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Anaphora: The Power of Repetition

An in-depth exploration of the rhetorical device that uses repetition at the beginning of clauses to lend emphasis and create a powerful, memorable impact.

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Functions of Anaphora

Emphasis and Impact

Anaphora is fundamentally a technique for creating emphasis. By repeating a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses or sentences, the speaker or writer draws significant attention to the repeated element and the ideas it introduces. This repetition underscores the importance of the message, making it more potent and memorable for the audience.

Rhythm and Memorability

Beyond mere emphasis, anaphora imbues a passage with a distinct rhythm. This rhythmic quality makes the text more pleasing to the ear, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. Furthermore, the structured repetition aids in recall, making the content easier for the audience to remember and internalize.

Emotional Resonance and Persuasion

Anaphora is frequently employed to connect with an audience on an emotional level. It can be used to persuade, inspire, motivate, and encourage listeners or readers. The cumulative effect of the repeated phrase can build momentum and intensity, stirring the emotions and fostering a deeper engagement with the subject matter.

Usage Across Contexts

Literary and Religious Texts

Anaphora is a staple in various forms of literature and religious writings. Its ability to create solemnity, grandeur, or a powerful narrative flow makes it particularly effective in these contexts. For instance, the repetition of "The voice of the Lord" in Psalm 29 demonstrates its use in sacred texts to convey divine power and majesty.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

— Psalm 29:3–9

Political and Public Speeches

Political leaders and orators frequently utilize anaphora to galvanize audiences and articulate their vision. The iconic "I have a dream" repetition in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech is a prime example of how anaphora can powerfully convey a central theme and inspire collective action. Similarly, Winston Churchill's wartime addresses employed anaphora to foster resilience and determination.

Music and Modern Media

The rhythmic and memorable qualities of anaphora also make it highly effective in song lyrics, film dialogue, and other contemporary media. Songwriters use it to create catchy hooks and emphasize emotional themes, while filmmakers might use it for dramatic effect. The structure lends itself well to the memorable and impactful delivery often sought in these mediums.

Illustrative Examples

Sara Bareilles - "She Used to Be Mine"

She's imperfect, but she tries
She is good, but she lies
She is hard on herself
She is broken and won't ask for help
She is messy, but she's kind
She is lonely most of the time
She is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie
She is gone, but she used to be mine

— Sara Bareilles, "She Used to Be Mine"

"For Want of a Nail" Proverb

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

— "For Want of a Nail"

Thomas Kyd - *The Spanish Tragedy*

In time the savage bull sustains the yoke,
In time all haggard hawks will stoop to lure,
In time small wedges cleave the hardest oak,
In time the flint is pierced with softest shower.

— Thomas Kyd, *The Spanish Tragedy*, I, vi. 3

William Shakespeare - *King John*

Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition!

— William Shakespeare, *King John*, II, i

William Blake - "The Tyger"

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

— William Blake, "The Tyger"

William Blake - "London"

In every cry of every man,
In every infant's cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,
The mind-forged manacles I hear:

— William Blake, "London"

Lord Byron - *Marino Faliero*

Strike as I struck the foe! Strike as I would
Have struck those tyrants! Strike deep as my curse!
Strike!—and but once!

— Byron, *Marino Faliero*

Abraham Lincoln - Second Inaugural Address

With malice toward none;
with charity for all;
with firmness in the right, ...

— Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address

Walt Whitman - "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking,
Out of the mock-bird's throat, the musical shuttle,
Out of the Ninth-month midnight,
[...]
Up from the mystic play of shadows twining and twisting as if they were alive,
Out from the patches of briers and blackberries,
From the memories of the bird that chanted to me,
From your memories, sad brother, from the fitful risings and fallings I heard,
From under that yellow half-moon late-risen and swollen as if with tears,
From those beginning notes of yearning and love, there in the transparent mist,
From the thousand responses of my heart never to cease,
From the myriad thence-arous'd words,
From the word stronger and more delicious than any,
From such as now they start the scene revisiting,...

— Walt Whitman, "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"

William Shakespeare - Sonnet 64

When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced
The rich proud cost of outworn buried age;
When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed
And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;
When I have seen the hungry ocean gain
Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,
And the firm soil win of the watery main,
Increasing store with loss and loss with store;
When I have seen such interchange of state,
Or state itself confounded to decay;
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate,
That Time will come and take my love away.
This thought is as a death, which cannot choose
But weep to have that which it fears to lose.

— William Shakespeare, Sonnet 64

Charles Dickens - *A Tale of Two Cities*

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, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...

— Charles Dickens, *A Tale of Two Cities*

Winston Churchill - "We shall fight on the beaches"

We shall not flag or fail. 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.

— Winston Churchill, "We shall fight on the beaches"

Elie Wiesel - *Night*

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.

— Elie Wiesel, *Night*

Langston Hughes - "Let America be America Again"

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean--

— Langston Hughes, "Let America be America Again"

Martin Luther King Jr. - "I Have a Dream"

I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state, sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.

— Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream"

T.S. Eliot - "The Rock"

Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

— T.S. Eliot, "The Rock"

Abraham Lincoln - Gettysburg Address

We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.

— Abraham Lincoln, from his Gettysburg Address

Philip Levine - "They Feed They Lion"

Out of burlap sacks, out of bearing butter,
Out of black bean and wet slate bread,
Out of the acids of rage, the candor of tar,
Out of creosote, gasoline, drive shafts, wooden dollies,
They Lion grow.

— Philip Levine, "They Feed They Lion"

Scholarly Notes

Linguistic and Rhetorical Functions

In rhetoric, anaphora serves to structure discourse, enhance clarity, and amplify the emotional or logical force of an argument. Linguistically, it can contribute to the cohesion and flow of text, guiding the reader or listener through complex ideas by providing familiar starting points for subsequent phrases.

Historical Context

The use of anaphora dates back to ancient Greek and Roman rhetoric, where it was recognized as a powerful tool for oratory and persuasion. Its enduring presence across centuries and diverse cultural contexts highlights its fundamental effectiveness in human communication.

Sources & Further Reading

External Resources

For deeper dives into anaphora and related rhetorical devices, consult the following resources:

  • Wiktionary: Anaphora - Definition and examples.
  • Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms - Explanation of anaphora.
  • American Rhetoric - Audio illustrations of anaphora in speeches.
  • Dictionary.com - Definition and usage.
  • Video Example of Anaphora - Visual demonstration.

Cited References

The information presented here is drawn from scholarly and reputable sources:

  1. Morris Eaves; Robert N. Essick; Joseph Viscomi (eds.). "Songs of Innocence and of Experience, object 46 (Bentley 46, Erdman 46, Keynes 46)". London: William Blake Archive. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  2. Xiuguo Zhang (2005). English Rhetoric. Tsinghua University Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-7-81082-377-7. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  3. "Anaphora - Examples and Definition of Anaphora". LiteraryDevices.net. n.p. n.d. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  4. Dlugan, Andrew (17 February 2009). "Speech Analysis: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr".
  5. Thompson, Derek (7 February 2017). Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction. Penguin. p. 89. ISBN 978-1-101-98034-7.
  6. Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920). Greek Grammar. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. p. 673. ISBN 0-674-36250-0.
  7. "A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms with Examples". University of Kentucky Division of Classics. 22 December 2004. Archived from the original on 10 March 2000. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  8. Brenda Townsend Hall (4 October 1997). "Key concepts in ELT [English Language Teaching]: Anaphora" (PDF). ELT Journal Volume 51/4. Retrieved 24 August 2016. [dead link]

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