Rhetoric : Figures of Speech, Part-II

3. FIGURES BASED ON CONTRAST OR, DIFFERENCE

a. ANTITHESIS: In an Antithesis two contrasted words or ideas are placed side by side in a balanced form for the sake of emphasis.

  Example: United we stand, divided we fall.

    Here two contrasted idea ‘united we stand’ and ‘divided we fall’ are placed together for the sake of emphasis.

  More Examples:

a)       Tho’ much is taken, much abides.

b)       The old contemplate, the young act.

c)       It is a blessing, and not a curse.

d)       Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice.

b. EPIGRAM: In an Epigram there is an apparent contradiction which produces a momentary shock, but there is a deeper meaning underneath.

  Example: The child is the father of man.

    Here the apparent meaning is contradictory, for how a child can be the father of a man. But there is an inner meaning which suggests that the child of today will bring future generation.

  More Examples:

a)       No man teaches well, who wants to teach. (suggesting the failure of those who take pride on their knowledge)

b)       Beware the fury of a patient man. (seldom when a patent man becomes angry, he is dangerous)

c)       Most pleased, when most uneasy. (excessive pleasure has a sting of uneasiness)

d)       He makes no friend who has never made a foe. (unless one makes foe he is unable to identify his friend)

e)       Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts. (by means of good oratory a man often covers his real thought)

f)        To be really free one must restraint his liberty. (there can be nothing called ‘absolute liberty’, a free man must restrain his liberty for the sake of society)

c. OXYMORON: In an Oxymoron two contradictory words are juxtaposed for a striking effect.

  Example: Life is bitter sweet.

    Here two contradictory words ‘bitter’ and ‘sweet’ are juxtaposed.

  More Examples:

a)       You must hasten slowly.

b)       Whose dread command is lawless law.

c)       And all its aching joys are no more.

d. CLIMAX: In a Climax a series of ideas are arranged in an ascending order for the sake of emphasis.

  Example: I came, I saw, I conquered.

    Here three ideas ‘I came’, ‘I saw’ and ‘I conquered’ are arranged in an ascending order.

  More Examples:

a)       A thief, a plunderer, an assassin.

b)       To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

c)       Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.

e. ANTI-CLIMAX / BATHOS: In an Anti-climax there is a sudden fall from an important idea to a mean idea in order to excite laughter.

  Example: He lost his wife, his children and his dog at one full sweep.

    Here is a sudden fall from the important idea ‘children’ to the mean idea ‘dog’.

  More Examples:

a)       When husbands or when lap dogs breathe their last.

b)       Who, in the course of one revolving moon, / Was lawyer, statesman, fiddler, and buffoon.

c)       Puffs, powders, patches, Bibles, billet-doux.

d)       What female’s heart can gold despise? / What cat’s averse to fish?

4. FIGURES BASED ON IMAGINATION

a. PERSONIFICATION: In a Personification an inanimate object or an abstract idea is given the attributes of a living being.

  Example: Fortune is merry.

    Here the abstract idea ‘fortune’ is given the attributes of a living being in ‘merry’.

  More Examples:

a)       Proud be the rose, with rains and dews.

b)       And now the storm-blast came, and he / Was tyrannous and strong.

c)       Christian justice is strangely mute and seemingly blind.

b. APOSTROPHE: In an Apostrophe a short, impassioned address is made to nature, an inanimate object or an abstract idea, or a dead or absent person, imagining the same is listening.

  Example: O wind, /If winter comes can spring be far behind.

    Here the natural object ‘wind’ is addressed.

  More Examples:

a)       O Solitude! where are the charms / That sages have seen in thy face.

b)       The applause, delight, the wonder of our stage! / My Shakespeare rise!

c. HYPERBOLE / EXAGGERATION: In a Hyperbole an exaggerated statement is made in order to emphasize.

  Example: Ten thousand I saw at a glance.

    This is an exaggeration to say that the speaker saw ten thousand daffodils at a glance.

  More Examples:

a)       To see her is to love her, / And love her but for ever.

b)       All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten the little hand.

c)       I am tired of death.

5. FIGURES BASES ON INDIRECTNESS

a. IRONY: In an Irony the opposite of what is meant is said, and the purpose is to hurt someone.

  Example: A very fine friend you were to forsake me in my trouble.

    Here ‘fine’ is said but the opposite is meant, and the purpose is to hurt the friend.

  More Examples:                                                        

a)       That accomplished lawyer knows how to unbuild all subjects—even law.

b)       The brotherly love of our enlarging Christianity is provided by the multiplicity of murder.

c)       He came there with his usual punctuality one hour after the train had left.

b. INNUENDO: In an Innuendo a thing is hinted instead of plainly stated in order to damage one’s reputation.

  Example: My friend arrived and my book was missing.

    Here the insinuation is that the friend stole the book.

  More Examples:

a)       I do not lock all my doors because I have no servant. (suggesting that servants are generally thieves)

b)       I shall not anything of this painting, but the frame is splendid. (suggesting that the painting is bad)

c)       He has been treated by three doctors, but he is still alive. (suggesting that doctors hasten death)

c. PERIPHRASIS / CIRCUMLOCUTION: In periphrasis a thing or idea is presented in a round-about way instead of its being stated plainly.

  Example: Divided empire with Heaven’s King I hold.

    Here instead of ‘God’ the round-about expression ‘Heaven’s King’ has been used.

  More Examples:

a)       Moving isles of winter (ice-berg)

b)       The million-colored bow (rainbow)

c)       The weakening eye of day (sun)

d)       The orbed maiden with white fire laden (moon)

e)       Sleep, the sleep that knows no breaking (death)

d. EUPHEMISM: In a Euphemism a harsh or disagreeable statement is presented in an agreeable manner.

  Example: He breathed his last.

    Here the harsh statement ‘he died’ is presented in an agreeable manner.

  More Examples:

a)       The bank has stopped payment. (suggesting the bank’s bankruptcy)

b)       They dropped down one by one. (suggesting their death)

c)       Discord fell on the brain of the young man after that rude shock of life. (suggesting that he became mad)

d)       The knave came somewhat saucily into the world. (suggesting his illegitimate birth)

e. SARCASM: Sarcasm is a direct attack exposing the follies and weaknesses of a person or thing, but in a tone of mockery.

  Example: Jesus saved others but he could not save others.

    Here is a direct attack on Jesus indicating his inability to save himself.

  More Examples:

a)       God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man. (the man’s brutal nature is attacked here)