Metabasis in Literature

Metabasis in Literature: Introduction

Metabasis in literature serves as a strategic pause or transition within a narrative, providing authors with the opportunity to briefly reflect, summarize, or shift the focus of their discourse. This intentional interruption in the narrative flow allows for a moment of contemplation, offering readers a chance to absorb and interpret preceding information before progressing further.

Whether employed for thematic emphasis, rhetorical effect, or narrative cohesion, metabasis contributes to the overall structure of literary works, creating a nuanced rhythm that enhances the reader’s engagement and understanding. In its various forms, metabasis proves to be a versatile tool, guiding audiences through the complexities of a narrative and enabling authors to shape the reception of their work with careful consideration.

Metabasis in Literature: Shakespearean Examples

Play/Work	Example	Explanation
Hamlet	“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.“	Explanation: In this soliloquy, Hamlet experiences a moment of reflection, pausing to acknowledge the inner turmoil he faces and expressing the emotional weight he bears silently.
Macbeth	“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow.“	Explanation: In this famous soliloquy, Macbeth reflects on the monotony and futility of life, using repetition and metabasis to convey a sense of despair and the relentless passage of time.
Othello	“Yet I’ll not shed her blood, Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster.“	Explanation: Othello, on the verge of tragedy, engages in a reflective pause, contemplating Desdemona’s beauty and expressing reluctance to harm her physically.
Julius Caesar	“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.“	Explanation: Mark Antony uses this address to skillfully transition from honoring Caesar to subtly criticizing him, employing metabasis to guide the audience through a shift in rhetorical purpose.
As You Like It	“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.“	Explanation: This famous monologue features a metaphoric metabasis, where Jaques compares life to a theatrical performance, providing a reflective interlude on the stages of human existence.
King Lear	“Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!“	Explanation: King Lear’s powerful speech employs metabasis as he addresses the elements, reflecting his inner turmoil and the chaotic state of the world, emphasizing the dramatic shift in the narrative.
Richard III	“Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York.“	Explanation: In the opening soliloquy, Richard III uses metabasis to transition from the metaphor of winter to the metaphor of summer, metaphorically setting the stage for the transformation of power.
The Tempest	“Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits and Are melted into air, into thin air.“	Explanation: Prospero’s speech marks the conclusion of the magical performance, employing metabasis to bring an end to the illusion, revealing the ephemeral nature of the characters and events.

These examples showcase Shakespeare’s adept use of metabasis to create moments of reflection, transition between themes, and shape the emotional and thematic landscapes within his plays.

Metabasis in Literature: Examples

1. Poem: “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot
   • “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.“
   • Explanation: Prufrock reflects on the mundane aspects of his life, using metabasis to convey a sense of monotony and routine.
2. Story: “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
   • “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.“
   • Explanation: Nick Carraway reflects on the cyclical nature of life, using metabasis to express the inevitability of being drawn back into the past.
3. Poem: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
   • “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by.“
   • Explanation: The speaker reflects on a pivotal moment, employing metabasis to convey the significance of choosing an unconventional path.
4. Story: “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
   • “For a long while we just stood there, looking down at the profound and fleshless grin.“
   • Explanation: The narrative pauses to describe the scene, using metabasis to create a moment of reflection on the morbid discovery.
5. Poem: “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats
   • “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!“
   • Explanation: Keats addresses the nightingale, using metabasis to emphasize its immortal and timeless nature.
6. Story: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
   • “True!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?“
   • Explanation: The narrator pauses to address the reader directly, employing metabasis to defend their sanity and introduce the central theme of madness.
7. Poem: “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth
   • “For oft, when on couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood,“
   • Explanation: Wordsworth reflects on the enduring impact of nature, using metabasis to describe the emotional state in which the memory of the daffodils returns.
8. Story: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
   • “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right.“
   • Explanation: A character voices their objection to the lottery, employing metabasis to express a moral stance against the unjust tradition.

These examples illustrate how metabasis is employed in both poetry and prose to create moments of reflection, emphasize key points, and enhance the overall narrative structure.

Metabasis in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance of Metabasis
Structuralism	Metabasis can be analyzed as a structural element, contributing to the overall organization and coherence of a literary work within the context of underlying linguistic structures.
Reader-Response Theory	In reader-response theory, metabasis engages readers by providing moments of reflection, inviting them to actively interpret and respond to the narrative shifts, influencing their overall experience and understanding.
Feminist Criticism	Metabasis may be examined in feminist literary analysis to evaluate how pauses or transitions impact the portrayal of gender dynamics, agency, and the articulation of women’s experiences within a narrative.
Postcolonial Criticism	In postcolonial criticism, metabasis could be studied for its role in representing shifts in power dynamics, cultural transitions, or the nuanced portrayal of identity within the context of postcolonial literature.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Psychoanalytic criticism might explore metabasis as a reflection of characters’ psychological states, providing insight into their subconscious thoughts, conflicts, or the processing of emotional experiences within the text.
Marxist Criticism	Metabasis may be analyzed in Marxist literary criticism to understand its role in reinforcing or subverting societal structures, class distinctions, or ideological shifts within the narrative.
Deconstructionism	Deconstructionist analysis might focus on metabasis to reveal tensions and contradictions within the text, exploring how these pauses or transitions contribute to the deconstruction of fixed meanings and interpretations.
Postmodernism	Metabasis aligns with postmodern tendencies to play with narrative structures and disrupt traditional forms, making it relevant in examining how these intentional pauses contribute to the self-conscious nature of the narrative.

This table provides an overview of how metabasis can be relevant in different literary theories, showcasing its adaptability and interpretive potential across various critical frameworks.

Metabasis in Literature: Relevant Terms

1. Anadiplosis: Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of one clause and the beginning of the next.
2. Chiasmus: Reversal of grammatical structures in successive clauses for rhetorical effect.
3. Epistrophe: Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
4. Enallage: Deliberate grammatical mistake for rhetorical emphasis or stylistic effect.
5. Epizeuxis: Immediate repetition of a word for emphasis.
6. Metanoia: Immediate correction or rephrasing of a statement for intensification.
7. Polysyndeton: Repetition of conjunctions in a series for emphasis.
8. Symploce: Combination of anaphora and epistrophe, using repetition at both the beginning and end of clauses.
9. Tricolon: Use of three parallel clauses or phrases for emphasis or rhythm.
10. Aposiopesis: Sudden breaking off of speech, leaving a sentence unfinished for dramatic effect.

Metabasis in Literature: Suggested Readings

1. Aristotle. Rhetoric. Translated by W. Rhys Roberts, Dover Publications, 2004.
2. Corbett, Edward P. J., and Robert J. Connors. Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student. Oxford University Press, 1998.
3. Lanham, Richard A. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms. University of California Press, 1991.
4. Perelman, Chaim, and Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca. The New Rhetoric: A Treatise on Argumentation. University of Notre Dame Press, 1969.
5. Puttenham, George. The Arte of English Poesie. Edited by Gladys Doidge Willcock and Alice Walker, Cambridge University Press, 1936.
6. Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria. Translated by H. E. Butler, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1920.
7. Richards, I. A. The Philosophy of Rhetoric. Oxford University Press, 1965.
8. Vickers, Brian. In Defence of Rhetoric. Oxford University Press, 1988.
9. Weaver, Richard M. Language is Sermonic: Richard M. Weaver on the Nature of Rhetoric. Edited by Richard L. Johannesen, Louisiana State University Press, 1970.
10. Ward Farnsworth. Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric. David R. Godine Publisher, 2011.