Adv Rhetoric Flashcards
Repeated Subjects II
Those examples involve changes in the subject of the sentence. Here is the same idea with the change made in the object.
Baker speech in the senate 1861
“They will have their courts still, they will have their ballot boxes still, they will have their elections still, they will have their representatives upon this floor. Still, they will have taxation and representation still, they will have the writ of habeas corpus still, they will have every privilege they ever had. And all we desire.”
The general effect in all the cases just seeing is similar. The differences between the examples are made subordinate to the points they have in common. That last passage could as easily, probably more easily have been written by putting still closer to the middle of each clause, they will still have etc. pushing it to the end lends the word more weight and makes the statements seem more completely parallel. And think a bit about the sound of the word accented syllable ending with a liquid consonant.
Repeated Subjects III
Repeated Subjects III
These constructions also tend to give the modifiers more power than they would have had if strung on a list. When most of the words in each clause are the same. The stress in reading or speaking them falls hard on the changed adjective
Dickens hard times 1854.
I’ll stick to the fact of it to you. It’s the pleasantest work there is and it’s the lightest work there is. And it’s the best paid work there is.
Lloyd George international honor 1914
I believe in spite of recent events, there is a greater store of kindness in the German peasant, as in any peasant in the world, but he has been drilled into a false idea of civilization, efficiency, capability. It is a hard civilization. It is a selfish civilization. It is a material civilization.
The same theme is useful for comparing the same two things in different respects.
Dickens hard times 1854 I am a donkey is what I am. I am as obstinate as one. I am more stupid than one. I get as much pleasure as one. And I should like to kick like one.
Repeated Subjects IV
Changes of the verb as when describing the same person doing or not doing different things in the same way.
First Corinthians chapter 13, verse 11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. She’ll speech in the
Webster argument in trustees of Dartmouth College versus Woodward 1818.
The legislature shall pass no act directly and manifestly impairing private property and private privileges. It shall not judge by act, it shall not decide by act, it shall not deprive by act, but it shall leave all these things to be tried and adjudged by the law of the land.
Repeated Subjects IV
The repetition of the verbal pattern matches the claim that seemingly different acts serve the same purpose.
Gratton speech in the Irish Parliament 1790
There is an agreement that the boards of accounts and stamps should be united, that agreement they violated. There is an agreement that the revenue board should be confined to seven commissioners, that agreement they violate, there is a king’s letter declaring that the salaries of the ordinance shall be reduced that declaration they violate. There are principles and law against the sale of honors, those principles and law they have violated
Gratton speech in the House of Commons 1815 Bonaparte
It seems, is to reconcile everything by the gift of a free constitution. He took possession of Holland, he did not give her a free constitution. He took possession of Spain, he did not give her a free constitution. He took possession of Switzerland, whose independence he had guaranteed. He did not give her a free constitution. He took possession of Italy, he did not give her a free constitution, he took possession of France. He did not give her a free constitution. On the contrary, he destroyed the directorial constitution. He destroyed the consular constitution, and he destroyed the late constitution formed on the plan of England.
Repeated Lengthening
As with all other figures of repetition, the impact of simplicity often is increased when it is combined with the variety and the length or rhythm of the phrases involved. One possibility familiar from earlier chapters is to lengthen the last section. The repetition at the start and end continues but the structure is varied.
Much Ado About Nothing. Act 4 scene one.
Oh what men dead do what men may do what men daily do not knowing what they do. In this last case, two types of variety are introduced in the last part a longer syllable, daily instead of dare and may and a longer separation between what men and the last word of the sentence. Both changes gently disrupt the expectations that the first two rounds of repetition had created.
Pet speech in the House of Commons 1742
Is not the maintaining so numerous an army and time of peace to be condemned is not the fitting out so many expensive and useless squadrons to be condemned are not the encroachments made upon the sinking fund, the reviving the salt duty, the rejecting many useful bills and motions in Parliament, and many other domestic measures to be condemned.
By the time the third sentence arrives here, the listener has learned how the end of the pattern goes, so the speaker can afford to stack up more examples before getting there, postponing the conclusion in this way makes it more climactic. This passage also illustrates a useful bit of technique in working with semplici repeating the same grammatical structure within the middle part, even as the words change. Here the use of Jenkins mostly repeats, the maintaining the fitting out the reviving the rejecting. This helps to sustain the sense of parallelism, especially when there is some distance between the repeated words at the beginning and end of each sentence.
Repetition Abandonment
Also repetition can be abandoned entirely and to good effect after it has conditioned the listeners expectations. We saw some examples in passing earlier in the chapter. Here are a few others.
Webster argument in the murder trial of john Francis Knapp 1830
He was there before the murder. He was there after the murder. He was there clandestinely unwilling to be seen.
Gratton speech in the Irish Parliament 1790
There is nothing in the way of your liberty except your own corruption and pusillanimity and nothing can prevent your being free except yourselves. It is not in the disposition of England. It is not in the interest of England. It is not in our arms.
Chesterton, the crimes of England 1915.
And if this dramatic sociology is indeed to prevail among us, I think some of the broad minded thinkers who concur and its prevalence Oh, something like an apology to many gallant gentlemen whose graves lie with the last battle was fought in the wilderness, men who had the courage to fight for it, the courage to die for it, and above all, the courage to call it by its name.
Notice that in these cases, the repetition is sustained at the start of every clause straight through to the end. The abandonment comes just at the finish of the last part.
Repetition Abandonment II
The device also can be abandoned for a moment somewhere in the middle as here.
Burke argument in the impeachment trial of Warren Hastings 1788. And, as to the man is Mr. Hastings, a man against too much charge of bribery is improbable. Why he owns it. He is a professor of it, he reduces it into scheme and system. He glories in it.
Taking a break from the semplici by ending a sentence with scheme and system avoids monotony, and also gives the harangue a more spontaneous sound. The speaker isn’t trying too hard to hold to a pattern. He is too excited for that. Hastings later said of this speech. for half an hour, I looked at the orator in a reverie of wonder and actually felt myself the most culpable man on earth.
Repeating the ending at the beginning and at the closest
Anadiplosis is the use of the same language at the end of one sentence or clause. And at the start of the next and a B, BC pattern. Probably the most famous example of it comes from a proverb popularized by
Benjamin Franklin in poor Richard’s Almanac, 1758.
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost for want of a shoe, the horse was lost, and for one to the horse, the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for want of care about a horseshoe nail.
One chains of causation, as that first example shows, and a discloses is a natural device for describing causal progressions . Each element is repeated once as a result of the prior cause, and then again as cause of the next resolved.
