Poetic devices are often utilized by authors to emphasize and clarify their overall theme. One such device is alliteration, where a beginning sound of a word is employed more than once in a line. Shakespeare presents alliteration as the most important tool to understanding his moral in sonnet 71. In this poem, he transcends the potent message that he is not to be mourned when he dies and thereafter. Through his exploitation of alliteration, Shakespeare gives emphasis to certain images and conveys rhythm to his readers to better facilitate the message in sonnet 71.
             The first quatrain of this poem presents to the reader graphic images that help to bring about a mindset. "Than thou shall hear the surly sullen bell," clearly invokes a mood of sadness. The alliteration of the "s" sound is profound in seizing the reader's focus and from it, one can imagine a church bell. This bell tolls only after a funeral and rings once for each year the deceased had lived. The bell's sad tone demonstrates the sadness in the world and why he doesn't want others to mourn his passing, he will be happy at rest. Next, alliteration is again employed in line 4, "From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell." The repeated use of the "v" and "w" wounds is apparent and brings attention to an illustration Shakespeare's creating. Here, an image of a cruel world can be deducted, so grim that even the worms that crawl through the earth are evil. This unpleasant illustration can be interpreted to be Shakespeare's distaste for the world and why he doesn't mind passing on. Lastly, in the couplet another image is highlighted through the repetition of the "w" sound. "Lest the wise world..." suggests a picture of a world full of intelligent people. These persons know that death is just another part of life and not to over-grieve the dead. Thus, Shakespeare utilizes alli...