Alliteration

Created: November 5, 2020 9:58 AM
Forest status: #soil
Last Edited: 2022-12-31
Topics: Literary devices

In alliteration, words that begin with the same sound are placed close together. Although alliteration often involves repetition of letters, most importantly, it is a repetition of sounds.

Threads

-- Literary A-Z --
No. 6
ALLITERATION
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers", apparently. Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds and it's one of my least favourite techniques of all time, so this is going to be a challenge. It's just that it so rarely does anything other than draw the reader's attention. It's so well known, so easily recognised, and yet it almost always does precisely nothing.
Anyway, let's see what we can do.

Alliteration goes way back. Ancient Greeks, for example, used it for emphasis, and it flourished as well in Shakespeare's time. We've already looked at "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" from Macbeth - and I suppose the repetition of that 'F' highlights this line indicating the play's distorted reality.

Fast forward to the 21st century! J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series brims with alliteration, making spells and characters memorable: "Mischief managed," These catchy phrases add a touch of magic to the wizarding world. #HarryPotter #JKRowling

Thread: Alliteration Allure: The Power of Repeated Sounds (5/5)

Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys (2019) also uses alliteration effectively. Phrases like "Brutal beatings," "Cowering in the cold," and "Corrupted corrections officers" paint a stark picture of injustice. The harsh sounds mirror the brutality of the story. #TheNickelBoys #ColsonWhitehead

So, alliteration isn't just about tongue twisters! It can create rhythm, highlight themes, and make characters and settings more vivid. Listen closely next time you read – alliteration might be working its magic! #literarydevices #readinganalysis

Thread: Alliteration Allure: A Literary Journey (6/5)

Alliteration in Anglo-Saxon Poetry: A Powerful Tradition

Early English literature relied heavily on alliteration. Beowulf, the epic poem, uses alliteration to create a sense of strength and masculinity. Think of lines like "grim and greedy" or "battle-hardened warriors." #Beowulf #AngloSaxonLiterature

Thread: Alliteration Allure: A Literary Journey (7/5)

Alliteration in Medieval Morality Plays: Lessons Learned

Medieval plays used alliteration for emphasis and to deliver moral messages. Everyman, a morality play, features lines like "Fleeing from the face of God." The repetition reinforces the play's core theme of mortality. #Everyman #MedievalLiterature

Thread: Alliteration Allure: A Literary Journey (8/5)

Alliteration in the Romantic Era: A Symphony of Sounds

Romantics like Samuel Taylor Coleridge embraced alliteration for its musicality. In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," lines like "slimy sea" and "frightful friends" create an atmosphere of mystery and fear through sound. #Coleridge #Romanticism

Thread: Alliteration Allure: A Literary Journey (9/5)

Alliteration in Detective Fiction: Setting the Scene

Hard-boiled detective novels often use alliteration for a punchy, gritty style. Think of Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye - "The blonde with the bod" or "trouble in triplicate." These alliterations add a hard-edged feel to the story. #DetectiveFiction #RaymondChandler

Thread: Alliteration Allure: A Literary Journey (10/5)

Alliteration in Modern Poetry: A Playful Palette

Modern poets like Margaret Atwood experiment with alliteration for unexpected effects. In "You Fit into Me," Atwood uses playful alliteration like "fullness fills your hollows" to explore themes of love and connection. #MargaretAtwood #ModernPoetry

So, alliteration's journey through literature is vast! From ancient epics to modern poetry, this technique continues to add power, rhythm, and memorability to the written word. #literaryanalysis #alliterationenthusiasts