Chains making it situation seem enviable
Romans, Chapter 6, verses 3-5
So, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience and experience, hope and hope make us not ashamed. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The repeated elements make the links in the chain seem more secure and perhaps more inevitable. They strengthen the sense that one thing leads to another as you like it,
O’Connell speech in the House of Commons 1831.
One party then was armed against the other the armed party grew insolent insolence led to scuffles and scuffles ended in death.
James Washington Square 1881.
If she stands up for him on account of the money, she will be a humbug. If she is a humbug, I shall see it. If I see it, I won’t waste time with her.
Anadiplosis II
The order can be reversed to so that the pattern becomes result cause result cause as here.
A comedy of errors act 1 scene 2
The meat is cold because you come not home. You come not home because you have no stomach. You have no stomach having broke your fast, but we that know what is too fast and pray Our penitent for your default today.
These patterns can then be abandoned at the end which creates the favorable effects we have seen when considering variety in earlier chapters
Dickens speech at London 1855
It came to pass that they were burned in a stove in the House of Lords, the stove over gorged with these preposterous sticks set fire to the paneling. The paneling set fire to the House of Lords, the House of Lords set fire to the House of Commons, the two houses were reduced to ashes. architects were called in to build others. We are now in the second million of the cost thereof. The National pig is not nearly over the style yet. And the little old woman Britannia hasn’t got home tonight.
Anadiplosis - Two chains of reasoning and a diploma is also may be used to describe chains of reasoning rather than causation.
Much Ado About Nothing. Act five seem to Benedick only foul words and thereupon I will kiss the Beatrice foul words is about foul wind and foul wind is about foul breath and foul breath is noisy. Therefore, I will depart unkissed.
Dickens Little Dorrit 1857.
To think better of it return the gallant landwatch would be to slide a lady to slide a lady it would be to be deficient in chivalry towards the sex and chivalry towards the sex is Part of my character.
Holmes speech at Harvard University 1911.
Man is born a predestined idealist or he is born to act to act is to affirm the worth of an end and to persist in affirming the worth of an end is to make an ideal.
Anadiplosis - Causation
In the example from Holmes and perhaps in all of these cases, the entity poses gives rhetorical backing to an implied form of argument in which the end point is reached through a series of identities. A is B, B is C. So, a is C, a variation on this pattern strings together negatives, one cannot have X without y, one cannot have y without z. So by implication, one cannot have X without Z.
Bao for speech at St. James University 1887.
Society dead or alive and have no charm without intimacy, and no intimacy without interest in trifles which I fear Mr. Harrison would describe it as merely curious.
Wilde, the critic as artists 1891.
Ernest, surely you would admit that the great poems of the early world, the primitive, anonymous collective poems were the result of the imagination of races rather than the imagination of individuals? Gilbert, not when they received a beautiful form, for there is no art where there is no style and no style there is no unity and unity is of the individual.
Anadiplosis - Ascension
Ascension and climax, Anadiplosis is a helpful tool for describing and ascending. Each repetition is accompanied by an increase in the scale of the thing under discussion.
Hamilton speech at New York ratifying convention 1788
We love our families more than our neighbors. We love our neighbors more than our countrymen in general.
Samuel Adams speech at Philadelphia 1776.
The scale of officers from the rapacious and needy Commissioner, to the hottie governor and from the governor with his hungry train, to perhaps a licentious and practical viceroy must be upheld by you and your children.
Anadiplosis - Climax
In elaborate cases, the result of this pattern is climax, a distinct rhetorical figure in which words increase in intensity or scale, until finally reaching some sort of combination. climax and anadiplosis says go well together, as shown in these examples that apply both devices to ascending states of mind.
Richard II, act 5 scene 1
The love of wicked men converts to fear that fear to hate and hate turns one or both to worthy danger and deserve it death.
Dickens Oliver Twist 1838
I know how cold formalities was succeeded by open tones, how indifference gave place to dislike, dislike to hate, and hate to loathing until it last wrenched the clanking bond
Ascension II - Anadiplosis
The repetition at the end of one part and the start of the next helps the reader feel the progress the speaker describes. Both feet come to rest on each stair before stepping to the next one. Anadiplosis also can help along Ascension have a grander kind as when the progression involves nature or religion.
Melville Pierre 1852
Now the quarry discovery is long before the stone cutter and the stone cutter is long before the architect and the architect is long before the Temple of the temple is the crown of the world. Melville Moby Dick 1851
There is No or life in the now, except that rocking life imparted by a gentle rolling ship, by her, borrowed from the sea by the sea from the inscrutable tides of God.
Hamlet, Act 5, scene 2.
And let the kettle to the trumpet speak the trumpet to the cannoneer without the cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth. Now the king drinks to Hamlet, though less common, and anadiplosis can also be used to walk through a hierarchy in the reverse direction, a descent as shown here. Churchill, the river war 1899 the black jihadi overall the Arab Army in the capital, the army in the capital dominated the forces in the provinces, the forces in the provinces subdued inhabitant, centralization of power was assured by the concentration of military material.
Anadiplosis
For additive closest for emphasis, sometimes, and anadiplosis is not used for any substantive purpose of the kind just shown. The repetition just serves to improve the flow of the exposition, to emphasize the repeated word and often to lend the utterance more feeling.
Henry the IV, part 1 scene 2 act 4
Is he good, but to taste sack and drink it very neat and cleanly, but to carve a coupon and eat it, wearing cutting but in craft, wearing crafty, but in villainy, wearing villainous, but in all things were in worthy, but in nothing,
Melville Mardi 1849
Their men were scourged their crime, a heresy, the heresy that media was no demigod
Webster speech in the senate 1836
the bill therefore was lost. It was lost in the House of Representatives. It died there, and there it’s remains to be found. The passage from Webster is a double case of our current theme. last, last, and there there the repeated use of the device creates a sense of gravity to go with the substance,
Dickens A Tale of Two Cities 1859
The beach was a desert of heaps of sea and stones tumbling by only about the sea did what it liked. What it liked, was destruction. Dickens A Christmas Carol 1843 eyewear chain I forged in life, replied the ghost. I made it link by link and yard by yard. I girded it on my own freewill and of my own freewill. I wore it. It is a useful exercise to mentally rewrite passages as they might have otherwise been composed, and to ask what is gained and lost. This last passage from Dickens could have been written with an era of my own freewill. I girded it on my own freewill. I wore it,I girded it on my own freewill and I wore it of my own freewill.
Anadiplosis - Ephistrophy
Instead, he uses and Anadiplosis to put the repetition on the inside, rather than at the start or finish. This keeps the choices made by the speaker in the more prominent Start and End positions, and so makes them strong while still stressing the common feature they share the free will, which is repeated in succession. And a discloses also creates a different cadence than the other devices on march up the hill and back down again.
