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Shakespeare's Comedies and
Romances
List of rhetorical tropes, figures, and
schemes commonly used by Shakespeare
I. Schemes of Grammar
Parallelism and repetition:
isocolon--syntactically parallel phrases of equal
length to the ear: “The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not
seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to
conceive, nor his heart to report . . .” (IV.i. 209-211).�
anaphora--beginning each of a series of phrases
with the same word “. . . I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will
roar you an’twere any nightingale.(I.ii.75-6).
epistrophe--ending each of a series of members
with the same word
“Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisby dear, and lady
dear!” (I.ii.47-8)
antimetabole (chiasmus)—repetition of words in
converse order, beginning with what ended the
previous clause or member, and ending with what
began the previous clause or member. “heaven hath pleas’d it so,/To punish me with this, and this
with me” �(Hamlet III.iv.173-4).
anadiplosis--repetition of last word of previous
clause to begin first word of susequent clause. “and she (sweet lady) dotes,/devoutly dotes, dotes in
idolatry, upon this spotted and inconstant man” (I.i.110).
climax--anadiplosis continued, progressively for
several clauses “And let the kettle to the trumpet speak/The trumpet to the
cannoneer without,/ The cannons to the heavens, the
heaven to earth” (Hamlet 5.2.253-6).
paroemion--repetition of sounds--as in alliteration
and rhyme (in prose). “The lunatic, the lover, and the poet/ Are of imagination all
compact” (V.i.7).
polyptoton--repetition of words sharing the same
root “To leave the figure or disfigure it” (I.i.51).
diacope—repetition of word with one or two
intervening words
“How happy some o’er other some can be!”� ( 1.1.226)
“Out, dog! Out, cur! (III.ii.65)
epanalepsis--same word or phrase at end as at
beginning of a member, sentence, or clause. “When he is best, he is a little worse than a man; and when
he is worst, he is little better than a beast.”
ploce--multiple repetition of word “Sickness is catching. O, were favor so,/Yours would I
catch, fair Hermia; ere I go/ My ear should catch your
voice, my eye your eye, / My tongue should catch your
tongue’s sweet melody” (I.i.186-9).
epizeuxis--repeating word with nothing
intervening. “Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes/ And
interchanged love tokens with my child” (I.i.28-9).
polysyndeton--conjunction repeated among
phrases. Then let us teach our trial patience/ Because it is a
customary cross/ As due to love as thoughts and dreams
and sighs . . .” (I.i.152-4)
Exchange, substitution, misplacement
hendiadys--two nouns substituted for noun and
modifier for increased emphasis. “Heaven’s face does glow, /O’er this solidity and
compound mass,/With heated visage” (Hamlet III.iv.49).�
Here, “solidity and . . . �mass” substitutes for “solid . . .
mass.”
hypallage--(can constitute an error)--shifting of
the application of words. “The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not
seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to
conceive, nor his heart to report . . .” (IV.i. 209-211).
anastrophe--unusual word order “Those that hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck, You do
their work, and they shall have good luck” (II.1.40-1)
parenthesis--interposition (interrupting the syntax
of a larger clause or phrase) of explanatory
matter
"The next thing then she, waking, looks upon/(Be it on lion,
bear, or wolf or bull, /On meddling monkey, or on busy
ape)/ She shall pursue it with the soul of love" (II.i.179-82).
epergesis--interposition of explanitory matter in
apposition. You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a sweet-
faced man, a proper man as one shall see in a summer's
day, a most lovely gentlemanlike man. Therefore you must
needs play Pyramus" (I.ii.77-80).
Omission or Compression
ellipsis--omission of a word easily understood "Thrice blessed [are is omitted] they that master so their
blood/To undergo such maiden pilgrimage" (I.ii.74-5).
zeugma--using one verb to serve several clauses “Man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor
his heart to report . . .” (IV.i. 209-211).� �(“is able to”
omitted, but understood, in second two clauses.)
brachylogia--omits conjunctions between words And stol’n the impression of her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats—messengers
Of strong prevailment in unhardened youth. (I.i.32-5)
asyndeton--omits conjunctions between phrases
Go, Philostrate,
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments,
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth,
Turn melancholy forth to funerals:
The pale companion is not for our pomp. (I.i.12-15).
