An elegy is a somber poem or song, typically one that mourns the loss of someone who has died. Its purpose is to express feelings such as grief and sorrow, pay tribute to the dead, and offer consolation.
Elegy example: “In Memory of Major Robert Gregory” by William Butler YeatsNow that we’re almost settled in our house
I’ll name the friends that cannot sup with us
Beside a fire of turf in th’ ancient tower,
And having talked to some late hour
Climb up the narrow winding stair to bed:
Discoverers of forgotten truth
Or mere companions of my youth,
All, all are in my thoughts to-night being dead.
A proverb is a short popular saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or practical experience. Proverbs are short and memorable and are commonly used in daily life to give advice or express a general truth about life.
Proverb exampleIt’s no use switching from one stressful job to an even more stressful one; it would simply mean jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.
When announcing the company reorganization, the CEO reminded everyone that you can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs.
Tom blamed the oven for burning the turkey on Thanksgiving, but as they say, a bad workman blames his tools.
Circumlocution is the use of more words than necessary to express an idea. Instead of saying something directly in a single word or phrase, we often choose a roundabout way of referring to it. Depending on the context of use, circumlocution can be evasive and confusing or a helpful communication strategy.
Circumlocution exampleIn everyday conversation, we use circumlocutions when we say “I wouldn’t mind having something to eat at the moment” instead of directly saying “I’m hungry” or “I’m weary at the moment” instead of saying “I’m tired.”
We can encounter circumlocution in various communication settings, including literature, bureaucratic language, or when we want to be polite.
Horatian satire is a form of satire that playfully criticizes human behavior through gentle and lighthearted humor. The main purpose of this literary device is to provide entertainment to its audience while also offering them useful insights into their own shortcomings.
Horatian satire exampleLate-night variety shows featuring comic skits and impersonations are often considered an example of Horatian satire. They poke fun at politicians, celebrities, and current trends, intending to entertain while also critiquing social issues.
Horatian satire can be found in literature, movies, cartoons, and television shows.
Juvenalian satire is a form of satire that criticizes contemporary individuals and institutions with severity and contempt. The main goal of this literary genre is to make the audience feel angry and frustrated with the current state of the world and thereby inspire social reform.
Juvenalian satire exampleSouth Park, the animated series known for its vulgar and crass humor, is a quintessential example of Juvenalian satire. The show uses exaggerated scenarios and provocation to deal with various controversial and taboo topics while also providing social and political commentary on current events. True to its Juvenalian form, it aims to provoke strong emotions such as anger or disgust, ultimately exposing social evils.
Juvenalian satire can be found in literature, film, and animated television series.
Asyndeton is the deliberate omission or absence of words like “and,” “but,” and “or” from a series of clauses or sentences. This has various effects such as speeding up the rhythm, changing the tone, and adding emphasis.
Asyndeton examplesShe wakes up, goes to work, eats, sleeps, goes to work again.
Our administration has provided the economically challenged with jobs, with opportunities, with self-respect.
We went for a walk. We had some ice cream. We fed the ducks. We came back.
Watch, absorb, understand.
We can encounter asyndeton in various forms of writing, including plays, poems, speeches, and everyday language.
Polysyndeton is the repeated use of conjunctions like “and”, “or,” and “but” in close succession, particularly where these are not necessary. This is to create emphasis, rhythm, and a feeling of urgency in a text.
Polysyndeton exampleHe went to church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of houses, and up to the windows and found that everything could yield him pleasure.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Polysyndeton is used in various forms of writing, including novels, poems, and song lyrics.
Literary devices are the techniques and strategies authors use to enrich their writing and take it beyond the literal meaning of words. They serve various purposes and can operate at the sentence level or even permeate an entire literary work. Common literary devices include metaphors, similes, and irony.
Examples of literary devicesAfter a long trek, the cold water was inviting me to jump in. [personification]
All our requests for a budget increase have been met with deafening silence. [oxymoron]
Satire is the use of humor, exaggeration, irony, or other similar techniques to criticize people, institutions, or society as a whole. The purpose of satire is to expose human flaws, often with the intent to inspire change.
Satire exampleSatirical news programs like The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight use humor, irony, and exaggeration to engage viewers while providing a critical perspective on current affairs.
Satire can be found in various forms of artistic expression, including literature, film, and television shows.
Personification is the attribution of human qualities to nonhuman entities, such as animals, objects, or even abstract concepts. This technique is used to create more vivid and engaging descriptions, set the mood, or convey emotions.
Personification examplesMy phone died. (My phone ran out of battery.)
That piece of cake is calling my name. (That piece of cake looks delicious. I want to eat it.)
The flowers were begging for water. (The flowers needed water.)
The train sighed as it came to a halt. (The train braked as it came to a halt.)
Personification can be found in various forms of literature, including poetry, prose, and drama, as well as everyday language.