Below are some examples of metaphors from famous literary texts. The metaphors are identified with proper explanation. 

• All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players. 

They have their exits and entrances, 

(Shakespeare: As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7)

In the above lines the “world” has been compared to a “stage” suggesting short life on earth. Similarly, the words “exit” and “entrance” are also metaphors which imply birth and death. 

• How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable 

Seem to me all the uses of this world!

Fie on ‘t! Ih fie, fie, ‘tis an unweeded garden, 

That grows no seed: 

(Shakespeare: Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 2)

“How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable / Seem to me all the uses of this world!” – This is a metaphor that compares the state of the world and human activity to something dull and ineffective.

“tis an unweeded garden, That grows no seed:” – This is where the world is compared to an overgrown, neglected garden. The metaphor implies that there is no longer any possibility or vitality in the planet.

• Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage 

And then is heard no more. 

(Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5)

“Life’s but a walking shadow” – this metaphor compares life to a walking shadow. A shadow is intangible and does not have its own shape. By comparing life with shadow Shakespeare shows that life is temporary and ultimately meaningless. 

“a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage / And then is heard no more.” –  Here life is compared with a “poor player” on “stage” who performs furiously for a short time “hour” but ultimately leaves no long-lasting impact. This also suggests the fleeting nature of life. 

• “She’s all states, and all princes, I”

(John Donne: “The Sun Rising”)

• “If winter comes, can Spring be far behind”

(Shelly: “Ode to the West Wind”)

• “Mind-forged manacles”

(William Blake: “London”)

Types of Metaphor 

In literature there are several types of metaphors: regular, extended, mixed, implied and dead. 

Regular Metaphor 

A regular metaphor compares two things directly, treating them as synonyms. This category includes the majority of metaphors as all other types of metaphors are described based on an understanding of regular metaphor. Regular metaphors can also be called standard, common, direct or explicit metaphor.  

Example Of Regular Metaphor: 

• Time is money 
• He is a walking encyclopedia 
• Her eyes are sapphires 

Extended metaphor

An extended metaphor is a form of comparison that occurs over multiple lines. An extended metaphor takes a regular metaphor and extends it throughout multiple lines, sentences or entire work creating a more vivid and detailed picture. 

Example of Extended Metaphor: 

Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope is the thing with feathers” is the best example of extended metaphor. In fact the whole poem is an extended metaphor. 

Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune – without words, And never stops at all, And the sweetest in the gale is heard; And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm. I’ve heard it in the chilliest land, And on the strangest sea; Yet, never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me.

Tenor: Hope, an abstract concept 

Vehicle: A small Bird with feathers 

Explanation: In this poem the poet at first introduces the concept of a bird that represents the constant presence of hope “And never stops at all”. “And the sweetest gale is heard;  And sore must be the storm / That could abash the little bird / That kept so many warm.” The bird’s song is sweetest in the strongest winds, highlighting that hope persists even in hardship. 

“Yet, never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me”- The pronoun “it” represents the bird that does not have any demand signifying that hope doesn’t need external sustenance. 

Mixed Metaphor 

A mixed metaphor is the combination of two unrelated metaphors that don’t fit together logically. It’s like mixing and matching parts from different metaphors that don’t form a cohesive picture.

Key Features of Mixed Metaphor 

• The two metaphors have conflicting imagery and do not provide clear comparison that creates confusion to the readers or listeners. 
• The absurdity of the compared images can have a funny effect, even though it is often unintentional.

Examples of Mixed Metaphor: 

• Drowning in success and riding the wave: Here, the word “drowning” implies being overwhelmed, while “riding the wave” suggests enjoying success. You can’t really drown while riding a wave.
• Spilling the beans and keeping their cards close to their chest: “Spilling the beans” means revealing a secret, while “keeping your cards close to your chest” means being secretive. You can’t spill something you’re keeping close.
• A chip on their shoulder and a feather in their cap: A “chip on your shoulder” means having an angry or resentful attitude, while a “feather in your cap” is an achievement or something to be proud of. These contrasting ideas don’t blend well.

Implied Metaphor 

An implied metaphor is a form of metaphor where the comparison between two unrelated things are made without mentioning one of them. Unlike a regular metaphor that directly says one thing is another (e.g., “She is a rose”), an implied metaphor relies on descriptive language or actions to suggest a comparison.

Key features of Implied Metaphor 

• In the case of implied metaphor the comparison is not directly said rather it is hidden within the words or imagery. So the interpretation of the metaphor depends on the background and understanding of the readers. 
• The comparison is suggested using descriptive words or phrases. 
• It leads the readers to a deeper understanding of the text.

Examples of Implied Metaphor: 

• “The politician weaved a web of lies” – Notice the sentence. The politician is not really a spider but by the use of the word “web” we can imply that the politician is a spider by comparing his behavior with those of a spider which suggest something deceitful and intricate. 
• “The storm rages all night long” –  Now this sentence suggests that “The storm” is not really a person but by the use of the word “rages” the readers can guess something violent. 

Dead Metaphor 

A metaphor is considered dead when it has lost its metaphorical meaning since it is so widely used and ingrained in common speech or everyday language. It is now easier to understand the term literally rather than to draw the original connection.

Features of Dead Metaphor 

• Dead metaphors are widely used in common language so it has lost its figurative meaning. 
• Dead metaphor can be understood at its face value, without considering underlying comparison.