II. Figures and Tropes of Invention (content)
Inartificial arguments (testimony)
apodixis—supporting one’s statement through the testimony
of many; “Ay me, for aught that I could ever read,/Could ever hear by tale or
history/The course of true love never did run smooth” (I.i.132-5).
martyria—supporting one’s statement through one’s own
personal experience; Where I have come, great clerks have purposed
o greet me with premeditated welcomes;
Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,
Make periods in the midst of sentences,
Throttle their practiced accent in their fears,
And, in conclusion, dumbly have broke off,
Not paying me a welcome.� Trust me, sweet,
Out of this silence yet I picked a welcome,
And in the modesty of fearful duty
I read as much as from the rattling tongue
Of saucy and audacious eloquence. (V.i.93-103)
Euche—vow to keep a promise; My good Lysander,
I swear to thee by Cupid’s strongest bow,
By his best arrow, with the golden head,
By the simplicity of Venus’ doves,
By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves,
And by that fire which burned the Carthage queen
When the false Troyan under sail was seen,
By all the vows that ever men have broke
(In number more than ever women spoke)
In that same place thou hast appointed me
Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee. (I.i.168-178)
Eustathia—pledge of constancy. “And then end life when I end loyalty.” (II.ii.63)
Notation and conjugates (figures of ambiguity)
atanaclasis—word repeated with different meanings
(wordplay). “Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung/ With feigning [soft or
deceitful?] �voice verses of feigning [longing?] love.”
syllepsis—word used once with two different meanings (pun). “Get thee to a nunnery” (III.i.121).� “Nunnery” means convent, but it
is also slang for whorehouse.
paronomasia—use of two words sounding nearly the same but
having different meanings. “And here am I , and wood [possibly prounounced “wode” ] within
this wood/Because I cannot meet my Hermia” (II.i.192).
asteismus—reply using different meaning of same word to
twist speaker’s original meaning. BOTTOM I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard,
your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French-
crown-color [i.e. the color of the coin] beard, your perfit yellow.
QUINCE Some of your French crowns [heads made bald by
the “French disease,” syphilis] have no hair at all, and then you will
play barefaced.
Tropes of Comparison (all these figures are metaphorical).
metaphor—comparison that treats the thing discussed as the
thing to which it is compared—a kind of substitution of a thing
resembling for the thing itself. “The spring, the summer, the childing autumn, angry winter
change/Their wonted liveries” (II.i.113). “O, let me kiss/This princess
of pure white [Helena’s hand]” (III.ii.144).
simile—explicit comparison of thing discussed to something
else (explicit analogy using “like” or “as” or equivalent).
For she his hairy temples then had rounded
With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers; And that same dew which sometime on the buds
Was wont to swell, like round and orient pearls,
Stood now within the pretty flowerets’ eyes
Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail. (IV.i.50-5)
allegory—metaphor sustained over many lines, entire passage, or
more (entire play, for instance).
catechresis—use of a word (usually a verb or adjective) in a
context usually not proper to it (the effect of this is implied
metaphor). When we laughed to see the sails conceive
And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind,
Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait Following (her womb then rich with my young squire),
Would imitate, and sail upon the land
To fetch me trifles.
parabola—a comparison based on a moral or mystical
resemblance—as in the parables of Christ.� Often comes in
the form of allegory. Thrice blessed they that master so their blood
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;
But earthlier happy is the rose distilled
Than that which, withering out the virgin thorn
Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness. (I.i.76-8)
icon—paints the likeness of a person through imagery.
