Symploce in Literature

Symploce in Literature: Introduction

Symploce in literature, a powerful rhetorical device, holds significant importance in literature for its ability to elevate the impact and artistry of written expression. This unique combination of anaphora and epistrophe serves as a linguistic tool that not only captivates readers but also reinforces central themes within a narrative. By repeating words or phrases at both the beginning and end of successive clauses or sentences, symploce creates a rhythmic resonance that lingers in the minds of readers, emphasizing key concepts and fostering a sense of unity and coherence. Its utility lies in providing authors with a structured and deliberate means to underscore critical ideas, evoke emotion, and enhance the overall aesthetic quality of their prose. In literature, symploce stands as a testament to the nuanced craftsmanship writers employ to leave a lasting imprint on their audience, enriching the reader’s experience through a carefully woven tapestry of repetition and meaning.

Symploce in Literature: Shakespearean Examples

Play	Example	Explanation
Hamlet	To be or not to be, that is the question. To die, to sleep—	Shakespeare employs symploce to emphasize the existential dilemma faced by Hamlet. The repetition of “To be” and “To die” reinforces the gravity of the decision, intensifying the soliloquy.
Macbeth	Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air.	This example from the witches’ chant in Act 1, Scene 1 of “Macbeth” showcases symploce as it intertwines opposites. The repetition underscores the play’s theme of moral ambiguity and the inversion of values.
Othello	Put out the light, and then put out the light.	In this line, spoken by Othello in Act 5, Scene 2, Shakespeare uses symploce to emphasize the extinguishing of both Desdemona’s life and the metaphorical light of Othello’s reason, heightening the tragic climax.
Romeo and Juliet	Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I shall say good night till it be morrow.	The repetition of “Good night” serves as a poignant farewell in Juliet’s speech, enhancing the emotional resonance of the moment and capturing the bittersweet essence of parting in the play.

Symploce in Literature: Examples

1. Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”:

1. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
2. Austen employs symploce to emphasize the societal expectation and irony surrounding the pursuit of marriage among affluent single men.
3. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”:
   • “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
   • Fitzgerald uses symploce in the novel’s conclusion to highlight the relentless struggle against the inexorable passage of time and the haunting pull of the past.
4. George Orwell’s “1984”:
   • “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”
   • Orwell employs symploce as a striking element of the Party’s propaganda, reinforcing the novel’s theme of the manipulation of language and reality.
5. Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”:
   • “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
   • Lee uses symploce to underscore the importance of empathy and understanding, emphasizing the transformative power of seeing the world from another’s perspective.
6. Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”:
   • “There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.”
   • Bradbury employs symploce to evoke contemplation on the profound impact of literature and its ability to convey intangible but powerful truths.
7. Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”:
   • “Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.”
   • Marquez uses symploce to create a sense of circularity and inevitability, linking the opening and closing scenes of the novel.
8. J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”:
   • “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”
   • Rowling employs symploce to highlight the different, yet equally challenging, aspects of courage in the wizarding world.
9. Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”:
   • “He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”
   • Hemingway uses symploce to establish the solitude and struggle of the old man at the heart of the narrative.
10. Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”:
    • “124 was spiteful. Full of a baby’s venom.”
    • Morrison uses symploce to infuse a sense of malevolence and foreshadowing into the opening lines of the novel, setting a tone for the haunting narrative that follows.
11. Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner”:
    • “For you, a thousand times over.”
    • Hosseini employs symploce to express enduring loyalty and love, creating a poignant refrain that echoes throughout the novel.Bottom of Form

Symploce in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance of Symploce in Literature
Formalism/Structuralism	Examines the formal structure of texts. Symploce, as a figure of speech combining anaphora and epistrophe, contributes to the rhythmic and structural elements of poetry or prose. It can be analyzed to understand how repetition serves structural or thematic purposes.
New Criticism	Focuses on the intrinsic qualities of the text. Symploce’s use of repetition may be analyzed to uncover layers of meaning within the text and to explore how the intertwining of anaphora and epistrophe enhances the overall literary effect.
Reader-Response Theory	Emphasizes the role of the reader’s interpretation. Readers may respond to symploce by considering how the repeated elements affect their understanding and emotional engagement with the text. Interpretation may vary based on individual responses.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Explores the psychological motivations of characters and authors. Symploce’s repetition may be analyzed in terms of how it reflects or contributes to the psychological aspects of characters, revealing subconscious patterns, conflicts, or desires.
Feminist Criticism	Investigates gender roles and representations. Symploce can be examined in the context of how it reinforces or challenges traditional gender norms within the text. The repetition may convey messages related to power dynamics and gendered language.
Postcolonial Criticism	Focuses on literature from postcolonial perspectives. Symploce’s use of repetition may be explored in terms of how it reflects or challenges colonial influences on language and culture, contributing to a nuanced understanding of postcolonial texts.
Cultural Studies	Examines the social and cultural context of literature. Symploce can be analyzed in relation to cultural patterns and norms, shedding light on how language choices, especially repetition, contribute to the construction of meaning within a specific culture.

This table provides a brief overview of how symploce can be relevant within various literary theories, highlighting its potential contributions to the analysis of form, reader response, psychological aspects, gender dynamics, postcolonial perspectives, and cultural contexts in literature.

Symploce in Literature: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Symploce	A rhetorical device combining elements of anaphora and epistrophe, using repetition at both the beginning and end of successive clauses or sentences.
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.
Epistrophe	Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
Parallelism	The use of similar grammatical structures in phrases or sentences for rhetorical effect.
Rhetorical Device	A technique used to enhance the persuasiveness or effectiveness of communication.
Figurative Language	Expressive use of language beyond its literal meaning, often for artistic effect.
Chiasmus	A rhetorical device in which the order of terms in the first clause is reversed in the second.
Literary Trope	A common or recurring theme or motif in literature.
Antithesis	The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas or words within the same sentence or paragraph.
Rhetorical Question	A question asked for effect, not requiring an answer.

Symploce in Literature: Suggested Readings

1. Johnson, Robert. A Logic Book: Fundamentals of Reasoning. Wadsworth Publishing, 2017.
2. Baronett, Stan. Logic. Oxford University Press, 2018.
3. Hurley, Patrick J. A Concise Introduction to Logic. Cengage Learning, 2016.
4. Copi, Irving M. and Carl Cohen. Introduction to Logic. Pearson, 2017.
5. Bergmann, Merrie, James Moor, and Jack Nelson. The Logic Book. McGraw-Hill Education, 2019.
6. Sainsbury, R. M. Logical Forms: An Introduction to Philosophical Logic. Wiley-Blackwell, 2019.
7. Copi, Irving M., Carl Cohen, and Kenneth McMahon. Introduction to Logic. Pearson, 2017.
8. Epstein, Richard L. Critical Thinking. Cengage Learning, 2016.
9. Paul, Richard, and Linda Elder. Critical Thinking: The Nature of Critical and Creative Thought. Rowman & Littlefield, 2013.
10. Resnik, Michael D. Choices: An Introduction to Decision Theory. University of Minnesota Press, 1987.