Anaphora: A Literary Device
Anaphora is a powerful rhetorical and
literary device in which a word or group of words is repeated at the
beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines.
📘 Definition:
Anaphora is the deliberate repetition of a
word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences to achieve
an artistic, rhetorical, or emotional effect.
🧠 Purpose of Anaphora:
- Emphasizes a point or idea
- Creates rhythm and structure
- Evokes emotion and resonance
- Enhances the persuasive impact
of speech or writing
📝 Examples of Anaphora:
✅ In Literature:
From
Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities:
“It
was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...”
The
phrase “it was” is repeated to highlight contrasts and deepen impact.
✅ In Poetry:
From
William Blake's London:
"In
every cry of every Man,
In every Infant’s cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban..."
Repetition
of “In every” emphasizes the ubiquity of suffering.
✅ In Speeches:
Martin
Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream:
"I
have a dream that one day...
I have a dream that one day...
I have a dream today..."
This
repetition is both rhythmic and persuasive, reinforcing a vision of hope and
change.
🔁 Anaphora vs Other Devices:
|
Device |
Repetition Location |
Example |
|
Anaphora |
Beginning
of clauses/sentences |
"We
shall fight... We shall fight..." |
|
Epiphora |
End of
clauses/sentences |
"See
no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." |
|
Symploce |
Both
beginning and end |
"When
there is talk of war, let us hear it. When there is talk of peace, let us
hear it." |
📚 Effect in Middle English Literature
In
Middle English literature, anaphora was often used in:
- Religious texts and sermons to emphasize devotion or
doctrine.
- Poetry, especially in allegorical or
moral poems like Piers Plowman, to reinforce ethical lessons.
- Mystical writing, such as in Julian of
Norwich's Revelations, to intensify spiritual expression.
🧪 Try it Yourself!
Example
prompt:
Write 3 lines using anaphora starting with "I remember..."
Your
turn!
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