“Not Hermia, but Helena I love./ Who wil not change a raven for a
dove?” (II.ii.114-15).
hyperbole--Rhetorical Exaggeration, often achieved through
the above tropes of comparison
QUEEN
What have I done that thou dar'st wag thy tongue
In noise so rude against me?
HAMLET
Such an act
That blurs the grace and blush of modesty,
Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose
From the fair forehead of an innocent love,
And sets a blister there, makes marriage vows
As false as dicers' oaths. O, such a deed
As from the body of contraction plucks
The very soul, and sweet religion makes
A rhapsody of words! Heaven's face does glow,
O'er this solidity and compound mass,
With heated visage, as against the doom
Is thought-sick at the act. (Hamlet 3.4.39-51)
Schemes and Tropes of Division
eutrepismus—divides something (an action, a way of
proceeding, a speech, etc.) into parts and numbers and
orders these parts. “First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the
names of the actors, and so grow to a point” (I.ii.8-10).
merismus (partitio)—division of whole into parts. This loam, this roughcast, and this stone doth show
That I am that same wall: the truth is so.
And this the cranny is, right and sinister,
Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.� (V.i.160-3).
synecdoche—substitutes part for whole, whole for part, genus
for species, species for genus (as substitution, this is also a
kind of metaphor). Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats/Will not debate the
question of this straw. (Hamlet 4.4.25).
prolepsis—a general statement followed by an amplifying or
supporting division into parts. If then true Lovers have been ever crossed,
It stands as an edict in destiny:
Then let us teach our trial patience
Because it is a customary cross,
As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs,
Wishes and tears, poor Fancys followers.
epanodos—prolepsis that repeats the terms of the general
statement in every part following. Things base and vile, holding no quantity
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath Love’s mind of any judgment taste:
Wings and no eyes, figure unheedy haste.
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,
So the boy Love is perjured everywhere. (I.i.252-241).
synathroesmus—a heaping together of words of different
meaning, with or without a recapitulation at the end.
epiphonema—gathering of several statements or pieces of
evidence into an epigrammatic or pithy summary. Or if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,
Making it momentany as a sound,
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,
And ere a man hath power to say “Behold!”
The jaws of darkness do devour it up
So quick bright things come to confusion. (I.i.141-9)
disjunctive proposition—expression of alternatives that divide
the possibilities contemplated. Upon that day either prepare to die
For disobedience to your father’s will,
Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would,
Or on diana’s altar to protest
For aye austerity and single life. (I.i.86-90)
“Good fortune, then,/To make me blest or cursed’st among men!
(Merchant of Venice II.ii.44-5).
Subjects and adjuncts
encomium—praise for a person extolling inherent attributes
or “adjuncts”; FLUTE No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft man in
Athens.
QUINCE Yea, and the best person too, and he is a very paramour for
a sweet voice.
(IV. ii. 9-12)
epitheton—attributes a quality to a person or thing by way of
addition; “O sweet bully Bottom!” (IV.ii.19)
hypotyposis lively description of a person, condition, action,
event, etc. "she grew round-wombed and had indeed, sir, a son for her cradle
ere she had a husband for her bed." (King Lear 1.1.12-13)
antonomasia—substitution of descriptive phrase for proper
name, or the opposite (substitution of proper name for
quality associated with it). “Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook” (III.ii.347).
metonymy—substitution of attribute or adjunct for thing itself
(as substitution, this is also a kind of metaphor).
periphrasis—substitution of descriptive phrase for common
name (as substitution, this can also be a kind of metaphor). “If we have unearned luck/Now to scape the serpent’s tongue, /We
will make amends ere long: (V.i.424-6).
prosopographia—lively description of a person His mother was a vot’ress of my order,
And in the spiced Indian air, by night,
Full often hath she gossiped by my side,
And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands, Marking th’embarked traders on the flood;
When we have laughed to see the sails conceive
And grow big-bellied to the wanton wind,
Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait
Following (her womb then rich with my young squire),
Woud imitate, and sail upon the land
To fetch me trifles, and return again,
As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.
