Figure of Speech | Figurative Language | Figure of Speech in English Literature | Tropes and Figures of Speech | Schemes and Figures of Speech | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
Figure of Speech
A figure of speech is a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meaning in order to create a particular mental picture or effect. It is an expression in which the words are used figuratively, not in their normal literal meaning. They can make meaning more expressive than ordinary words.
Figurative language:
Figurative languages is a broad term that include figures of speech. However, figurative language has more elements beyond figures of speech:
Imagery: This refers to the use of vivid words and phrases to create sensations for readers. It includes describing what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch thereby making writing real.
Tone: This pertains to atmosphere aroused by the choice of words. For instance figurative language can be used to foster different tones such as seriousness, humour suspense, nostalgia.
Diction: This is the choice of words in a piece of writing. Therefore figurative language tends to use words unconventionally thus resulting into a desired effect.
Syntax: It simply refers to sentence structure. Sentence structure can therefore be employed to bring about rhythm, emphasis or surprise which all result into the overall impact on figurative language.
These elements enrich the text by adding depth, emotion, and layers of meaning, making language more engaging and powerful. By understanding and utilizing these components, writers and speakers can effectively convey complex ideas and evoke strong responses from their audience.
Analogy: Consider figurative language as a delectable dish. Figures of speech would be like the specific spices you add for flavour (simile, metaphor, etc.). But the dish also needs other elements to be truly great, like fresh ingredients (imagery), the right cooking technique (tone), and a beautiful presentation (diction and syntax).
Types of Figures of Speech
Figure of speech are broadly classified into two main categories.
1. Tropes
2. Schemes
| Tropes | Schemes |
| Tropes are figure of speech that allows words to deviate from their literal meaning so they are understood in a figurative way. It’s a metaphorical or figurative use of words where writers shift from the literal meanings of words to their non-literal meanings. Tropes often utilize comparison or association to shift readers away from the denotative definition of words and towards a more multifaceted meaning. Examples: Metaphor, Simile, Metonymy, Synecdoche, Irony, Hyperbole, Litotes, Oxymoron, Paradox, Personification, Apostrophe, Onomatopoeia, Pun, Allusion and Euphemism | Schemes are figures of speech that involve a deviation from the typical mechanics of a sentence, such as the order, pattern, or arrangement of words. They are an artful deviation from the ordinary arrangement of words. They play with the structure of words, phrases, and sentences. Examples: Parallelism, Antithesis, Chiasmus, Anaphora, Epistrophe, Epanalepsis, Anadiplosis, Asyndeton, Polysyndeton, Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance, Climax, Antimetabole and Inversion |
Detailed Analysis of Each Trope
Metaphor
Definition: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two non-similar things without the express use of “like” or “as”. Metaphor is a means of asserting that two things are identical in comparison rather than just similar.
Function: It creates an association between two dissimilar entities or ideas that, as a result of the metaphor, illuminate each other and deepen the meaning of both.
Example: “Time is money.”
This metaphor compares time to money (two unrelated things) and suggests that time is a valuable resource, just like money. It implies that we should use our time wisely, just as we would use our money wisely.
Simile
Definition: A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things using the connecting words “like” or “as.”
Function: Similes are used to emphasize or exaggerate a specific quality of one thing by comparing it to something else.
Example: “ She is as busy as a bee.”
The person’s busyness is being compared to the busyness of a bee. Bees are known for their industriousness, constantly moving from flower to flower with little rest. Therefore, saying someone is “as busy as a bee” suggests that they are extremely busy, constantly moving from task to task with little rest, just like a bee.
Metonymy
Definition: Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept. It involves the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant.
Function: Offers a symbolic representation of a broader idea.
Example: “The White House issued a statement.”
“The White House” refers to the President or the governing body, suggesting the source of the statement.
Synecdoche
Definition: Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole or vice versa.
Function: It’s used in writing to create vivid imagery or to make complex topics more concise and memorable.
