What is the purpose of assonance in poetry?

The purpose of assonance in poetry is to emphasize the use of vowel sounds to create a musical quality and enhance the overall feel of the poem. By repeating the same vowel sounds within nearby words, assonance can foster a sense of rhythm and unity throughout a piece. This technique often leads to near rhymes, which can contribute to the poem's lyrical quality.

While assonance can indeed create a pleasing auditory echo, its primary function is not merely to create echoes of sounds. Similarly, while rhythms in poetry are important, assonance specifically enhances the sound pattern rather than providing a beat directly. As for character development, that generally falls under different literary devices and techniques. Overall, assonance serves to enrich the text's soundscape and emotional impact through the careful crafting of vowel sounds.