Etymology of Isocolon
The word “isocolon” comes from the Greek words “isos” and “kolon,” which mean “equal” and “clause,” respectively. In literary terms, an isocolon is a rhetorical device in which a series of phrases or clauses are of equal length and follow one another in quick succession.
Meanings of Isocolon
- Isocolon can take many different forms, but one of the most common is the use of parallel structure, in which phrases or clauses are repeated with slight variations.
- For example, in the famous phrase “veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered), each of the three phrases is an isocolon, with three words of equal length and the same grammatical structure.
- This repetition creates a sense of momentum and power, emphasizing the speaker’s swift and decisive actions.
- Isocolon is also commonly used in poetry, where the use of parallel structure can create a sense of balance and harmony in a poem’s structure and meter.
Isocolon in Grammar
- In grammar, “isocolon” is a noun that refers to a figure of speech or rhetorical device in which a series of clauses or phrases have the same length and structure, creating a sense of balance and symmetry in the sentence.
- For example, the sentence “His purpose was to impress the ignorant, to perplex the dubious, and to confound the scrupulous” is an example of isocolon, with three phrases that are of equal length and follow a parallel structure.
- This creates a sense of balance and rhythm in the sentence, emphasizing the speaker’s purpose and intentions.
Definition of Isocolon
As a literary device, isocolon refers to the use of parallel structure in a series of phrases or clauses that have the same length and structure. It is often used to create a sense of balance, symmetry, and rhythm in writing, and to emphasize key ideas or themes.
Examples of Isocolon
Shakespeare used isocolon frequently in his plays to create rhythm and emphasis. Here are a few examples from his works:
| Example with Reference | Explanation as Isocolon |
| 1. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” – Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 1 | This famous line spoken by the witches in Macbeth is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the play’s central theme of deception. |
| 2. “To be, or not to be: that is the question.” – Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1 | This famous soliloquy by Hamlet is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that emphasize the character’s internal struggle and the central question of the play. |
| 3. “Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.” – Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5 | This line spoken by Macbeth is an example of isocolon, with three phrases of equal length and structure that convey the character’s sense of despair and the fleeting nature of life. |
| 4. “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” – Measure for Measure, Act 2, Scene 1 | This line spoken by the character Escalus is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the play’s central theme of justice and the corrupt nature of power. |
| 5. “To weep is to make less the depth of grief.” – Henry VI, Part II, Act 3, Scene 2 | This line spoken by the character Clifford is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the character’s sense of loss and the futility of tears. |
| 6. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” – A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens | This famous opening line is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that introduce the novel’s central themes of duality and paradox. |
| 7. “She was young, she was pure, she was new, she was nice, she was fair, she was sweet seventeen.” – Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov | This line describing the character Lolita is an example of isocolon, with six phrases of equal length and structure that emphasize the character’s youth, innocence, and beauty. |
| 8. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen | This famous opening line is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the novel’s central theme of marriage and social status. |
| 9. “It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets.” – Paul Clifford by Edward Bulwer-Lytton | This opening line is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the setting and atmosphere of the novel. |
| 10. “She was one of those pretty and charming girls, born, as if by an error of fate, into a family of clerks and copyists.” – Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert | This line describing the character Emma is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the character’s beauty and misfortune. |
Suggested Readings
- Kennedy, George A. Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition from Ancient to Modern Times. University of North Carolina Press, 1999.
- Lausberg, Heinrich. Handbook of Literary Rhetoric: A Foundation for Literary Study. Edited by David E. Orton and R. Dean Anderson, Brill, 1998.
- Lanham, Richard A. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms. 2nd ed., University of California Press, 1991.
- Maraniss, David. They Marched into Sunlight: War and Peace, Vietnam and America, October 1967. Simon & Schuster, 2003.
- Murfin, Ross, and Supryia M. Ray. The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. 3rd ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008.