Example: “All hands on deck.”
In this phrase, “hands” stands for the sailors. The phrase is saying that all sailors should be ready and active on the deck. It’s not literally talking about hands, but about what they represent, which are the sailors. The “hands” in this example of synecdoche is the part that signifies the whole sailors.
Irony
Definition: where the actual meaning of the words is different from their intended meaning.
Function: It adds a humorous touch or emphasizes the gap between how things appear and how they actually are.
Example: “What a pleasant day!” (said during a storm).
The irony lies in the stark contrast between the statement and the reality of the weather.
Hyperbole
Definition: Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggeration not meant to be taken literally.
Function: It emphasizes the degree or intensity of a characteristic or situation.
Example: “I’ve told you a thousand times.”
This hyperbole amplifies the number of times something has been repeated, emphasizing the speaker’s exasperation.
Litotes
Definition: Litotes is a figure of speech that uses understatement by employing double negatives or a negative to affirm a positive.
Function: It softens the impact of a statement or adds a subtle touch.
Example: “He’s not unkind.”
This litote subtly suggests that the person is kind.
Oxymoron
Definition: An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two opposing or contradictory words.
Function: It highlights the complexity or paradoxical nature of a subject.
Example: “Original copy.”
This pairing of contradictory words implies that the content of the copy is original, even though a copy is not typically considered original.
Paradox
Definition: A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory or nonsensical but reveals a deeper truth upon reflection.
Function: Provokes thought and illustrates complex truths.
Example: “Less is more.”
This paradox suggests that simplicity can lead to greater effectiveness.
Personification
Definition: Personification is a figure of speech where human characteristics are given to non-human entities.
Function: It brings inanimate objects or abstract concepts to life, making them more relatable.
Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
The wind is personified with the human ability to whisper, creating a vivid image of its gentle movement.
Apostrophe
Definition: An apostrophe is a figure of speech where the speaker addresses an absent person, abstract idea, or inanimate object.
Function: It creates a dramatic effect or expresses deep emotion.
Example: “O Death, where is thy sting?”
The speaker directly addresses Death, personifying it and highlighting its perceived power.
Onomatopoeia
Definition: Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech where words mimic natural sounds.
Function: It adds auditory imagery and vividness to descriptions.
Example: “The bees buzzed in the garden.”
“Buzzed” imitates the sound of bees, making the scene more lifelike.
Pun
Definition: A pun is a play on words that exploits multiple meanings or similar sounds for humorous or playful effect.
Function: It adds a humorous or playful element to language.
Example: “The cyclist was two tired to win the race.”
Here, “two tired” sounds like “too tired”, but it also refers to the two tires of the cyclist’s bicycle. The sentence could mean that the cyclist was too exhausted to win the race, or it could be a playful way of saying that something about the cyclist’s two tires prevented him from winning.
Allusion
Definition: Allusion is a figure of speech that indirectly refers to a person, place, thing, event, or idea in history or literature.
Function: Improves the content by adding meaning and context.
Example: “I do not approve of this quixotic idea.”
They are referring to to Don Quixote, a character from Miguel de Cervantes’ novel. The character is renowned for being too idealistic and unrealistic. As a result, the speaker implies that the idea is illogical and impracticable.
Euphemism
Definition: A mild or indirect word or expression used in place of one considered too harsh or blunt.
Function: Reduces the impact of unpleasant or sensitive issues.
Example: “Passed away” instead of “died.”
“Passed away” is a more polite way of referring to death.
Detailed Analysis of Each Scheme
Parallelism
Definition: A scheme that uses the same grammatical structure for similar elements within sentence or set of sentences.
Function: Enhances readability and rhythm, and emphasizes the similarity or contrast between ideas.
Example: ” Don’t marry someone you can live with; marry someone you can’t live without.”
The parallel structure is evident in both clauses: “Don’t marry someone you can live with” and “marry someone you can’t live without.” Both clauses follow the same pattern, command (“marry” or “don’t marry”) followed by “someone you can/can’t live, and with/without.”
