Stylistic and rhetorical devices

Stylistic and rhetorical devices

Metaphor (C)

- A comparison between two things which basically are quite unlike each other
- The metaphor says that something is something else
- A metaphor never uses the words “as” or “like” to make the comparison
- E.g.: A mighty fortress is our God. He has a heart of stone.
- Usage: Shakespeare writes metaphorically when he says… Another metaphor can be found in ll. …

Simile (C)

- Another type of comparison
- The simile says that something is like something else and uses the words “as” or “like”
- E.g.: He is as strong as a lion. She smells like a rose.
- Usage: His style is rich in simile. He uses interesting similes.

Symbol (C)

- A word or phrase that stands not only for itself but also for a certain idea.
- As in the case of the metaphor and the simile the meaning goes beyond the literal
- E.g.: Red is a symbol of danger.

Synecdoche ( U or C)

- A figure of speech using one part for the whole or something special for something general

- E.g.: saying “ten sail” for ten ships or “Croesus” for a rich man
- Another example Shakespeare repeatedly made use of is using the word “board” to imply a stage

- Another expression for synecdoche : pars pro toto

Onomatopoeia (U)

- The formation of words from sounds which seem to suggest their meaning
- E.g.: pocketa, pocketa ; bang ; hiss ; buzz
- Usage: An example of onomatopoeia can be found in line 35: …

Oxymoron (C)

- Two contradictory words or phrases are combined
- E.g.: fiery ice, screaming silence ; foul is fair ; very tragical mirth
- Usage: Shakespeare makes use of several oxymorons in this extract

Plurisignation (U)

- Use of ambiguities (words or expressions with more than one meaning)
- Usage: The following statement is plurisignificant : …

Euphemism (U or C)

- Use of a mild word for one thought to be rough or offensive
- E.g.: “pass away” for die
- Usage: He writes euphemistically when he describes his mother’s death

Redundancy (C)

- Writing (talking) more than the required minimum, repetitive.
- E.g.: Full of vexation come I, with complaint against my child, my daughter Hermia
- Usage: The following paragraph is full of redundancies. His speech is full of redundant words.

Pleonasm (C)

- Use of more words than necessary.
- E.g.: 4 quarters, two twins
- Usage: Pleonasms should be avoided.

Litotes (C - plural same form)

- An ironically moderate speech, rhetorical under-statement
- E.g.: That’s not half bad. He’s no amateur.
- Usage: He is a master of litotes.

Hyperbole (U)

- Exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis.
- E.g.: I’ve waited an eternity. He had a hangover that made his head feel like the spot on the fortress that’s just been hit by a thirty-foot battering ram.
- Usage: Shakespeare loves to employ hyperbole.

Enjambment (U or C)

- The continuation of the sentence into the next line.
- Effect: It makes the speech sound more natural
- E.g.: But see! The angry victor hath recalled His ministers of vengeance and pursuit Back to the gates of Heaven.

Chiasmus (C pl. -mi)

- Contrasted terms are arranged crosswise, the word order in the first phrase is reversed in the second.
- E.g.: Flowers are lovely, love is flowerlike Fair is foul, and foul is fair Weigh oath with oath and you will nothing weigh

Anacoluthon (C pl. -a)

- A broken sentence construction, lacking a grammatical sequence
- In so far the anacoluthon is unintentionally used by the speaker ➙ unwillingly
- Usage: The anacolutha in the following lines are supposed to emphasize Richard’s mental confusion.

Ellipsis (C pl. -es)

- An incomplete sentence construction.
- The ellipsis is used deliberately by its speaker (e.g. for emphasis) ➙ willingly

Anaphora (U)

- The repetition of a word or a phrase at the beginning of two or more successive lines, sentences etc.
- E.g.: And she forgot the stars, the moon, the sun And she forgot the blue above the trees (…)

Epiphora (U)

- The repetition of a word or a phrase at the end of two or more successive lines, sentences etc.
- E.g.: We are born to sorrow, pass our time in sorrow, end our days in sorrow.

Asyndeton (C pl. -a)

- Words or phrases presented in series, separated by commas only, without conjunctions
- E.g.: Veni, vidi, vici. He has provided the poor with jobs, food, money.

Polysyndeton (C pl. -a)

- Words or phrases presented in series separated by “end”, “as well as”, etc.
- E.g.: und es wallet und siedet und brauset und zischt.

Exclamation (C)

- E.g. : What a strange idea !

Address (C)

- But always - do not forget this, Winston - always there will be the thrill of victory …

Request (C)

- Polite or formal appeal
- E.g.: Why don’t we all go to…? Let’s…

Urgent appeal (C)

- It’s stronger form of request
- E.g.: For heaven’s sake, come and help me now!

Climax (C pl. -es)

- A figure consisting of a series of of related ideas so arranged that each is stronger than the proceeding one
- E.g.: Berlin-, Deutschland-, Weltnachrichten

Personification (U)

- A figure of speech in which a lifeless object is spoken of as if alive
- E.g.: My blood speaks in your veins. And when she weeps, weeps every little flower.
- Usage: In “Romeo and Juliet” the personification of the stars is unforgettable . In this poem of Keats’ autumn is personified.

Gemination (U)

- The immediate repetition of a word or phrase for rhetorical effect
- E.g.: And when she weeps, weeps every little flower.
- Usage: Shakespeare often employs gemination as a means of realizing his iambic pentameter.

Allusion (C)

- An allusion is a reference to another author or historical figure or event.
- E.g.: Oberon’s: “A fair vestal throned by the west” doubtlessly alluded to Queen Elizabeth I, who watched the play herself

Pun (C)

- With puns Shakespeare shows his exceptional wit
- Puns work through ambiguities, often caused by homophones (i.e. words that sound the same)
- E.g.: There is mettle in death. (mettle = courage; at the same the word suggests the homophone metal, a synecdoche for sword, a weapon causing death)
- Very often Shakespeare makes use of sexual puns (also called innuendoes)
- Here textual notes are often not very helpful…
- E.g.: My cherry lips have often kissed thy stones. (the character is referring to the stones in a wall, but to the Elizabethans “stones” were also testicles …)

Parallelism (C)

- Any parallel structure
- E.g.: To watch the night in storms, the day in cold.

Alliteration

- Repetition of the inititial consonant sound

Assonance

- Repetition of vowel sounds

Consonance

- Similarity of end consonants Their common aims:
- Increase pleasure in hearing and catch the listener’s attention

Masculine rhyme

- One-syllable rhyme

Feminine rhyme

- Two-(or more) syllable rhyme

Off-rhyme

- Rhyme is not quite exact ,but listener still feels it

Internal rhyme

- Rhyme within one line

Volta

- Change in argumentation
- It always follows after the 8 line of a sonnet

Final complet

- These are the two final lines of a sonnet
- They always contain a message
- It always lays a certain stress on it

Meter

- The length of a line of verse, measured by counting the stresses, is called the metre

Pentameter

- When there are five stresses the line is called a pentameter