Hyperbaton | Examples & Definition
Hyperbaton is the deliberate disruption of normal word order in a sentence, as in the phrase “This I must see.” It involves changing the customary position of words and phrases to add emphasis, create a distinct rhythm, or convey a particular tone. Hyperbaton can be found in literature, poetry, and speeches.
Bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike—Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock
Pity this busy monster, manunkind, not—e.e. cummings
Much to learn, you still have—Yoda, Star Wars
What is hyperbaton?
Hyperbaton is a figure of speech that describes any separation of words that would normally go together, often with other words inserted between them. This is done for emphasis or effect.
The term “hyperbaton” comes from Greek meaning “stepping over.” The origin reflects the idea that the reader has to “step over” the words inserted in between to understand the sentence.
Depending on how a writer wants to use the technique, it can involve a subtle transposition or a more complex rearrangement. Common types of hyperbaton include:
- Adjective-noun inversion. Placing an adjective after the noun it modifies instead of before. For example, “A sea deep and mysterious.” While this might be a typical word order in languages like French, this inversion adds a solemn tone in English.
- Verb placement. Placing the verb at the end of the sentence, rather than between the subject and the object. For example, “Which alters when it alteration finds” instead of “Which alters when it finds alteration.”
- Complex rearrangements. This can involve rearranging entire phrases by splitting a word or phrase between two parts of a sentence. For example, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?” In this line from Macbeth, Shakespeare disrupts the natural word order delaying “the handle before my hand” to emphasize the protagonist’s hallucination.
Hyperbaton examples
The following lines from Troilus and Cressida utilize disrupted word order to build tension, reflecting the escalating preparations for war.
The princes orgulous, their high blood chafed,
Have to the port of Athens sent their ships
Fraught with the ministers and instruments
Of cruel war.”
The natural word order would be “The scene lies in Troy,” “the orgulous princes,” and “have sent their ships to the port of Athens.” Shakespeare uses hyperbaton to create an elevated tone that matches the epic subject matter of a love story set against the backdrop of the Trojan War. This use of hyperbaton also helps Shakespeare maintain his iambic meter.
In the excerpt from Paradise Lost below, Milton presents the throne and its elaborate description, before finally revealing Satan as its occupant.
Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted sat”
Here, the natural word order (“Satan sat exalted on a high throne”) is rearranged, with the subject and verb delayed until the very end. The delayed revelation, facilitated by hyperbaton, creates powerful dramatic tension and maintains Milton’s epic tone.
What is the purpose of hyperbaton?
Hyperbaton serves numerous strategic purposes beyond mere stylistic flourish.
- Emphasis. Placing words in unusual positions draws attention to them, highlighting their importance.
- Elevated tone. Gives language a formal, literary, or archaic quality appropriate for serious subjects, echoing ancient Greek and Latin syntax.
- Dramatic effect. Controls the flow of information, sometimes holding back key elements for maximum impact.
- Poetic meter. Helps poets maintain meter by rearranging words to fit rhythmic patterns
- Creative freedom. Allows writers to bypass conventional grammatical structures to craft striking and memorable sentences that engage readers.
Frequently asked questions about hyperbaton
- What is the difference between hyperbaton and anastrophe?
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Hyperbaton and anastrophe both involve the rearrangement of word order for rhetorical effect, but they differ in scope.
Hyperbaton is a broader term referring to any deviation from the typical or expected word order in a sentence. Hyperbaton can affect multiple parts of the sentence, phrases, or clauses, not just individual words.
Anastrophe is a narrower term and usually involves swapping the usual order of two adjacent elements like an adjective and noun or a verb and subject.
In short, anastrophe is a subset of hyperbaton, although sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably.
- What is an example of hyperbaton?
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The phrase “Object there was none. Passion there was none” from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” contains an example of hyperbaton. The natural word order in English would be “There was no object” and “There was no passion.” Poe has inverted the normal subject-verb structure for dramatic effect.