Antithesis
Definition: Antithesis is a rhetorical device that places contrasting ideas in parallel structures.
Function: It emphasizes the difference between ideas, often to make a point or create a balanced effect.
Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
The parallel structure of contrasting phrases underscores the complexity of the era being described.
Chiasmus
Definition: A scheme in which words or concepts are repeated in reverse order.
Function: Creates a memorable, artistic effect and can emphasize the reversal of situations or ideas.
Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
The second half of this sentence is an inverted form of the first half, both grammatically and logically.
Anaphora
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
Function: Creates a rhythm and emphasizes the repeated element.
Example: “I have a dream that one day… I have a dream that my four little children… I have a dream that one day every valley…”
The repetition of “I have a dream” emphasizes the speaker’s vision and hope.
Epistrophe
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.
Function: Creates a rhythmic effect and emphasizes the concluding word or phrase.
Example: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
The repetition of “the people” underscores the democratic principles being discussed.
Epanalepsis
Definition: The repetition of a word or phrase at both the beginning and end of a clause or sentence.
Function: Creates emphasis by framing the sentence or clause with the repeated word.
Example: “The king is dead, long live the king.”
The repetition of “king” emphasizes the continuity of the monarchy.
Anadiplosis
Definition: The repetition of the last word of one clause or sentence at the beginning of the next.
Function: Creates a sense of progression and connection between ideas.
Example: “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
The repetition creates a chain of connected ideas, emphasizing the escalation of emotions.
Asyndeton
Definition: The omission of conjunctions between parts of a sentence.
Function: Speeds up the rhythm of the sentence and can create a sense of urgency or intensity.
Example: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
The absence of conjunctions creates a rapid, emphatic effect.
Polysyndeton
Definition: The use of multiple conjunctions in close succession.
Function: Slows down the rhythm of the sentence and can create a sense of overwhelming or accumulation.
Example: “We have ships and men and money and stores.”
The repeated use of “and” emphasizes the abundance of resources.
Alliteration
Definition: The repetition of the initial consonant sounds in a series of words.
Function: Creates a musical quality and can enhance memorability and emphasis.
Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
The repetition of the “p” sound creates a playful, catchy effect.
Assonance
Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within close proximity.
Function: Enhances the musical quality of language and can create mood or emphasize certain words.
Example: “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.”
The repetition of the “a” sound creates a lyrical effect.
Consonance
Definition: Consonance is a literary device that refers to the repetition of the same consonant sounds in a line of text. The focus, in the use of consonance, is on the sound made by consonants and not necessarily the letters themselves. In addition, alike consonant sounds can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of words, and consonance is created when these words appear in quick succession.
Function: Adds to the musical quality and can create a sense of harmony or tension.
Example: “ Traffic figures, on July Fourth, to be tough.”
Consonance occurs when sounds, not letters, repeat. In the example above, the “f” sound is what matters, not the different letters (such as “ph”) used to produce that sound. Repeated consonant sounds can occur anywhere within the words—at the beginning, middle, or end, and in stressed or unstressed syllables.
Climax
Definition: The arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in an order of increasing importance or impact.
Function: Builds intensity and leads to a powerful conclusion.
Example: “He risked truth, he risked honor, he risked fame, he risked all.”
The progression of risks emphasizes the ultimate sacrifice.
Antimetabole
Definition: A scheme in which words are repeated in reverse grammatical order in successive clauses.
Function: Creates a memorable, thought-provoking effect and highlights the relationship between the concepts.
Example: “You like it; it likes you.”
Explanation: The reversal of the word order emphasizes the mutual relationship.
Inversion (Anastrophe)
Definition: The reversal of the normal word order in a sentence or phrase.
Function: Draws attention to the inverted words and can create emphasis or a poetic effect.
Example: ” the soldier strong.”
“the soldier strong” is used instead of “the strong soldier”.