The verb phrases tumble out from the repeated middle parts as though by force of gravity, which makes a kind of match with the meaning. That last passage also can be considered a type of key as most of which more in its place.
Anadiplosis with anaphora
Anadiplosis sometimes can be combined handsomely with anaphora. The most common technique moves from one of the devices to the other, the element repeated at the end and start. That is the common word in the anadiplosis is then repeated at the beginning of one or two more segments, creating a case of anaphora and thus varying the form of the repetition.
The Winter’s Tale, act for scene IV
Being none of your flesh and blood, your flesh and blood Have not offended the king and so your flesh and blood is not to be punished by him.
McIntosh speech and the trial of Sean Peltier 1803
That ancient fabric which has been gradually reared by the wisdom and virtue of our fathers still stands. It stands Thanks be to God, solid and entire, but it stands alone, and it stands amid ruins.
Anadiplosis with anaphora II
The anaphora also can come before the anadiplosis, of course, or as
here between two cases of it.
Dickens Nicholas Nickleby 1839
I have no orders, but I have fears, fears that I will express chafe as you may fears that you may be consigning that young lady to something worse than supporting you by the labor of her hands, had she worked herself dead. These are my fears and these fears I found upon your own demeanor.
Repeated + Anaphora
A more exotic variation combines the two devices simultaneously by making the repeated element in the anadiplosis the be in the a BBC pattern itself a small case of anaphora.
Shield argument for the defense in the trial of john O’Connell 1843.
Ireland is not to be ruled by force. Indeed, it is to be ruled through Protestant jurors and Protestant charges and Protestant jailers. But Protestant jurors and Protestant charges and Protestant jailers require that Protestant bayonets should sustain them and that with the discretion of the home office, the energy of the Horse Guards must be combined.
Anaphora - Repetition of the root
Polish towton. For lip to tan means repeating the root of a word with a different ending. One, reciprocity, Polish to time can be used with the active and passive forms of a verb to show how a single action may be done both by one and two, one. Repeating the root of the word ties the wording of a sentence together in a way that suggests the same reciprocity as its substance. Matthew chapter seven verse one, Judge not that ye be not judged.
King Lear Act 3 scene 2
By a man more sinned against than sinning pen,
Some fruits of solitude 1693.
Let the people think they govern, and they will be governed.
Johnson in Boswell’s life 1791
Mrs. Monza you has dropped me. Now, sir, there are people whom one should like very well to drop, but would not wish to be dropped by trollop
Shaw, St. JOHN 1923.
Our Knights are thinking only of the money they will make and ransomes it is not kill or be killed with them. But pay or be paid.
Churchill speech at Manchester 1938.
Evil League of peace seeking peoples is set on not we must convert it into a league of armed peoples, too faithful to molest others, too strong to be molested themselves. To the actor and the act. polyp to turn may be used to refer to the door and the doing of an act, typically by using the same route to build the subject and the verb form. The repetition snugly defines the actor by the act.
Anaphora
Anaphora occurs when the speaker repeats the same words at the start of success of sentences or clauses. This figure is a staple of high style. And so carries with it some risk of cliche.
It gives an utterance the strong ring of oratory Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech is known by that name because those words are repeated at the start of eight sentences in a row, a famous modern instance of anaphora. anaphora generally serves two principal purposes.
Returning to the same words creates a hammering effect. The repeated language is certain to be noticed likely to be remembered and readily conveys strong feeling. Starting sentences with the same words also creates an involving rhythm.
The rhythm may be good in itself and it causes the ear to expect the pattern to continue that expectation can then be satisfied or disrupted in various useful ways. One, repetition of the subject, with changes in the verb. anaphora is helpful for describing different things, all done or to be done by the same subject.
Often it also involves repetition of an auxiliary verb while the main verb changes when used with the active voice in the first person such constructions can produce a sense of inevitability.
Anaphora III
It is appealing to set off the regularity of the anaphora with variety in other respects as when each batch of it differs in the length of its parts from the one before the passage from Stevenson contains good examples. The middle use of it, without hope without help without thanks uses shorter pots than the first under every. And last, still obscurely fighting still clinging in the more common pattern there are two rounds of anaphora, rather than three, The first round consists of longer clauses and the second of short ones
Gratton, speech in the Irish parliament, 1783
user who delight to utter executions against the American commissioners of 1778,
“On account of their hostility to America, user who manufactures stage Thunder against Mr. Eden for his anti American principles user Omid please is to turn to him to the mortal Hamden user approved of the tyranny exercised against America, and you sir voted 4000 Irish troops that cut the throats of the Americans fighting for their freedom, fighting for your freedom, fighting for the great principal liberty, but you found out last, and this should be an eternal lesson to men of your craft and your cunning, that that King had only dishonored you.”
Anaphora IV
The user clauses are the long uses of anaphora and the fighting for clauses are the short ones, the sorts of miniatures we saw under the previous heading. The shorter second round of repetition creates a sense of acceleration and climax. Here is a similar case where anaphora again is used once with long pieces and then twice with short
Orwell 1984.
“It was he who set the gods on to Winston, and who prevented them from killing him. It was he who decided when Winston should scream with pain. When he should have a respite. When he should be fed. When he should sleep. When the drugs should be pumped into his arm. It was he who asked the questions and suggested the answers. He was the tormentor. He was the protector. He was the Inquisitor. He was the friend,
He Uses of anaphora also can be embedded within one another. As in the previous example and as in the next case where the first use of anaphora reduced is suspended in the middle to make room for another power, but is resumed at the end.
Churchill speech in the House of Commons 1938.
“We have been reduced in those five years from a position of security so overwhelming. And so unchallengeable that we never cared to think about it. We have been reduced from a position where the very word war was considered one which would be used only by persons qualifying for a lunatic asylum. We have been reduced from a position of safety and power. How to do good. How to Be generous to beaten fell, how to make terms with Germany, how to give up proper redress for grievances. Oh, just stop arming if we chose, how to take any step in strength or mercy or justice which we thought right reduced in five years from a position safe and unchallenged to where we stand now, or here, where the in came in they all came constructions make way for some shyly some boldly etc. but then are brought back for the finish.”
Dickens A Christmas Carol 1843.
“In came the housemaid with a cousin, the baker. In came the cook with a brother’s particular friend, the milkman. In came the boy from over the way, who was suspected of not having bought enough from his master, trying to hide himself behind the girl from next door but one who was bruised who have had her ears pulled by her mistress. In they all came one after another. Some shyly some boldly some gracefully. Some awkwardly some pushing some pulling in they all came. Anyhow, and every how”
Anaphora Regularity and relief.
