Pararhyme as a Literary Device

Pararhyme: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings

Pararhyme: Etymology

The term “pararhyme” derives from the Greek roots “para-” meaning “beside” or “alongside,” and “rhyme,” which refers to the correspondence of sound between words or the endings of lines of verse. Coined by the poet and literary critic Edmund Blunden in the early 20th century, pararhyme denotes a form of rhyme where consonants match while vowels differ, thereby creating an incomplete or imperfect rhyme scheme. This device is often employed in modernist and experimental poetry to evoke a sense of dissonance, ambiguity, or unease, contrasting with the more harmonious and predictable effects of traditional rhyme schemes.

Literal and Conceptual Meanings

Literal Meaning	Conceptual Meaning
Derived from Greek “para-” (beside) and “rhyme” (correspondence of sound)	A poetic technique where consonants match but vowels differ
Coined by Edmund Blunden in the 20th century	Creates a sense of tension, dissonance, or ambiguity in poetry
Involves partial or slant rhyming	Challenges conventional expectations of rhyme
Used in modernist and experimental poetry	Reflects the complexities and uncertainties of modern life

Pararhyme: Definition as a Literary Device

Pararhyme, also known as half-rhyme or slant rhyme, is a poetic device characterized by the repetition of consonant sounds in the final stressed syllables of words, while the vowel sounds differ. This technique creates a subtle and unexpected sonic connection between words, often generating a sense of dissonance or tension. Employed by poets to evoke specific moods or reinforce thematic elements, pararhyme adds complexity and depth to the sonic landscape of a poem.

Pararhyme: Types and Examples

Type of Pararhyme	Explanation	Examples
Consonance Pararhyme	Words share the same consonant sounds at the beginning and end, but have different vowel sounds.	“flash/flesh,” “groaned/groined”
Assonance Pararhyme	Words share the same vowel sound in the stressed syllable, but different consonant sounds before and after the vowel.	“time/mine,” “light/right”
Rich Pararhyme	Words share the same consonant sounds before and after the stressed vowel, but the vowel sounds are different. This is a stricter form of pararhyme.	“hall/hell,” “trod/trade”
Reverse Pararhyme	The order of consonant sounds is reversed in the two words.	“lived/devil,” “stressed/desserts”

Pararhyme in Literature: Shakespearean Examples

Pararhyme Example	Play	Analysis
Love is not love	Sonnet 116	The repetition of “love” with different vowel sounds (“ʌv” and “uː”) creates a dissonance, highlighting the complexities and contradictions inherent in the concept of love.
And buds of majesty can never wither	Sonnet 55	The pararhyme in “buds/majesty” (“ʌdz/ɪsti”) and “never/wither” (“ɛvə/ɪðə”) emphasizes the enduring power of art over time and decay, contrasting the transient nature of physical beauty with the immortality of verse.
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny	Romeo and Juliet	The pararhyme connects “grudge/break” (“ʌdʒ/eɪk”) and “new/mutiny” (“juː/iːni”), emphasizing the cyclical nature of violence and conflict, suggesting that old hatreds give rise to new rebellions.
For I have need of many orisons	Hamlet	The pararhyme between “need” (“iːd”) and “orisons” (prayers) (“ɒrɪsɒnz”) creates a sense of urgency and desperation in Hamlet’s plea for divine intervention, highlighting his spiritual turmoil.
If music be the food of love, play on	Twelfth Night	The pararhyme connects “food” (“uːd”) and “love” (“ʌv”), suggesting a metaphorical relationship between sustenance and affection, implying that love, like food, nourishes the soul.
And smooth as monumental alabaster	Othello	The pararhyme in “smooth” (“uːð”) and “alabaster” (“æləbɑːstə”) creates a sense of cold beauty and artifice, foreshadowing Desdemona’s tragic fate, as her innocence and purity are ultimately shattered.
The cloud–capp’d towers, the gorgeous palaces	The Tempest	The pararhyme emphasizes the impermanence and illusion of earthly power and grandeur, as the ephemeral nature of clouds is juxtaposed with the seemingly solid structures of human creation.
That death be not proud, though some have called thee	Holy Sonnet 10	The pararhyme between “proud” (“aʊd”) and “called” (“ɔːld”) creates a defiant tone, challenging the conventional fear of death by asserting that it is not as mighty as it seems.

