Rhetoric (aka Manual Mode)

Rhetoric (aka Manual Mode)

But fear not! There are easy ways to do things the hard way

Like using a rhetorical device or three!

I’ve gathered some of my favourites on this page, with examples you may be familiar with. You may have even quoted them before.

Deploy these devices to wield words like Shakespeare (or Taylor Swift)

Cartoon of Shakespeare saying "I became the Bard using these 30+ weird tricks!"
Shakespeare would've loved BuzzFeed and Lifehacker

Alliteration

Origin

Latin. Addition of a letter.

Definition

Starting several syllables in a sentence using the same letter. Simple.

Examples of alliteration

Bright as a button
Cool as a cucumber
Dead as a doornail
Power to the people

Full fathom five thy father lies — The Tempest

Voila! In view humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the “vox populi” now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin, van guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it’s my very good honour to meet you and you may call me V — V for Vendetta

Antithesis

Origin

Greek. Opposition, or set against.

Definition

When a thing is compared to its polar opposite for dramatic effect.

Examples of antithesis

To be or not to be, that is the question — Hamlet

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white — Katy Perry

Andiaplosis

Origin

Greek. To be made double.

Definition

When you start a line using the last word of the previous line.

Examples of andiaplosis

The love of wicked men converts to fear; that fear to hate, and hate turns one or both, to worthy danger and deserved death — Richard II

Fear leads to anger,
anger leads to hate,
hate leads to suffering — Yoda

Diacope

Origin

Greek. Cut in two.

Definition

Repetition of a word, but broken up by a word or two in the middle.

Examples of diacope

To be or not to be — Hamlet

Food, glorious food! — Oliver!

Bond. James Bond. — You know who

Epizeuxis

Origin

Greek. Fastening together.

Definition

Repeating something over and over (and over and over and over and over) for extra oomph.

Examples of epizeuxis

Location location location

O horror, horror, horror — Macbeth
Howl! Howl! Howl! Howl! Howl! – King Lear

We are never ever, ever, ever getting back together. Like, ever
'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
Shake it off, I shake it off – Taylor Swift

The first rule of Fight Club is you don’t talk about fight club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You. Don’t. Talk. About. Fight club – Fight Club

Hendiadys

Origin

Greek. One thing by two.

Definition

Take an adjective and turn it into a noun. Voila. Instantly deep, indecipherable verse.

Examples of hendiadys

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune — Hamlet

Full of sound and fury – Macbeth

She walks in beauty, like the night — Byron

Nice and warm

Hyperbaton

Origin

Latin. Transposed or inverted.

Definition

Intentionally writing words in the wrong order for poetic effect.

Examples of hyperbaton

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown — Henry IV

One swallow does not a summer make

Off you two f*** – The Thick of It

Literally everything Yoda says

Merism

Origin

Latin. Divide or partition.

Definition

Two (or more) contrasting parts of a whole.

Examples of merism

Hook, line and sinker
From A to Z
Every nook and cranny
From nose to tail

Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls that were his eyes — The Tempest

Periodus

Origin

Latin. The time during which something runs its course.

Definition

When you bury the active verb under a whole pile of poetic fluff to build tension.

AKA period, periode, periodos, periodic sentences.

Examples of periodus

The cloud-capp’d towers, The gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, The great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve — The Tempest

Every breath you take, Every move you make, Every bond you break, Every step you take, I’ll be watching you — Sting and The Police

Polyptoton

Origin

Latin. Many cases.

Definition

Using a word’s multiple meanings in one sentence.

Examples of polyptoton

Is this a dagger that I see before me, The handle towards my hand? — Macbeth

Please please me — The Beatles

I dreamed a dream — Les Miserables (and Susan Boyle)

Tricolon

Origin

Greek. Three clauses.

Definition

The immortal, the eternal, the unbeatable rule of 3s. Three really is the magic number.

Examples of tricolon

The good, the bad, and the ugly
Truth, justice, and the American way
Ready. Set. Go.
Eat, drink and be merry

We few. We happy few. We band of brothers — Henry V

I came. I saw. I conquered — Julius Caesar