Anaphora is one of those figures of speech that you have already used quite often while speaking / writing, but you have no idea you did. “Hey! Don’t say that I don’t read. I read books, I read magazines, I read articles, I read a lot of things!” Ever said any such thing? If yes, you already know what anaphora is!
So, What is Anaphora?
Anaphora is a rhetorical device in English. It means “Repetition” in Greek. When you deliberately repeat a word or a phrase at the beginning of each word, neighboring clause, sentence, verse, or stanza of a poem, you are employing Anaphora. Anaphora is used to add emphasis.
In this article, we will discuss Anaphora in detail. If you are a literature student, this article is a must-read for you.
| CONTENTS: Meaning of Anaphora Examples of Anaphora Examples of Anaphora in Literature Significance of Anaphora |
Meaning of Anaphora
Here’s how anaphora is pronounced: uh-naf-er-uh.
Anaphora is surprisingly common in both vocal & written literature. In fact, we employ Anaphora while speaking more often than you think.
So, is any repetition of words in a sentence an anaphora? No, not in a sentence but, at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or lines to create an artistic effect.
Consider an example:
Alice: Hey, how did you manage to take your business so high?
Bob: I wish I had an easy answer to that question. I wish the process of business development was a straightforward & pain-free process.
Here, in Bob’s answer, both sentences begin with the phrase ‘I wish’. This repetition of ‘I wish’ emphasizes how much hard work Bob had to put in for his business.
You will notice the use of anaphora in political speeches, poetry, and song, creating a sonic effect & not just an artistic effect. Anaphora can engage, persuade, inspire, motivate, and encourage a reader or an audience.
Here’s the formal definition of Anaphora once again:
Anaphora is a rhetorical device in English. It means “Carrying Back / Carrying up or back” in Greek. When you deliberately repeat a word or a phrase at the beginning of each neighboring clause, sentence, verse, or stanza of a poem, you are employing Anaphora.
Let’s break it down in simple words with the help of examples:
| Example | Description |
|---|---|
| “I came, I saw, I conquered.” – Julius Caesar [Original (Latin): Veni, vidi, vici] | Every clause starts with the word “I”. |
| “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums…” – “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | Every clause starts with the phrase “Go back to”. |
| “I wish I had an easy answer to that question. I wish the process of business development was a straightforward & pain-free process.” | The phrase “I wish” has been repeated at the beginning of two consecutive sentences for added dramatic effect. |
| “… And needy nothing trimm’d in jollity, And purest faith unhappily forsworn, And gilded honour shamefully misplac’d, And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted, And right perfection wrongfully disgrac’d, And strength by limping sway disabled, And art made tongue-tied by authority, And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill, And simple truth miscall’d simplicity, And captive good attending captain ill….” – Sonnet 66: Tir’d with all these, for restful death I cry, William Shakespeare | Every line in the poetry here (10 lines out of the 14 lines in the sonnet) begins with the word “And”. |
| 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 | Every stanza begins with the phrase “The voice of the Lord”. |
Example of Anaphora in daily life
After the explanation, the below examples of anaphora will clarify the anaphora effect this figure of speech brings in.
- “Every morning, I jog. Every evening, I go for a walk. Every night, I read in bed. This is the happiest phase of my life.”
- “Everything is gone. Everything is ruined.”
- “I was there that morning. I saw everything. I saw every little thing!”
Examples of Anaphora in Literature
In English literature, anaphora is used to create an artistic effect and sonic effect. Here are some examples:
The Song “Every Breath You Take” by The Rock Band “The Police“
“Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you…”
“The Tyger” Poem By William Blake
“What the hammer? What is the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors to clasp?”
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 …
…..
And carves out a person
And makes you believe it’s all true
And now I’ve got you
And you’re not what I asked for…”
Dare its deadly terrors to clasp?”
“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,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …,
we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven,
we were all going direct the other way …”
“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” lyrics by Haven Gillespie
“You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout…
…
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good…”
“Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey, on revisiting the banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798” lyrics by William Wordsworth
“Five years have past; five summers, with the length
Of five long winters!…”
Significance of Anaphora
Anaphora means repetition of words in the sentence, it’s a figurative speech that functions in everyday speech and rhetorics. As you must have observed in the above examples, it serves to emphasize certain ideas and portray the emotions by inspiring the audience or a reader.
Here is the significance of Anaphora as a Rhetorical Device in English Literature:
- Anaphora has been a part of Religious & Devotional Literature.
- By adding anaphora to a passage it allows for a piece of reading which is memorable and enjoyable. It is a powerful way to root your words in the reader’s mind. Thus, your readers or listeners start to participate by anticipating what might come next.