\prosopopoeia—attribution of human qualities to dumb or
inanimate objects (a kind of extended catechresis or
metaphor). “The cowslips tall her pensioners be.” (II.1.10). [But what is odd about
this instance of prosopopoeia?
characterismus—description of body or mind Look here upon this picture, and on this,
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.
See what a grace was seated on this brow:
Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself,
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command,
A station like the herald Mercury
New Lighted on a heaven-kissing hill--
A combination and a form indeed
Where every god did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance of a man.
This was your husband. Look you now what follows.
Here is your [new] husband, like a mildewed ear
Blasting his wholesome brother. (Hamlet III.iv.53-65)
mimesis—imitation of gesture, pronunciation, or utterance,
often derisive I never heard a passion so confused,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:
“My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!
Justice! The law!� My ducats and my daughter!
A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducts,
Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter!
And jewels—two stones, two rich and precious stones,
Stolen by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!
She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!”
pragmatographia—description of an action or event My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and consecrated bower,
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals
that work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
Were met together to rehearse a play
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day.
The shallowest thickskin of that barren sport,
Forsook his scene and entered in a brake.
When I did him at this advantage take,
An ass'snole I fixed on his head.
Anon his Thisby must be answered,
And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,
So at his sight away his fellows fly,
And at our stamp here o'er and o'er one falls
He "murder" cries and help from Athens calls.
Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong,
Made senseless things begin to do them wrong,
For briers and throns and their apparel snatch:
Some, sleeves--some, hats; from yielders all things catch.
I led them on in this distracted fear
And left sweet Pyramus translated there,
When in that moment (so it came to pass)
Titania waked, and straightway loved an ass. (III.ii.7-34)
chronographia—description of a time (for example a time of
day). Now the hungry lion roars
And the wolf behowls the moon,
Whilst the heavy plowman snores,
All with weary task fordone.
Now the wasted brands do glow
Whilst the screech owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night
That the graves, all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the churchway paths to glide.
And we fairies, that do run
By the triple Hecate's team
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic. (V.i. 363-379)
Contraries or Contradictories
paradoxon apparent (not necessarily, as today, actual) self-
contradiction. OPHELIA Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with
honesty?
HAMLET Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner transform
honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can
translate beauty in into its likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but
now the time gives it proof. (Hamlet 109-115)
antithesis—sets contraries in opposition Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword,
And won thy love doing thee injuries,
But I will wed thee in another key
With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling. (I.i.16-19)
Synoeciosis--a composition of contraries--calls attention to
itself by the inconsistency of the terms it brings together
"Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword,/And won thy love
doing thee injuries"
(1.1.16-17).
"Very tragical mirth" (V.i.37) [This could, of course, be a
malopropism, or verbal error, in which case it would not count as
Synoeciosis].
irony—suggests an implicit meaning contrary to what is explicitly
said.
III. Figures pertaining to Logos (argumentation)
enthymeme—an abbreviated syllogism—a syllogism with one
of the steps missing—usually used, according to
Renaissance rhetoricians, to represent a counter-argument,
contrary statement, or contradiction. But all the story of the night told over,
And all their minds transfigured so together,
More witnesseth than fancy's images,
And grows to something of great constancy:
But howsoever, strange and admirable. (The syllogism here would be something on the order of:
If several people confirm a story it is more than an illusion.
Several people confirm this story.
Therefore, this story is more than an illusion.