Examples of Dead Metaphor 

• “Time flies” – Notice the phrases. Time is not actually flying. But the phrase has become so popular that we don’t need to think about the image of time with wings. 
• “To grasp an idea” – We don’t literally grab ideas with our hands, but the metaphor has become a dead metaphor for understanding something.

Metaphor vs other literary devices 

Metaphor vs Simile 

Simile and metaphor are used to create a comparison between two unlikely things but they differ in how to create a comparison. 

Simile provides more direct and clear comparisons whereas metaphor creates a more imaginative connection by using vivid and descriptive words. 

Simile uses some connecting words “as”, and “like” to create a comparison facilitating the reader to understand the comparison easily. On the other hand, metaphor does not use these connecting words and relies on using more vivid and descriptive words. So a reader has to rely on interpretation. 

Example of Simile:

Her eyes shine like a diamond (Here the simile uses “like” to compare the girl’s eyes to a diamond). 

Example of Metaphor: 

Her eyes are diamond (Here, the metaphor directly says the woman’s eyes are diamonds). 

Metaphor vs Allegory 

Metaphor and allegory are used to convey meaning beyond their literal meaning. 

Metaphors are typically short phrases or sentences that create a direct comparison between two unlikely things by using descriptive words and imagery. On the other hand, allegory can be a short fable, poem or an entire novel that tells a story in the guise of another story. The plot, characters, events of the texts represent something else. Simply, allegory is a story with double meaning.

Example of Metaphor: 

Life is a journey (Though life is not a physical trip, the metaphor suggested that life is a continuous process moving forward.)

Example of Allegory 

• Geroge Orwell’s Animal farm: This is the perfect example of allegory for representing the Russian revolution. The animals on the farm represent different social classes in Russia, and the events of the story represent the events of the revolution.
• Aesop’s Fables: Aesop’s Fables are short, easy to understand stories with deeper meaning. The characters are typically animals but represent human qualities and behaviors conveying moral lessons. For example, let’s consider The Tortoise and the Hare stories. In this story the slow tortoise challenges the hare in a race and ultimately wins through perseverance. This story has a moral meaning inside as it teaches the value of hard work and perseverance over arrogance and overconfidence. 

Metaphor vs Analogy 

Metaphor and analogy are both figures of speech that are used to show comparison. 

Metaphor creates a direct connection between two unlike things, highlighting a shared characteristic between those entities by using vivid description and imagery. On the other hand, analogy is a form of extended comparison that explains a complex concept by comparing it to something more familiar and easy to understand. 

Unlike metaphor, analogy is more complex and its purpose is to make a clear explanation. Analogies are often used to make a complex concept easy to understand by simplifying it into language that is more accessible.

Example of Analogy:

Learning a new language is like climbing a mountain. It takes time, effort, and perseverance, but the view from the top is worth it. (This sentence highlights the difficulty of learning a new language and also the rewarding outcome). 

How to identify a metaphor 

Metaphors are hard to find out and explain. But if you practice analyzing them regularly then it is possible to spot a metaphor easily

We have discussed some step-by-step process on how you can identify a metaphor: 

Finding comparison

When you try to find a metaphor you should always look for a comparison between two entities. We know metaphor is a direct comparison. It does not use any connecting words “like” or “as”. So, read the sentence carefully and try to spot the comparison. 

For example, “Life is a race”. Now look at the sentence. If there are connection markers “like” or “as” then you can easily relate. But it’s a direct comparison suggesting that life is continuous, competitive and must have a goal like a finish line in a race. 

Identify Tenor and Vehicle

Tenor and vehicle are the two structural elements of a metaphor. A tenor is the entity which is being compared on the other hand a vehicle is the entity which is used to describe the tenor. Try to explain how they can be comparable. 

For example, Mary’s eyes were stars. Here, “Mary” is the tenor and “star” is the vehicle. 

Consider whether the two objects under comparison are truly comparable

You should try to guess what is the connection between two comparable entities. If you cannot guess then you should know that the metaphor has a deeper meaning. 

For example, The storm is raging. They can be comparable. Raging means something violent. It is used when a person becomes angry. Though the storm cannot be angry like a person it represents the storm’s violent nature. 

Look for vivid imagery 

Metaphor directly compares something abstract to something concrete by using powerful imagery and descriptive language. 

For example, “Her voice was a melody.” (This metaphor creates an image of pleasant sounds, suggesting the woman’s voice is sweet and musical.)

Consider the context of the Metaphor 

Context is crucial for identifying a metaphor. When you encounter a metaphor you might see the comparison seems unusual. In this case you should look for context because context sometimes offers some clues. 

For example, If you are reading an article about a political election and you suddenly encounter this line “The candidates are neck and neck in the race for the presidency.”  In this context, “race” isn’t referring to a physical competition but to the ongoing political campaign, where the candidates are striving for victory.

By following these steps and knowing the features you can easily identify a metaphor.

How to explain a metaphor 

There are several ways to explain a metaphor. Here are some steps that will help you to explain a metaphor: 

1. Identify the tenor and vehicle and explain the connection between them. 
2. If the metaphor seems very complex then you can rephrase it with a simile for easy  understanding. You can use words “like” or “as” to guess the connection. 
3. Try to offer analogy if the metaphor seems too abstract
4. You can also use visuals for comparison. 
5. Provide a context of the metaphor.

Final thoughts 

To sum up Metaphors improve our capacity to communicate difficult concepts and establish more meaningful connections with people. In this article we have explored the definition of metaphor, types of metaphor with examples plus how to identify and explain a metaphor. 

So, the next time you come across a metaphor, stop and appreciate its creativity.