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Figures of speech. Mrs. B. Ajantha , M.A., M.Phil., MBA., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, Sri SRNM College, Sattur. English literature. Literature – Latin ‘Litteratura’ (“writing formed with letters”) Broadest sense – any type of literature on any subject
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Figures of speech Mrs. B. Ajantha, M.A., M.Phil., MBA., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English, Sri SRNM College, Sattur.
English literature • Literature – Latin ‘Litteratura’ (“writing formed with letters”) • Broadest sense – any type of literature on any subject • Body of artistic writings of a country or period – characterized by beauty of expression & form and by universality of intellectual & emotional appeal
Literary devices • The typical structures used by writers in their works to convey their message to their readers • Help readers • To appreciate • To interpret • To analyse
Two kinds of Literary devices • Literary Elements • An inherent existence in literary piece and are extensively employed by writers to develop a literary piece • Impossible to create his desired work without including LE in a thoroughly professional manner • Eg: plot, setting, narrative structure, characters, mood, theme, moral, etc.
Two kinds of Literary devices • Literary techniques (Figures of Speech) • A word or phrase that departs from straightforward literal language. • Used and crafted for • Emphasis • Freshness • Expression • Clarity
Literal Vs. figurative language • Literal Language • The actual dictionary meaning of a word • Avoiding exaggeration, metaphor or embellishment • Word for word – exactly what it says Eg: The US is a large country. The weather is beautiful today.
Literal Vs. figurative language • Figurative Language • Goes beyond the normal meaning of the words used • Represented by a figure or symbol in other words • An implied or a deeper meaning hidden in the words • Used in any genre and in everyday conversations Eg: Fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose.
Figures of speech • Bain, “a form of expression that intentionally deviates from the ordinary mode of speech for the sake of more powerful, pleasing or distinctive effect; it is pictorial or poetic language”.
Figures of speech • Simile – Latin ‘similis’ – ‘like’ & ‘likeness’ • As, like, as…as, etc., • An expression of likeness between different objects or events. • Comparing them with regard to some quality common to them. Eg: Errors like straws upon the surface flow. The younger brother is as good as gold.
Figures of speech • Metaphor • Greek ‘meta’ – over, ‘phero’ – carry (carrying over) • Implied simile / implied comparison Eg: The camel is the ship of the desert. He is the pillar of the state.
Figures of speech • Hyperbole • ‘Hyper’ – beyond, ‘ballo’ – throw, “throwing beyond” / exaggeration • Representing things as much greater or smaller than they really are – intention of producing a more striking effect Eg: “Here is the smell of blood still; all perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand?”
Figures of speech • Metonymy • Greek ‘meta’ – after, ‘onoma’ – a name, “substitution of name” Eg: “Scepter and crown Must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made With the poor crooked scythe and spade”
Figures of speech • Synecdoche • A special form of metonymy • ‘syn’ – with, ‘ekdoche’ – succession, “understanding of one thing by another” • Substitution of a part for the whole or vice versa • Of an abstract noun for a concrete one / vice versa • Of an individual for a class / vice versa • Name of the material of which a thing is made for/ the name of the thing itself Eg: The rank and file steamed out of the city to see the sight. There is a mixture of the tiger and the ape in his character. Frailty the name is woman.
Figures of speech • Personification • A special kind of metaphor • Inanimate objects/abstract ideas/qualities – persons / human beings Eg: Opportunity knocks at the door but once. Death lays his Icy hands on kings.
Figures of speech • Oxymoron • The association of two words/phrases having opposite meanings Eg: “That time is past And all its aching joys are now no more, And all its dizzy raptures”
Figures of speech • Antithesis • ‘anti’ – against, ‘thesis’ – placing • One word/idea is set against another with the object of heightening the effect of what is said by contrast Eg: God made the country but man made the town. United we stand divided we fall. Speech is silvery, silence is golden.
Figures of speech • Pathetic Fallacy • A special kind of personification • Human emotions – lifeless objects & abstract ideas Eg: All Nature wept at his death, and the Flowers were filled with tears.
Figures of speech • Onomatopoeia • ‘onoma’ – name, ‘poiea’ – make • Word/words whose sound itself conveys the sense of the author
Figures of speech • Apostrophe • Abstract ideas / inanimate objects – as if alive Eg: “O wild west wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being” “O Solitude, where are the charms That sages have seen in thy face?”
Figures of speech • Epigram • A brief pointed saying expressing antithetical ideas or exciting surprise Eg: The child is the father of the nation. Art lies on concealing art.
Figures of speech • Irony • The real meaning is just the opposite of that which is literally conveyed by the language used Eg: Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest, For Brutus is an honourable man I come to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
Figures of speech • Pun • Use the same word in two/more senses in order to make the people laugh Eg: An ambassador is a gentleman who lies abroad for the good of his country.
Figures of speech • Alliteration • Repetition of the letter or syllable/the same sound at the beginning of two or more words in a line • Language becomes musical Eg; How high His Honour holds his haughty head.
