John Masefield's Poem Sea Fever

John Masefield's poem "Sea Fever" is a work of art through the use of rhythm, imagery and many multipart figures of speech. The meter in "Sea Fever" follows the movement of the ship in rough water through the use of iambs and spondees. Although written primarily in iambic meter, the meter varies throughout the poem. The imagery in "Sea Fever" suggests an adventurous ocean that is fascinating to all five senses. Along with an adventurous ocean, "Sea Fever" sets a mood of freedom through imagery of traveling gypsies. Perchance, the most complex part of this poem is the use of metaphor and personification. These figures of speech go beyond the meter and imagery to compare life to a sea voyage and portray a strong longing for the sea. The two main themes bring the reader closer to the sea and help the reader understand why the speaker must return to the sea. "Sea Fever" not only depicts a strong longing for the sea through its theme, but also through use of complex figures of meter, speech, and imagery.

"Sea Fever" is an excellent example of varied meter, which follows the actions of a tall ship through high seas and strong winds. Lines one and two contain the common iambic meter found throughout the poem. "Sea Fever" may be categorized as a sea chantey due to its iambic meter and natural rhythm that gives it a song like quality. The song like quality is created through the use of iambic meter and alliteration. Lines three and ten, for example, contain the repeated consonant sound of the letter "w". In line three, the meter becomes spondaic through the use of strongly stressed syllables. These spondees imply the sound of repeated slapping of waves against the bow of the ship. As a result, John Masefield creates an image of powerful ocean swells. In addition, "the wheel's kick" is a reference to the ship's steering wheel spinning out of control. Also to further support the theory of the waves slapping against the bow, "The wheels kick" suggests that the ship is navigating through very storm seas. Because of the combining of iambic and spondaic meter, "Sea Fever" not only gains a magnificent rhythm, but also gives clues into the location and movement of the ship.

Conceivably, the most striking characteristic of "Sea Fever" is the remarkable imagery seen on each line throughout the poem. Images of a "gray mist" and a "gray dawn breaking" bring the poem to life by appealing to the senses. The dominant images bring the reader to the ocean and help the reader understand the strong longing the speaker has for the sea. Through the use of descriptive adjectives the effectiveness of Masefield's imagery is increased. Specifically, words such as "whetted" and "flung" help create a realistic picture of the sea for the reader. Images of a "wild call" and a "clear call that may not be denied" describe a longing that is shared between the speaker and the ocean. Finally, images of a "lonely sea" and a "vagrant gypsy life" bring a mood of freedom and independence to the poem. Through the use of vivid descriptions and strong images of the sea, Masefield helps the reader to understand why the speaker must return to the sea.

Through the use of complex figures of speech, "Sea Fever" is transformed from an ordinary poem to a work of art. Masefield adds figures of speech such as, personification to bring detailed descriptions of the ship and sea to the reader. In line four, the sea is personified when the water's surface is referred to as the "sea's face." In addition to personification, Masefield uses several similes and metaphors that increase the effectiveness of the previously strong imagery. The simile, "the winds like a whetted knife," appeals to the senses and helps the reader to feel the cold wind blowing. The similes and metaphors read in "Sea Fever" are easily recognized, but their meanings and implications may be viewed as anything but shallow or irrelevant to the poetic style of Masefield. One example of a metaphor when the speaker compares "the vagrant gypsy