What metaphors does Holmes use in “Old Ironsides”?
There are several. For instance, in the first stanza Holmes refers to “The meteor of the ocean air.” Here Holmes is likening the ship’s flag, “her tattered ensign,” to a meteor “sweep[ing] the clouds.” In the second stanza we have “the harpies of the shore,” which compares those who would destroy Old Ironsides with the monstrous and voracious bird-like beasts of Greek mythology. We also see Holmes describing the ship itself as “the eagle of the sea,” the eagle being seen as a majestic and noble bird. Also in this stanza Holmes metaphorically speaks of the ship as if it were a living thing, “feel[ing] the victor’s tread,” and “know[ing] the conquered knee.” In the third stanza, we see the sound of the ships guns, “her thunders,” being likened to the thunder of a storm. The storm metaphor is continued in the last two lines, where Holmes speaks of “giv[ing] her to the god of storms, the lightining and the gale!” Those are the ones that stand out to me, although someone could probably make