An important technical question when using anaphora is how regular to make the repetition. Variety can be gained by abandoning the device at the end of the year is pleased by the repetition, then pleased by the relief from it. The use of flat, rather than low here is a good small example
Dickens Little Dorrit 1857.
It’s low gates and low wall and low roofs and low ditches and low sand hills and low ramparts and flat street had not yielded long ago to the undermining and besieging see like the fortifications children make on the seashore.
The more common use of abandonment comes after a whole phrase has been repeated at the start of success of clauses or sentences. Then is dropped for the last one.
Churchill, London radio broadcast 1940.
“He had his plans for Poland and his plans for Norway. He had his plans for Denmark. He had his plans all worked out for the Doom of the peaceful trustful Dutch. And of course, for the Belgians Stevenson, the character of dogs 1880 for the day of an intelligent small dog is past in the manufacturer and the laborious communication of falsehood. He lies with his tail. He lies with his eye. He lies with his protesting poor. And when he rattles his dish or scratches at the door. His purpose is, other than appears.
Anaphora + Churchill
The effect is a little like blowing up a balloon with the short breaths and then letting it go, the repetition of words and structure, a customs the reader to regularity and compression, and the energy of that expectation is released into the last part of the sentence when the patterns are dropped abandonment, or irregularity To be more precise is put to slightly different use in this celebrated passage of Churchill’s
Churchill speech in the House of Commons 1940.
“We shall go on to the end, We shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.”
This moment in the speech is best known for the repeated words themselves. We shall fight. But notice what strength it gains from its internal variety. The parts, separated by commas vary in size, lengthening fairly steadily until the middle, then starting shorter again and then lengthening and then shortening before form of the anaphora, we shall fight comes and goes.
Both, obviously, we shall defend our island. We shall never surrender, and in smaller ways in the fields and in the streets, not, we shall fight in the fields we shall fight in the streets, etc. These irregularities give the passage, a greater sense of passion of improvisation and of the spontaneous outburst than it would have if the anaphora and repeated structure were more regular.
The anaphora also creates a repeated foundation onto which Churchill adds other kinds of variety movement, not only between different kinds of imagery seas and oceans, the air, the beaches, etc. but also between concrete images like those and the more abstract language at the start and end, we shall go on to the end, we shall never surrender. The passage taken as a whole, illustrates very well the power of rhetorical technique to create an utterance of great force and utility, the substance of it could have been expressed concisely unforgettably in seven or eight words. Repetition at the end.
You, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
Churchill, London radio broadcast 1940
“Might be the or do shop or long or both, we shall seek no terms we shall tolerate no poly, we may show mercy, we shall ask for non. “
Churchill’s anaphora a future action, we shall we shall, we shall create a sense of resolution that underscores the substance of what he is saying. The same construction can be used passively to describe a series of things all done to the same person.
The anaphora gives the language a battering quality
Dickens Bleak House 1853
“I say to you, that if you rear yourself against that you shall fall you shall be bruised, you shall be battered, you shall be fraud, you shall be smashed.”
The anaphora gives the language a battering quality that again matches the underlying meaning. anaphora of this guide also can create a comprehensive sound is when the speaker wishes to create a sense that all possibilities are covered, or all things but one.
They always do, by itself, captures about the same literal meaning present and future. But the anaphora gives the result and exhaustive field to go with the exhaustive substance to repetition of the subject with different complements, as when applying several modifiers to the same person or thing, repeating the subject and verb gives each claim his own emphasis.
Anaphora VI
Emerson spiritual laws 1841
“Every man sees that he is that middle point, whereas everything may be affirmed and denied with equal reason. He is old, is young, is very wise, is altogether ignorant.”
The anaphora enables Emerson to independently affirm each statement and set it vividly against its contrary, the parallel nature of the claims is strengthened both by the repetition at the start, he is he is and by the omission of any conjunction at the end, a use of a send a ton, which has its own chapter later. Here is a fine case if the same construction turned to the purpose of negation.
Burke letter on the proposals for peace with the regicide
directory of France 1796.
I certainly should read more from a wild cat in my bed chamber than from all the Lions that roar in the desert behind Algiers, but in this parallel, it is the cat that is at a distance and the lions and tigers that are in our anti chambers and our lobbies. Algiers is not near Algiers is not powerful. Algiers is not our neighbor, Algiers is not infectious.
Anaphora VII
Anaphora also can heighten the contrast between affirmative and negative constructions when they are mixed.
Stevenson knew Arabian Nights 1882
“I shall lay the siege inform Elvira. I am angry. I am indignant. I am truculent, Li inclined, but I thank my maker, I have still a sense of fun.”
The regularity of the anaphora at the start creates a stronger contrast at the end, not with a negative claim but with an affirmative one that is different in tone. What has gone before The substance and the structure of the sentence both change direction. Three, repetition of the subject and verb with different objects or phrases doing similar work.
Dickens Bleak House 1853.
“They wanted wearing apparel, they wanted linen rags, they wanted money. They wanted calls, they wanted to, they wanted interest. They wanted autographs, they wanted flannel. They wanted whatever Mr. JOHN dice had or had not.”
trollop, the last chronicle of Barcelona 1867.
“And now, let me tell you, we know all about the check, sums his check, we know where you got it. We know who stole it. We know how it came to the person who gave it to you. It’s all very well talking. But when you’re in trouble,always go to a lawyer.”
In both cases, repeating the subject and verb gives them a prominence they would lack if they appeared only at the start. Thus, about the same substantive impression might be created in the second passage by listing the items serially. We know where you got it, who stole it and how it came. But repeating the subject and verb leaves, we know ringing in the ears. It lays stress, not just on the things known, but on who knows them.
Anaphora VIII
Not sermon at Alberni 1804.
I cannot forgive that judge upon the bench, or that governor in the chair of state was lightly passed over such offenses. I could not forgive the public, in whose opinion the duelist finds a sanctuary. I could not forgive you, my brethren, who till this late hour have been silent while successive murders were committed.
The anaphora makes each sentence a distinct pointing of the finger, the speaker points outward twice than the hand turns toward the listener. The construction is used similarly here.
Dickens Great Expectations 1861.
I was in mortal terror of the young man who wanted my heart and liver. I was in mortal terror of my interlocutor with the iron leg, I was in mortal terror of myself, from whom an awful promise had been extracted.
In both of these last cases, the listener gets involved in the repetition of subject and verb, and perhaps isn’t very struck by the objects to which they are attached until the object is changed in a surprising way nat the end of the last round, for changes in modifying language, various combinations of the elements so far considered complement may be repeated with changes just in the modifying words that follow them.
Anaphora IX
Dickens hard times 1854
He was goosed last night, his ghost the night before last, he was ghost today is late, they got in the way of being always ghost, and he can’t stand it.