In the above enthymeme, the major premise is omitted, so that we
have:
Several people confirm this story; therefore, it is more than an illusion.
syllogismus—an even more abbreviated syllogism—a single
vivid suggestion, from which one is prompted to infer other
steps of reasoning. To explain why he sees as preferment his move from the service of the
rich Shylock to the service of the poor Bassanio, the Clown Lancelot
says, "The old proverb is very well parted between my master Shylock
and you, sir. You have the grace of God, sir, and he hath enough"
(Merchant of Venice, II.ii. 139-41).
sorites—chain of reasoning, often, but not always, involving
anadiplosis and gradatio And he, repelled, a short tale to make,
Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,
Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,
Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension,
Into the madness wherein now he raves,
And all we mourn for. (Hamlet, II.ii.146-51)
disputatio in utramque partem--disputation on each part, or on
each side of a question "To be, or not to be. That is the question," etc. (Hamlet, III.i.56-90)
aporia—doubting or deliberating with oneself
"To be, or not to be. That is the question," etc. (Hamlet, III.i.56-90) [It
should be no surprise that this figure may also involve disputation, by
a single character, on both sides of a question].
"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man
to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go about to expound
this dream. Methought I was--there is no man can tell what.
Methought I was, and methought I had--But man is but a patched fool
if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not
heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his
tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was"
(IV.i.203-212).
paromologia—admission of something unfavorable to one’s
position, followed by a point that overthrows what was
granted. THESEUS
. . . . Demetrius is a worthy gentleman
HERMIA
So is Lysander.
THESEUS
In himself he is;
But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,
The other must be held the worthier. (I.i.52-5)
concessio—admission of a point that actually hurts the
adversary to whom it is granted HIPPOLYTA
'Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of.
THESEUS
More strange than true. I never may believe
These antique fables nor these fairy toys. (V.i. 1-3)
metastasis—turning back of an objection against one who
made it:
TITANIA
And this same progeny of evils come
From our debate, from our dissension;
We are their parents and original.
OBERON
Do you amend it then; it lies in you.
Why should Titania cross her Oberon?
I do but beg a little changeling boy
To be my henchman.
apoplanesis—evasion of a point by digression to another matter. LYSANDER
. . .Demetrius--I'll avouch it to his head--
Made love to Nedar's daughter,Helena
And won her soul, and she (sweet lady) dotes,
Devoutly dotes, dotesin idolatry,
Upon this potted and inconstant man.
THESEUS
I mustconfess that I have heard so much
And with Demetrius thought to have spokethereof;
But, being overfull of self-affairs,
My mind did lose it. But,Demetrius, come,
And come, Egeus. You shall go with me;
I have someprivate schooling for you both.
For you, fair Hermia, look you armyourself
To fit your fancies to your father's will . . . (I.i.106-118)
IV. Figures of Pathos (emotion)
Vehemence through form of utterance or emotion expressed
\exuscitatio—speech so impassioned that it makes listener feel
the emotion of speaker Bottom alludes to this when, in hearing from Quince that Pyramus is
"a lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love," responds: "That will
ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience
look to their eyes. I will move storms; I will condole in some measure"
(I.ii.20-3).
aposiopesis—sudden breaking off of speech or self-
interruption conveying some kind of emotional state "Methought I was--there is no man can tell what. Methought I was,
and methought I had --But man is a patched fool if he will offer to say
what methought I had" (IV.i.206-9).
\ecphonesis—exclamation (the most widely used figure of
vehemence) capable of expressing virtually every kind of
emotion.
"O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!" (III.ii.137) "O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!" (IV.i.78)
thaumasmus—expression of wonder.
"I am amazed at your passionate words" (III.ii.220).
"'Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of" (V.i.1)
erotema—rhetorical question, which can add vehemence to a
logical argument Why art thou here,
Come from the farthest steep of India, But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,
Your buskined mistress and your warrior love,
To Theseus must be wedded, and you come
To give their bed joy and prosperity? (II.i.68-73)
threnos—lamentation, expression of sorrow
How happy some o'er other some can be!
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgment taste:
Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste.
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
Because in choice he his so oft beguiled.
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,
So the boy Love is perjured everywhere.
For ere Demetrius looked on Hermia's eyne,
He hailed down oaths that he was only mine;
And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,
So he dissolved, and show'rs of oaths did melt. (I.i.226-45)
Vehemence through petition and complaint
apostrophe—a turning of address from those to whom one
speaks to another “listener”—usually an inanimate object,
personified abstraction, or oneself. In the following case, Hamlet turns from addressing the ghost to
addressing other "listeners," and then back to the ghost again: O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else?
