A Pact,” and “A Virginal”—this study highlights how Pound employs literary elements such as style, syntax, figures of speech, and poetic diction to evoke both concrete and abstract imagery. Imagism emerged in the early 20th century as a response to Romantic and Victorian poetic conventions, positioning itself as an Anglo-American literary movement. The founding members of Imagism articulated principles that suggest poets, akin to painters, can create vivid imagery through language. This exploration aims to illuminate the significance of imagery in Pound’s poetry and its broader implications for the evolution of modernist literature.