The principal uses of this construction are the same as those seen under our other recent headings. It can, as in the case just shown, make a condition sound pervasive or constant. Instead, or In addition, the device can be used to set up a contrast between the early elements and an unexpected climax.
Johnson in Boswell’s life, 1791.
So, he was doubling company doll in his closet, doll everywhere. He was done in a new way. And that made many people think him great. The first sentence uses anaphora in the same way the previous passage from Dickens did to drive home how relentlessly del the subject was, but it also prepares the ear for the pleasure of the surprise ending.
Those are straightforward cases where identical statements are followed by modifiers that just changed the time or place of their occurrence. Last night, the night before last today, or in company in his closet everywhere, but the same sort of construction can be used to enlarge on a theme in more elaborate ways.
Churchill speech in the House of Commons 1936
They have bought their knowledge, they have bought it here. They have bought it at our expense. But at any rate, let us be duly thankful that they now at last post acid
Lincoln debate with Stephen Douglas at Oulton 1858.
And when this new principle, this new proposition that no human being ever thought of three Yours ago is brought forward. I combat it as having an evil tendency, if not an evil design, I combat it as having a tendency to dehumanize the Negro, to take away from him the right of ever striving to be a man. I combat it as being one of the 1000 things constantly done in these days, to prepare the public mind, to make property and nothing but property of the Negro in all the states of this union.
This time, the stem I combat it is short compared to the various elaborations attached to it
Anaphora X
Repeating the stem helps prevent the action in the sentence from being lost in the long explanation of its rationale. the speaker’s basic position becomes a kind of refrain, a case of this sort of anaphora from Scripture.
Matthew chapter 23, verses 13 to 16. But whoa unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, for you neither go in yourselves, neither is safai them that are entering to go in. Whoa unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayer, therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Well unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye compass, see, and land to make one proslide and when he has made, he made him to fold more the child of hell than yourselves, whoa unto you, he blind guides which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor
A variation on the pattern just shown uses anaphora to stay to subject repeatedly with each round join to a longer descriptive phrase afterwards.
Anaphora XI
Burke speech on East India Bill 1783.
To whom then would I make the East India Company accountable to Parliament to be sure, from which their trust was derived to Parliament, which alone is capable of comprehending the magnitude of its object and its abuse, and alone capable of an effectual legislative remedy?
Shell argument for the defense in the trial of john O’Connell 1843.
How then have we become enslaved? Alas, England, that ought to have been to a sister and a friend, England, when we have protected and home we do protect England at a period when, out of 100,000 of the semen in her service 70,000 were Irish, England stole upon us like a thief in the night and robbed us of the precious gem of our liberty. She’s stolen from us, that’s in which not enriched her, but made us poor indeed. Bright principles of foreign policy 1858 and yet in all this, we are told that there is something to create extreme alarm and suspicion. We who have never fortified any places, we have not a greater than Sebastopol at Gibraltar, we have not an impregnable fortress at Malta, who have not spent the fortune of a nation almost in the Ionian Islands, we who are doing nothing at all darnay we are to take offense at the fortifications of Cherbourg. “
In each of the last two cases, the anaphora postpones the action of the sentence while description of the subject is piled higher and higher, thus creating some suspense, what finally will be said about it. And in each case, notice the contrast between the last statement made about the subject and all the ones that came before which effectively serve to set up the contrasting climax, six, repeating descriptive language at the start, as when several things share some important quality. Dickens great expectations, I thought it had the most dismal trees in it, and the most dismal sparrows and the most dismal cats and the most dismal houses, number half a dozen or so that I had ever seen.
Anaphora XII
Perhaps the speaker wants instead to stress the common way in which various things are accomplished.
Richard the second act for scene one,
I give this heavy weight from off my head, and this unwieldy scepter from my hand, the pride of kingly sway from out my heart, with my own tears, I wash away my bomb with my own hands. give away my crown, with mine own tongue deny my sacred state with mine own breath, release all duties rights, or pomp and majesty, I do forswear O’Connell speech in the House of Commons 1830 my agitation Ireland became strong by agitation she put down her bitter enemies, by agitation has conscience been set free. By agitation Irish freedom has been purchased, and by agitation it shall be secured.
Churchill speech in the House of Commons 1938.
It is the most grievous consequence of what we’ve done, and of what we have left undone in the last five years. Five years of futile good intentions, five years of egos search for the line of least resistance, five years of uninterrupted retreat of British power, five years of neglect of our air defenses. Sometimes repeating a modifier is just a helpful way to present action and link the elements of it together.
Dickens sketches by baus 1836
Three machines, three horses, three floundering, three turnings round three splashes, three gentlemen disporting themselves in the water, like so many dolphins fielding,
Anaphora XIII
Miniatures anaphora creates a distinctly energetic effect when applied to the start of several short phrases in a row.
Burke speech on American taxation 1774
There is nothing simple, nothing manly, nothing in genius, open, decisive or steady in the proceeding with regard either to the continuance or the repeal of the taxes. Notice that the anaphora establishes a pattern, nothing simple, nothing manly, which is then relaxed, nothing in genuis. Open, decisive or steady. A classic pattern we will consider in more detail below.
There is a similar case from the same source.
Burke speech on American taxation 1774.
“It is indeed a tax of sophistry, attacks of pedantry, attacks of disputation attacks of war and rebellion, attacks for anything but benefit to the imposes or satisfaction to the subject.”
Burke attractively lengthens the parts as the sentence goes on. pedantry three syllables, disputation, or war and rebellion by and then the long finale, the anaphora provides a consistent anchor from which these extensions can depart.
Short Phrase Anaphora
Stern, Tristram Shandy 1760
“He was almost at his wit’s end, talked it over with her in all moods, placed his arguments in all lights, argued the matter with her like a Christian, like a heathen, like a husband, like a father, like a patriot. Like a Man, my mother answered everything only like a woman. “
This time, the phrases marked by anaphora like, are shorter than the phrases that come earlier in the sentence and the one that comes afterward. One effect of this is a kind of oscillation in the passage, as the phrases go from longer to shorter to long again, another effect is to add force to the phrases with anaphora since they attract attention, not only by the repetition at the start of them, but also because they are so short, the anaphora is likely resumed at the very end, setting the loan last instance of it, like a woman against the multiple cases that came earlier helps to support the substantive point of the passage, the comparative narrowness of the mother’s reply,
Anaphora repetition
Anaphora upon anaphora repetition at the start can serve as a stylistic motif with different words repeated in different ways that echo each other a consecutive cases, here is a simple example in which one instance of anaphora your your your is immediately followed by another show, show show.
Burke speech on American taxation 1774.