And shall I couple hell? O fie! Hold, hold, my heart,
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe. (1.5.93-7)
anamnesis—recital of past things, often (though not always)
woes and injuries Is all the counsel that we two have shared,
The sister's vows, the hours that we have spent
When we have chid the hasty-footed time
For parting us--O, is all forgot?
All schooldays' friendship, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Have with our needles created both one flower,
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one song, both in one key;
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,
But yet an union in partition,
Two lovely berries molded on one stem.
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your poor friend? (III.ii.198-216)
apocarteresis—casting away of all hope in one direction and
turning to another for aid My master's a very Jew. Give him a present? Give him a halter! I am
famished in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs.
Father, I am glad you are come. Give me your present ot one Master
Bassanio, who indeed gives rare new liveries. If I serve not him, I will
run as far as God has any ground" (Merchant of Venice II.ii.98-103).
optatio—ardent wish or prayer O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! (I.i.195).
deesis—vehement supplication
Approach, ye Furies fell!
O Fates, come, come,
Cut thread and thrum
Quail, crush, conclude, and quell! (V.i.279-282)
mempsis—complaint against injuries and craving for redress Full of vexation come I, with complaint
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.
Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,
This man hath my consent to marry her.
Stand forth, Lysander. And, my gracious duke,
This hath bewitched the bosom of my child
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I beg the ancient privilege of Athens:
As she is mine, I may dispose of her
Which shall be either to this gentleman
Or to her death, according to our law
Immediately provided in that case (I.i.22-45).
Placating or assuaging
paramythia—seeking to console or diminish sorrow Then let us teach our trial patience,
Because it is a customary cross,
As due to love as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs,
Wishes and tears, poor Fancy's followers. (1.1.152-5)
medela—conciliatory words offered to an injured party to
help the cause of a friend
Antonio intervenes with Portia on behalf of Bassanio, who has just
confessed giving the ring he had of Portia to the lawyer who saved
Antonio from Shylock, thus breaking an oath to Portia never to give
away the ring; the concialatory words here take the form of a vow to
keep the faith (See Euche, above) from now on:
I once did lend my body for his wealth
Which but for him that had your husband's ring
had quite miscarried. I dare be bound again,
My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Will never more break faith advisedly. (V.i.249-253)
philophronesis—soothing or submissive speech designed to
mitigate the anger of one too powerful to oppose I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
I know not by what power I am made bold,
Nor how it may concern my modesty
In such a presence here to plead my thoughts. (I.i.58-61)
Provoking or Confronting
epiplexis—asking rhetorical questions in order to chide or
reprehend. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?
Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,
That I did never, no, nor never can
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,
But you must flout my insufficiency? (II.ii.122-8)
mycterismus—subtle mock [BOTTOM AS] PYRAMUS
Approach, ye Furies fell!
O Fates, come, come,
Cut thread and thrum,
Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!
THESEUS
This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a
man look sad.
(V.i.283-4)
"The funeral bak'd meats/Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables"
(Hamlet I.ii.180-1).
sarcasmus—bitter taunt Beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself!
And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,
Thou hast not left thevalue of a cord;
Therefore thou must be hanged at the state's charge. (Merchant of
Venice IV.i.362-5).
onedismus—reproach for ingratitude or impiety And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly.
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
Though I alone do feel the injury. (III.ii.215-219)
categoria—accusation of wickedness of another to his face QUEEN
What have I done that thou dar'st wag thy tongue
In noise so rude against me?
