A kite is a victim

The Poem titled “A Kite is a victim” written by Leonard Cohen contains multiple tropes. Through my own analysis I propose that the author’s central focus concerns life. Cohen discusses the relationships and accomplishes that we make throughout our lifetimes. In my opinion, the kite is a metaphor for the essence of life and living. Each of the four stanzas in the poem begins with a trope. In every case the tenor is the kite. These tropes will be analyzed with regard to the central theme of the poem.

The first tenor that I will discuss can be found in the first line of the first stanza. Cohen writes:

“A kite is a victim you are sure of”.

This is personification. Leonard Cohen uses a human quality “victim” to describe an inanimate object. The tenor would be the kits and the vehicle is clearly victim. The first stanza presents the qualities of life and love. The kite is a victim like life is a sacrificial and sometimes inevitably painful. As much as we have happiness we must also experience sadness and hurt. You are sure of it because it is part of everyday. You know that you must experience these hard ships in order to move forward.

Cohen describes it as being tempting because it pulls. Life is interesting because you cannot control it completely. There are ups and downs just like a kite in the wind.

The next tenors that I will identify can be found in the first stanza in the third and fourth lines. Both of these lines provide an example of personification. Much like the initial line of the poem, these lines characterize the kite with human qualities:

“Gentle enough to call you master, strong enough to call you fool.”

In these examples the tenor is the kite and the entire lines represent the vehicle. A kite cannot be neither gentle, nor strong or call you anything.

These tenors represent the full spectrum of emotions and strength in life. It is as if he is discussing god and the life you have been given. It is gentle enough that you often feel strong and powerful but also strong enough to humble you.

The sixth line of Cohen’s poem is a simile. Leonard makes a direct comparison between a falcon and the kite:

“like a desperate trained falcon.”

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... middle of paper ...

...ugh prayer.

Finally, the fourth stanza also contains another example of personification in line 25:

“under the traveling cordless moon.”

In this case the kite is not the tenor. Cohen describes the moon with distinctively human qualities. The moon cannot be cordless and some would also argue that it cannot be traveling. Therefore the vehicle is cordless. This tenor describes the moon, the light in the darkness. It moves forward without any restraints unlike the kite. It is a freeing experience. It is time to let go and move toward death. Finally death and the acceptance of it provides a person with purity. Often with death comes more fame. You die but not without leaving memories and worthiness behind. You become completely pure and important through your legacy.

Leonard Cohen illustrates some incredibly deep and powerful perspectives on life in this poem. He makes clear connections between his metaphors and the overall theme of the poem. Each tenor represents another metaphor that is open to scrutinizing interpretation. The theme of life and living is a powerful one. Cohen has provided effective examples of tenors within the text of a profound poem.