Anaphora

Anaphora refers to a literary technique where a word or phrase is repeated at the start of consecutive clauses, sentences, or verses.

Anaphora is frequently employed to establish a pattern, accentuate a statement, or elicit an emotional reaction. The following are a few instances of anaphora:

Example 1: “I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

Explanation: Martin Luther King Jr. utilized the anaphora “I have a dream” in his renowned speech to emphasize his vision of a future in which racial equality is attained. The repetition of this phrase accentuates the speech’s main theme and intensifies the sense of hope and longing for a better world.

Example 2: Poem: “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas

“Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

Dylan Thomas

Explanation: In this poem, Dylan Thomas uses the anaphora “Do not go gentle into that good night” to begin three of the stanzas. The repetition of this line creates a powerful and emotional effect, emphasizing the central message of the poem.

Example 3: “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Charles Dickens

Explanation: IIn the introduction of “A Tale of Two Cities,” Charles Dickens uses anaphora to emphasize the differences between various aspects of the historical period that is portrayed in the novel. By repeating the phrase “it was the,” he establishes a pattern that highlights the contrasting elements that will be examined throughout the narrative.