Pararhyme in Literature: Examples

Poet	Poem	Pararhyme Example(s)	Explanation
Wilfred Owen	“Strange Meeting”	escaped/ scooped, groaned/ groined	The consonant sounds are repeated (sc, gr) while the vowel sounds differ (eɪ/uː, əʊ/ɔɪ), creating a sense of dissonance and unease.
W.B. Yeats	“The Second Coming”	turning/ burning, widening/ gyre	The ‘n’ sound is consistent in each pair, but the vowels are different (ɜːr/ɜːr, aɪ/aɪə), enhancing the poem’s ominous tone.
T.S. Eliot	“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”	streets/ repeats, visions/ revisions	The repetition of ‘ts’ and ‘ʒ’ sounds creates a sense of unease and repetition, while the differing vowel sounds (iː/iː, ɪ/ɪ) add to the poem’s fragmented feel.
Sylvia Plath	“Daddy”	Achoo/ do, wars/ yours	The harsh ‘ch’ sound in ‘Achoo’ is echoed in ‘do,’ while the ‘w’ sound in ‘wars’ is mirrored in ‘yours,’ creating a sonic link between the words despite the different vowel sounds.
Dylan Thomas	“Do not go gentle into that good night”	night/ light, day/ they	The repetition of the final consonant sounds (t, d) but with different vowel sounds (aɪ/aɪ, eɪ/eɪ) creates a sense of unity and contrast.
Seamus Heaney	“Digging”	spade/ blade, pen/ gun	The repeated ‘d’ and ‘n’ sounds connect the tools of the farmer and the poet, highlighting their shared heritage while the differing vowel sounds (eɪ/eɪ, ɛ/ʌ) distinguish their distinct purposes.
Emily Dickinson	“Hope” is the thing with feathers”	soul/ all	Although the vowel sounds differ (oʊ/ɔː), the repeated ‘l’ sound creates a subtle connection, reinforcing the idea that hope resides within everyone.
Gerard Manley Hopkins	“God’s Grandeur”	shod/ rod, reck/ wrecked	The repeated ‘d’ sound in both pairs, despite the differing vowel sounds, emphasizes the power and might associated with God and nature.
Robert Frost	“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”	queer/ near	The repetition of the ‘r’ sound, despite the different vowel sounds (ɪə/ɪə), creates a subtle sense of unease and mystery.
E.E. Cummings	“anyone lived in a pretty how town”	women/ men, children/ selden	The repeated ‘n’ sound connects these pairs, suggesting the universality of human experience, while the differing vowel sounds (ɪ/ɛ, ɪ/ə) emphasize the individuality of each person.

Pararhyme in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

1. Formalism/New Criticism: Pararhyme is a structural device that disrupts the expected pattern of full rhyme, creating a sense of tension and surprise. This dissonance can contribute to the overall thematic complexity of a poem, as seen in Wilfred Owen’s “Strange Meeting” where the pararhymes “groaned/groined” and “escaped/scooped” evoke the disharmony and trauma of war.
2. Structuralism: Pararhyme can be seen as a linguistic pattern that subverts traditional notions of harmony and order. By highlighting the difference within similarity, it can reveal underlying oppositions or tensions within the text, as in T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” where the pararhymes “streets/repeats” and “visions/revisions” reflect the fragmentation and disillusionment of modern life.
3. Reader-Response Criticism: This theory emphasizes the emotional impact of pararhyme on the reader. The unexpected dissonance can create a feeling of unease or disquiet, amplifying the poem’s emotional register. For example, in Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy,” the pararhymes “Achoo/do” and “wars/yours” contribute to the poem’s raw and unsettling tone.
4. Psychoanalytic Criticism: Pararhyme might be interpreted as a manifestation of repressed conflicts or anxieties within the text. The unresolved tension between similarity and difference can mirror psychological struggles, as seen in Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night,” where the pararhymes “night/light” and “day/they” could be interpreted as representing the struggle between life and death.
5. Marxist Criticism: Pararhyme may be analyzed as a reflection of social or ideological dissonance. The imperfect rhyme can mirror the inequalities and contradictions of the social order, as seen in Seamus Heaney’s “Digging,” where the pararhymes “spade/blade” and “pen/gun” connect the tools of different classes, highlighting the divide between manual labor and intellectual pursuits.

Pararhyme in Literature: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Pararhyme (Half-rhyme/Slant rhyme)	Repetition of final consonant sounds but with different vowel sounds.
Consonance	Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words.
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within words.
Alliteration	Repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Rhyme	Repetition of sounds at the ends of words, usually the vowel sound and any following consonants.
Internal Rhyme	Rhyme that occurs within a line of poetry rather than at the end.
Eye Rhyme	Words that appear to rhyme based on spelling but don’t actually rhyme when spoken.
Dissonance	Harsh, inharmonious, or discordant sounds.
Euphony	Pleasant, harmonious, or melodious sounds.
Cacophony	A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Pararhyme in Literature: Suggested Readings