What is Imagery

Imagery is used to describe something vividly. It is a literary text that is used by poets and authors to create or depict a visual representation of ideas and thoughts in a reader’s mind. By using imagery, a poet or an author tries to rejuvenate the five senses of readers and compel them imagine the piece of writing with the help of different sense of body. Imagery is used to give a realistic feeling to the readers and involves them for a long time. Usually, dominating forms of imagery captures all the senses of human and describe ideas and concepts through metaphors. In other words, imagery is a tool that creates a picture in a reader’s mind and allows him to touch, taste, smell, hear and see what a poet is explaining in his poetry. With the help of imagery, an author or a poet portrays different images or pictures and involve readers in their world.

Kinds of Imagery

The imagery is categorized into seven types that are as follows:

1. Visual Imagery: This type of imagery is commonly used to create a visual image or scene in the poetry. In order to draw an image in readers’ mind, a poet uses visual imagery.

2. Auditory Imagery: This type of imagery is used to create any kind of sounds; it can be a sound of lighting, rain or thunder. By using auditory imagery, a poet allows a reader to imagine a noise or a sound of a particular thing, which is described in the poetry.

3. Olfactory Imagery: Olfactory imagery is used to stimulate the sense of smell of a reader. It relates to some kind of scents or odours.

4. Gustatory Imagery: This kind of imagery is used to create a sense of taste. If a poet is explaining about some kind of food, sweet or snack, then gustatory imagery is used.

5. Tactile Imagery: This type of imagery is used to create a feeling of touch in a reader’s mind. A touch can be cold, hot, soft or hard.   

6. Kinesthetic Imagery: It is used to give a feel of some kind of movement. By using this type imagery, a poet creates a sense of movement or tension in a reader’s mind.

7. Organic Imagery: This type of imagery is used to recreate a sense of fear, hunger, pain, thirst and fatigue.