“They tell you, sir, that your dignity is tied to it. I know not how it happens, but this dignity of yours is a terrible encumbrance to you, for it has of late been ever at war with your interest, your equity, and every idea of your policy, show the thing you contend for to be reason, show it to be common sense, show it to be the means of attaining some useful end and then I am contend to allow it what dignity you please. A more ambitious example with four uses of anaphora in a single sentence.
Stevenson pullovers at omura 1888.
Ah, if I could show you this, if I could show you these men and women all the world over in every stage of history, under every abuse of error under every circumstance of failure, without hope, without help, without thanks, still obscurely fighting the last fight of virtue, still clinging in the Bravo or on the scaffold, to some rag of honor the poor jewel of their souls.
How to write a script.
generate idea
- Come up with content of your ideas and other ideas. Come up with many and select most useful ideas.
- Audience analysis
- Topic selection
- Develop purpose and Thesis
- Develop main points
- Supporting points
- Research
Arrangement
- Order the points so that they are clear an memorable
- Basic structure
- problem and solution, cause and effect, compare and contrast, sequence, main idea and details
- Transitions and signpost
- Structure of support and research.
- Compose an outline
Style
- Word choice (Clear, simple, understandable)
- Figures for impact
- Metaphor (shining beacon in dark world)
Polyptoton
Means repeating the root of a word with a different ending. One reciprocity polyp to time can be used with the active and passive forms of a verb to show how a single action may be done both by one and two, one. Repeating the root of the word ties the wording of a sentence together in a way that suggests the same reciprocity, as its substance.
Matthew chapter seven verse one.
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
King Lear Act Three scene two
By a man more sinned against than sinning pen,
Some fruits of solitude, 1693.
Let the people think that govern. And they will be governed.
Shaw St John 1923.
Our Knights are thinking only of the money they will make in ransoms, it is not kill or be killed with them, but pay or be paid.
Polyptoton - Like any repetitive device are lifted on can, if used more than once, become a momentary motif.
As a miscellany of men. 1912.
I cannot understand why all solicitors did not leave off soliciting all doctors leave off doctoring all judges leave off judging, or benevolent bankers leave off lending money at high interest and all rising politicians leave off having nothing to add to what their Right Honourable friend told the House about eight years ago.
Shaw, a treatise on parents and children, 1910
In church in the House of Commons at public meetings, we solemnly listening to bores and toddlers, because from the time we could walk or speak, we have been snubbed, scolded, bullied beaten and imprisoned whenever we dared to resent being bored or twaddle that or to express our natural impatience, and derision of boars and toddlers,
Polyptoton II - Hitting the reader over the head with the funny words a few times, or rather with the variations on the same route creates a sense of redundancy and is a mild trespass on the readers patience which goes well with the meaning of Shaw’s rant political tone of this kind, with the verb set against a noun form of the same word can also describe a turning of the tables.
Melville Moby Dick 1851
The prophecy was that I should be dismembered, and I, I lost this leg. I now prophesied that I will dismember my dismember
Chesterton the giant 1909.
But here I only remark the interesting fact that the conquered almost always conquered Sparta killed Athens with a final blow, and she was born again Sparta went away victorious, and died slowly of her own wounds.
Polyptiton XXI - In this example from graton the repetition of the root accuser accusation is artfully played off against the reversal of other words nearby insignificance magnitude,
As a speech in the Irish Parliament 1800
On any other occasion I should think myself justifiable in treating with silent contempt. Anything which might fall from that honorable member. But there are times when the insignificance of the accuser is lost in the magnitude of the accusation.
delete
hh
Polyptiton III
Lord Ross’s telescopes. 1846.
Hence, perhaps is explained and not out of any self oblivion from higher enthusiasm, a fact that often has occurred of deer, or hairs, or foxes and the pack of hounds in pursuit chaser and chased all going headlong over a precipice together.
Chesterton heretics 1905.
When Byron divided humanity into the boards and board. He admitted to notice that the higher qualities exist entirely in the bores the lower qualities in board, among whom he encountered himself.
Polyptiton III : Sometimes these constructions also express relations have superiority, or priority as when one party is subservient to another, the different endings on the words produce opposite roles for the players, the symmetry of which is stressed by the common root
Sometimes these constructions also express relations have superiority, or priority as when one party is subservient to another, the different endings on the words produce opposite roles for the players, the symmetry of which is stressed by the common root argument
In the impeachment trial of Warren Hastings, 1788.
We are all born in subjection all born equally high and low governors and governed in subjection to one great immutable pre existent law, prior to all our devices and prior to all our contrivances
Drake and halleck 1850.
It serves to modify the relations of human society, the relations of father and child of master and slave of the ruler and the rule bulletin with two nouns finally conserve as a neat way to refer to a possessor and the thing possessed.
First Corinthians chapter one verse 19.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent
O’Connell speech at Moloch moss 1843.
I am for leaving England to the English, Scotland to the scotch, but we must have Ireland for the Irish.
Polyptiton XIX Triple use of political term to refer to past, present and future is a classic construction for exhausting temporal possibilities, much like similar cases of the dystrophy and semplici seen earlier in the book, it creates a strong sense of a single activity pursued continuously
Triple use of political term to refer to past, present and future is a classic construction for exhausting temporal possibilities, much like similar cases of the dystrophy and semplici seen earlier in the book, it creates a strong sense of a single activity pursued continuously
Biron speech in the House of Lords 1812.
There is no measure more repugnant to the designs and feelings of Bonaparte, then Catholic emancipation no line of conduct more propitious to his projects, and that which has been pursued is pursuing and will be pursued towards Ireland
Dickens Nicholas Nickleby 1839.
You’re quite right sir interrupted the literary gentlemen leaning back in his chair and exercising his toothpick human intellect sir has progressed, since his time is progressing will progress.
Five will live to town with modifiers as when discussing different degrees of an adjective. The simple form, and the comparative or superlative forms
Dickens Bleak House 1853.
The Royal afternoon is reust, and the dense fog is densest and the muddy streets are muddiest, near that leaden headed old obstruction appropriate ornament for the threshold of a leaden headed old cooperation
Temple Bar pournelle speech in the House of Commons 1886.
During the last five years I know sir, there have been very severe and drastic coercion built, but it will require an even severe and more drastic measure of coercion now.
Repeating the root here stresses not only how things are. But that they could not be otherwise lifted on using the adjective and noun form of the same root can likewise be used to describe a category, the noun, and the most extreme members of it using the adjective.
Stevenson letter to Francis Sidwell 1873. As I got down near the beach, a poor woman, oldish, and seemingly lately at least respectable followed me and made signs. She was drenched to the skin and looked, Richard below wretchedness Joyce. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young man, 1916. This is what the blood of the innocent lamb of God shed for the redemption of sinners trampled upon by the vilest of the vile insists upon.
