The literary method known as antithesis places concepts that are diametrically opposed to one another in parallel fashion. Imagine opposites such as good guys and bad guys, warm and cold, bitter and sweet. Your writing will be improved by using antithesis since it will illuminate disparities and make your position more convincing.
What is antithesis?
The study of opposites is referred to as antithesis (pronounced an-TITH-uh-sis). The definition of antithesis that can be found in Merriam-Webster is “the direct opposite,” and the meaning of the word when translated from Greek is “setting opposite.” When used as a technique for writing, antithesis creates a contrast between two aspects by employing a grammatical structure that is parallel. In other words, it is placing contrasting concepts next to one another while maintaining the same terminology or framework. This produces a striking contrast, which draws attention to dramatic features and generates a rhythm that the reader will find intriguing.
What is the function of antithesis?
Writing that uses antithesis makes for more memorable writing because of the structure’s repetition, and writing that uses antithesis makes for more compelling writing because of its juxtapositions.
Consider, for instance, the first lines of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, which go as follows: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Even if the name Dr. Manette is completely foreign to you, there is a good chance that you are familiar with this line. Dickens combined two opposing characteristics (best and worst) and linked them together through the use of a parallel structure (it was… of times / it was… of times). The contrast is unmistakable, and the meaning behind it is fascinating. The reader is completely captivated.
Antithesis is a technique used in rhetoric that draws attention to the contrast between two different possibilities. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. declared in a speech given in Saint Louis in 1964: “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” The first choice, which is to continue living together as brothers, has King’s unequivocal backing. In order to bolster the credibility of his assertion, he used the rhetorical device of antithesis, which consists of juxtaposing two activities that are diametrically opposed to one another (live and perish, respectively).
How to use antithesis in writing
When you first start using antithesis in your own writing, the two most critical things for you to think about are contrast and parallel organisation.
Contrast is the most important aspect of antithesis because it allows concepts to be compared and contrasted. In an ideal world, these two ideas would be polar opposites of one another. Contrasting contrasts and suggested opposites are both examples of juxtaposition. However, there are situations when you can get away with using these techniques. ((The distinction between antithesis and juxtaposition will be covered in a later lesson.)) The more dissimilar the two things are to one another, the more obvious the contrast between them will be. Antithesis is a more potent argumentative device than juxtaposition since it focuses on more striking contrasts.
However, it is important to avoid using antithesis too frequently. The success of this strategy is contingent on successfully capturing the attention of your reader. When it is utilised excessively, it can transform from being notable to bothersome.
Antithesis vs. juxtaposition
Antithesis, parallelism, and juxtaposition are all literary strategies that are very closely related to one another and overlap with one another. Learning the differences between these devices can help you grasp each one on its own, similar to how antithesis reveals the properties of two opposing ideas by contrasting them with one another.
The act of juxtaposing two things, or objects, in this way draws attention to the similarities and differences between them. In contrast to antithesis, this is a more general concept. One type of juxtaposition is known as antithesis. The concept of antithesis refers to the arrangement of polar opposites next to one another, whereas juxtaposition makes use of any kind of contrast. In addition to this, juxtaposition can also take the shape of foils, which are contrasts between particular characters, and oxymorons (seemingly illogical expressions that use contradictory words).
Antithesis vs. parallelism
Because we just finished writing about how parallelism is used in antithesis to make its point, this could sound familiar to you. Syntax, often known as the framework of a sentence, is relevant to the concept of parallelism. To put it another way, it’s two or more clauses that have the same structure as one another grammatically. In the sentence “hope for the best, prepare for the worst,” for instance, the grammatical structure is repeated twice in a succession. Parallelism does not require its subjects to deal in opposites, which is not the case with antithesis. This is one of the key distinctions between antithesis and parallelism. Additionally, antithesis refers to both the content as well as the form of a statement, whereas parallelism just pertains to the structure of a statement.
Antithesis examples
Once you know what to look for, you’ll see that there are examples of antithesis all around you. The excerpts that follow are drawn from various works of literature, poetry, speeches, music, and advertisements that we came across.