HAMLET
Such an act
That blurs the grace and blush of modesty,
Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose
From the fair forehead of an innocent love,
And sets a blister there, makes marriage vows
As false as dicers' oaths. O, such a deed
As from the body of contraction plucks
The very soul, and sweet religion makes
A rhapsody of words! Heaven's face does glow,
O'er this solidity and compound mass,
With heated visage, as against the doom
Is thought-sick at the act. (Hamlet 3.4.39-51)
proclees—provocation of adversary by vehement accusation or
confident offer of proof. "What, have you come by night/And stol'n my love's heart from him?"
(III.ii.283-4) Signor Antonio, many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug
For suff'rance is the badge of all our tribe.
You call e misbeliever, cutthroat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help.
Go to then. you come to me and you say,
"Shylock, we would have moneys"--you say so,
You that did void your rheum upon my beard
and foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
over your threshold. (Merchant of Venice I.iii.103-115)
bdelygmia—concise expression of hate or abhorrence to
another "Vile thing, let loose/Or I will shake thee from em like a serpent"
(III.ii.260-1)
ara—cursing O be thou damned, inexecrable dog,
And for thy life let justice be accused! (Merchant of Venice (IV.i. 128-
9)
Blessing or Enjoying
eulogia—pronouncement of blessing
Now until the break of day
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bridebed will we
Which by us shall blessed be,
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be,
And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand.
Never mole, harelip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious such as are
Despised in nativity
shall upon their children be.
With this field dew consecrate
Every fairy take his gait
And each several chamber bless
Trhough this palace with sweet peace.
And the owner of it blest
Ever shall in safety rest. (V.i.393-414)
"Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke" (I.i.20).
paeanismus—expression of exuberant joy O love, be moderate; allay thy ecstasy;
In measure rain thy joy; scant this excess!
I feel too much thy blessing. Make it less
For fear I surfeit! (Merchant of Venice, III.ii.111-14)
This remark by Titania could also be interpreted as an instance of
paeanismus:
Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.
Fairies, be gone, and be always away.
So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle
Gently entwist; the female ivy so
Enrings the barky fingers of the elm
O, howe I love thee! how I dote on thee! (IV.i.39-44)
V. Figures of Ethos (character)
comprobatio—commendation of those judging one’s cause or
one’s argument for their virtues PORTIA
It must not be. There is no power in Venice
Can alter a decree established.
'Twill be recorded for a precedent,
And many an error by the same example
Will rush into the state: it cannot be.
SHYLOCK
A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel!
O wise young judge, how I do honor thee! (Merchant of Venice 216-
220)
parrhesia—speaking candidly and boldly, often to figures of
authority. The figure often involves an apology, or
expression of humble reverence. Hermia's speech in the passage below is parrhesiastic.
THESEUS
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
HERMIA
So is Lysander.
THESEUS
In himself he is;
But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,
The other must be held the worthier.
HERMIA
I would my father looked but with my eyes
THESEUS
Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.
HERMIA
I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
I know not by what power I am made bold,
Nor how it may concern my modesty
In such a presence here to plead my thoughts,
But I beseech your grace that I may know
The worst that may befall me in this case
If I refuse to wed Demetrius.
THESEUS
Either to die the death, or to abjure
For ever the society of men.
Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires,
Know of your youth, examine well your blood,
Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,
you can endure the livery of a nun,
For aye to be in shady cloister mewed,
To live a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.
Thrice blessed they that master so their blood
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;
But earthlier happy is the rose distilled
Than that which, withering on the virgin thron
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.
HERMIA
So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
Ere I will yield my virgin patent up
Unto his lordship whose unwished yoke
My soul consents not to give sovereignty. (I.i.52-82)
eucharistia—expression of gratitude for benefits received BASSANIO
Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend
Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted
Of grievous penalties, in lieu whereof,
Three thousand ducats due unto the Jew
We freely cope your courteous pains withal.
ANTONIO
And stand indebted, over and above,
In love and service to you evermore.
(Merchant of Venice IV.i.406-12)
sygnome—expression of forgiveness Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.
Mine and my father's death come not upon thee,
Nor thine on me! (Hamlet V.ii.311-13)
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