Polyptiton - Emerson uses polyptiton twice, or perhaps one and a half times the words, trust, and true have distinct etymologies, but share enough in their sense and sound to amount to a use of the device greatly and great are more exact examples of the present theme. Here is one more
Emerson Kreutz 1841.
Trust men, and they will be true to you treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great though they make an exception in your favor to all their rules of trade.
Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities, 1859, a species of fervor or intoxication known without doubt, who have led some persons to brave the guillotine unnecessarily. And to die by it was not mere boastfulness, but a wild infection of the wildlife shaken public mind.
Polypteton IV
James, the ambassador’s 1903.
He had incurred the ridicule of having to have his explanation explained.
Churchill speech in the House of Commons 1943.
These forces will be remorselessly applied to the guilty nation and its wicked leaders who imagined their superiority of airpower would enable them to terrorize and subjugate first all Europe, and afterwards the world, there will be applied and never was there such a case of the biter bitten.
Polyptiton XX
Churchill speech in the House of Commons 1936.
The government simply cannot make up their minds, or they cannot get the prime minister to make up his mind. So they go on in strange paradox decided only to be undecided resolved to be a resolute adamant. But grift solid for fluidity or powerful to be important.
The last example provides an example of abandonment applied to polyptiton. Churchill uses the device to state his first two claims, then leaves it behind for the rest the examples that don’t use the rhetorical device sound better because they come after examples that do the repetition of roots decided and resolved reinforces the sense of paradox, which then continues in the remainder of the sentence, and after being hit with those two cases of Polyptiton on the air welcomes the relief that comes with adamant or drift, and solid for fluidity seven polyp to tan with modifier and.
Polyptiton XVII
In some cases, a bicycle and the structural match may be so complete that the number of syllables in each phrase is the same in the more common case the parallel clauses just use the same parts of speech in the same order. The device can produce pleasing rhythms and the parallel structures it creates may helpfully reinforce a parallel substance in the speaker’s claims.
We have encountered icicle run a few times already and here we also will see further examples of anaphora and other such repetitive devices familiar from earlier chapters. Repetition of structure and of words, often go well together. I see Colin, like an Abra tends to mark an utterance as stylish and or rhetorical, so like all rhetorical devices, only more so it has to be used with sensitivity to the occasion, and excessive or clumsy use of the device can create too glaring a finish and too strong a sense of calculation
Brutus his funeral oration and Julius Caesar is the classic example, the speech is eloquent and makes constant use of icy colon some examples appear below, so constant that the result seems a little over polished and off putting and sets up the audience to be carried away soon afterwards by Anthony speech, which has a less studied feel Antony speech is full of Guile, and for that matter, full of rhetorical figures but they are a bit subtler one to make two claims about the same subject. A common occasion for icy colon arises when the speaker wishes to make multiple claims about the same thing for that purpose the doublet is useful to statements with parallel structure.
Polyptiton XV
Proverbs chapter 23 verse 32.
At the last invited, like a serpent instinct, like an actor.
Burke letter on the proposals for peace with the regicide directory of France, 1797.
They who bow to the enemy abroad, will not be of power to subdue the conspirator at home.
Both of these examples, it is obvious enough how the parts of speech, line up in the first and second halves of each passage in Burke’s case bow subdue enemy conspirator abroad at home, but observe also the identical rhythms. This is plainer in the line from Proverbs. Here are the matching phrases in Burke’s example with their accents highlighted, who bow to the enemy abroad and subdue the conspirator at home. In each phrase the same number of unstressed syllables lies between the stressed ones, making the result a very thorough instance of icy colon, more common use of the device lines up the parts of speech but not the accents as here
Polyptiton XIII
So far all of our examples have involved doublets, the repeated structure can be extended naturally to three elements or more. The arrangement of three parallel claims about the same subject creates a little sense of symmetry, the progress of the claims may be felt to have a beginning, middle and end. Strictly speaking, these are cases of try colon, but the more precise term is fuzzy out of proportion to its utility.
Johnson letter to the Earl of Chesterfield, 1755,
The notice which I’ve been pleased to take my labor’s Had it been early had been kind, but it has been delayed till I am indifferent and cannot enjoy it till I am solitary and cannot impart it till I am known, and do not want it.
Polyptiton VI
Pinkney speech in the Maryland State Assembly 1788,
That this inhuman policy was a disgrace to the colony. A dishonor to the legislature and a scandal to human nature. We need not at this enlightened period labor to prove
Balfour speech at St Andrews University 1887.
That’s a little knowledge is a dangerous thing is a saying which is now got currency as a proverb stamped in the mint of Pope’s versification of Pope who with the most imperfect knowledge of Greek translated Homer, with the most imperfect knowledge of the Elizabethan drama, edited Shakespeare, and with the most imperfect knowledge of philosophy wrote the essay on man.
Burke speech on American taxation 1774.
He remained fixed and determined, in principle, in measure and didn’t conduct. He practiced no management, he secured no retreat. He sought no apology.
Note that in this case from Burke, we have two cases of Polyptiton and indeed to triplets success of use of the device is another theme we consider in more detail later in the chapter three. I should call them to make parallel claims about different subjects. We started with cases where I say colon is used to say, various things about the same subject, because that is the most common and instinctive use of it. The device can be used in other ways as well. It is helpful for making parallel remarks about different subjects as when various people are said to be doing various things. But the relationships between the actors and their activities are parallel.
Polyptiton XI
Burke reflections on the revolution in France, 1791
kings will be tyrants from policy. When subjects are rebels from principle.
This example from Burke, like the first example he furnished near the start of this chapter is a very pure case of eisah Colin two phrases on either side of the fulcrum word when at the same grammatical structure, same number of syllables, and the same cadence, more common examples again are parallel in the first way but allow some variety in the others.
Polyptiton X - What’s wrong with the world, 1910.
The joy of battle comes after the first fear of death. The joy of reading Virgil comes after the poor of learning him, the glow of the sea bather comes after the icy shock of the sea bath and the success of the marriage comes after the failure of the honeymoon.
Notice that the parallelism is driven home here, both by the repeated structure of each part and the use of a common phrase comes after in each of them a little case. In the example from Dickens a moment ago, the anchoring phrase was ancient members were to the case from shore after that, there were no repeated words but the verbs were all different ways of describing similar sorts of activities snub three times, find faults, etc.
Chesterton liked constructions in which icy colon is used to make parallel statements about different subjects. He often used it to present examples of whatever claims he made
Polyptiton VIII Repetition of words links elements that belong together,
Repetition of words links elements that belong together, the repetition of structure invites comparison between the different pairs of elements, this construction also works well to describe cases where the parent involved words that are mismatched rather than matched
Matthew chapter 22, verse, 21,
then say unto them, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God.
