Anaphora | a literary device | epistrophe | symploce | famous examples | functions | notes

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A dictionary defines anaphora as ' Repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect.'
What Is the Origin of Anaphora?

The word “anaphora” entered the English language from the Greek, where it means “reference” or “a carrying back.” English speakers have used the present definition of anaphora since the fourteenth century.

Anaphora works as a literary device to allow writers to convey, emphasize, and reinforce meaning. This word repetition at the beginning of each phrase in a group of sentences or clauses is a stylized technique that can be very effective in speeches, lyrics, poetry, and prose.
                    (Orators)
                   
Example from literature :

One of the most famous uses of anaphora is the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness…” Through repetition of the phrase “it was,” Dickens reinforces to the reader that the time he is describing is a past filled with oppositions and extremes.  Here, Dickens combines anaphora with another type of repetition called antithesis, which means placing opposite ideas in the same parallel spot in a sentence. The use of these devices creates the effect for a current reader that, while reading, it is that way in the present as well. As a result, this allows the reader to engage immediately with the story.

Here are some examples of conversational anaphora:

“Go big or go home.”
“Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.”
“Stay safe. Stay well. Stay happy.”
“So many places, so little time.”


It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” (Mark Twain)

Martin Luther King Jr.’s use of anaphora is a big part of why his “I Have a Dream Speech” speech is so powerful and persuasive. He repeats the “I have a dream” phrase eight times throughout the speech.

What Is the Function of Anaphora?

Writers use anaphora intentionally as a literary device, knowing that they can achieve several effects.

1.Give emphasis:  Anaphora draws attention to the repeated words, as well as those directly around them. This makes anaphora a particularly popular tool for public speaking, where the audience might have a more limited attention span and lacks the option to re-read any words they’ve missed.

2.Create a rhythm:  Judicious repetition can make a piece of text more musical and lilting, and therefore more pleasant to read or listen to.

3.Link, compare, or contrast ideas: Sometimes the ideas that follow the successive repeated words are quite different. In these cases, anaphora invites the audience to appreciate the contrast more deeply.


Epistrophe:  Sometimes called epiphora, this direct counterpart to anaphora involves repetition at the end of successive clauses or sentences. A good example comes from the Bible: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

Symploce: This is a combination of anaphora and epistrophe, involving one repetition at the beginning of a line and another at the end. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton used symploce in this speech: “When there is talk of hatred, let us stand up and talk against it. When there is talk of violence, let us stand up and talk against it.”

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