Shaw, a treatise on parents and children, 1910.
The child is plays noisy, and ought to be noisy. Sir Isaac Newton at work is quiet and ought to be quiet.
Polyptiton VII
speech in the House of Commons 1743. Former Minister betray the interests of his country by his pusillanimity, our present minister would sacrifice them by his criticism, our former minister was born negotiating with all the world present ministers both fighting against all the world, our former minister was for agreeing to every treaty, they’ll never so dishonorable our present minister will give ear to none. Never so reasonable.
Notice the multiple parallelisms, the first and second halves of each sentence are parallel to each other, and each sentence taken in its entirety, is parallel to each of the other sentences instructor as well. In some cases repeated words help along the parallelism minister, Minister within each half of each sentence, and present minister. Former Minister within each sentence of the whole passage. but other points the parallelism and antithesis are secured by the use of related, but opposite words at comparable moments in the first and second parts of a sentence negotiating fighting dishonorable reasonable. Similar sedimented disease, with a similarly layered parallelism is found in this passage from Frederick Douglas.
Douglas, my bondage and my freedom, 1855.
What he most dreaded that I most desired what he most loved that I most hated that which to him was a great evil to be carefully shunned was to me a great good to be diligently sought. And the argument which he’s so warmly urged against my learning to read only served to inspire me with a desire, and determination to learn.
Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, continent and conceived
Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, continent and conceived
The A elements new and nation are the B elements and alliterative Kiasmas. A similar phonetic Cosmos appears a few sentences later, the world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
The cosmos is little note nor long, followed by icy colon and also the kind of apostrophe that Lincoln liked best. We saw this passage earlier in the chapter on that subject, a kiasmus can be based not only on the sounds and the words but on their type or feel.
Matthew, chapter 6, verse 13,
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
The A elements or lead an evil which are short Saxon words, the B elements are temptation and deliver which are longer romance words. In other words, they came into English, however indirectly from Latin rather than from Germanic sources, but you need not know anything about etymology to appreciate the chaotic effect, which is that the inner words and the outer words sound different.
The transition through the long words reinforces the plea. A somewhat similar use of the device is found in this passage.
Churchill speech in the House of Commons 1940.
Our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British fleet would carry on the struggle until, in God’s good time, the new world with all its power and made steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.
The A elements our new world, and old, which are related in sense and in time. The B elements are the Dublin’s power and mind and rescue and liberation. We now are in a position to appreciate a new aspect of another passage from Churchill that we saw for a different purpose in the chapter on anaphora.
Paine, the American crisis 1783.
Thus by quartering ill policy upon ill principles, they have frequently promoted the cause they designed to injure and injured that which they intended to promote.
Dickens Little Dorrit 1857
Mr. Myrtles right hand was filled with the evening paper, and the evening paper was full of Mr. Myrdal, his wonderful enterprise, his wonderful wealth, his wonderful bank with the fattening food of the evening paper that night.
As we have seen, one rhetorical device often can be used alongside others to create distinctive effects. The chiasthmas in particular often sits well next to other figures that involve repetition rather than reversal. The combination of the two themes creates a rhetorically rich sound. Here first are instances of the cosmos adjacent to anaphora. The repetition of words at the start of consecutive phrases,
The Chiasmus paired with apistrophe or repetition at the end of consecutive phrases,
Much Ado About Nothing. Act Two, scene three.
One woman is fair, yet I am well, another is wise, yet I am well, another virtuous, yet I am well, but till all Grace’s be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace.
Thorough Walden 1854
What shall I learn of beans or beans of me? I cherish them. I hold them early and late. I have an eye to them. And this is my day’s work.
Chesterton, what’s wrong with the world 1910
There is no such thing as backing a winner. Free cannot be a winner when he is back. There was no such thing as fighting on the winning side, one fights to find out which is the winning side.
Astraphe
House of Commons 1831.
We saw who did not see great defects in the first bill. But did we see nothing else is delay no evil is prolonged excitement, no evil? Is it no evil that the heart of a great people should be made sick by deferred hope.
Passage starts as a case of semplici, from nothing from nothing, then the nothing is moved to the front of the last sentence a reversal of structure and abandonment of the semplici resulting in a kind of rhetorical punctuation to help complete the point. The example from Macaulay follows an identical pattern.
In version of words, an Astrafee. An Astrafee, sometimes considered synonymous with hyper avataan accent on the second syllable, occurs when words appear in unexpected order. In English, an Astra fee typically means a departure from the conventional subject, verb object, word order, or movement of a modifier into an unexpected place. This device used to be strongly associated with Shakespeare.
For today’s student, an Astra fee is more likely to bring to mind the Yoda character in the Star Wars movies. Some applications of the device create an archaic sound, but it still has a number of powerful rhetorical uses some standard purposes of reverse word order, a, the unexpected placement of words calls attention to them.
pushing a word into an especially early or late position often creates emphasis in itself, then the emphasis is still greater because the ordering mildly violates the readers expectations. B. inversion may put words in an order that creates an attractive rhythm. C inversion may compressing meaning into fewer words. D inversion sometimes causes the full meaning of a sentence to become clear only late in its progress. This bit of suspense makes the finish more climactic when it arrives. One, the object comes first. A classic form of a master feet moves the object or words doing similar work to the front of the sentence,
Dickens capital punishment 1846
what effects are daily increasing familiarity with the scaffold, and with death upon it right in France in the great revolution? Everybody knows.
This passage from Dickens illustrates another frequent consequence of inversion. Normal English word order gives the reader early notice of what a sentence is going to mean. The subject and verb usually come near the start leaving the remainder of the sentence to convey details. The line that Dickens wrote unfolds differently.
The principal subject and verb did not arrive until the last two words, a sentence of this time. One that is grammatically incomplete until the end and whose full meaning may not appear until then is called periodic sentences that make their meaning clear as they go along. And that might have been stopped at various points in their progress without grammatical objection are called loose.
A loose style tends to be easier to follow Of course, because it makes fewer demands on the reader’s attention. When reading a periodic sentence, you have to keep the early words in mind until their significance is finally cleared out by the last ones. Indeed, speakers of English are so used to loose sentences that they tend to be baffled when they first meet languages like German or Latin where the verb often comes at the end. How inconvenient not to know what the point of a sentence will be until it is done.
But as many of the examples in this chapter show there are advantages to the delay, the suspense about what the sentence will say creates energy that may be released in emphatic, unsatisfying fashion at the finish. And especially common use of our current pattern moves a prepositional phrase to an early position.
