Epanalepsis
ep·a·na·lep·sis
What does this fun-to-say word mean?
Epanalepsis sounds more confusing than it really is. It occurs when there is a word or phrase that is at the beginning, and then repeated again at the end.
When would epanalepsis be used?
Epanalepsis is used for one main reason:
- to emphasize the word or phrases, such as the main idea or concept
The beginning and end are the part of a sentence people focus on the most, so using the same word/phrases in these spots will make the writers main point very clear.
When did we see this in class?
Recall freshman year with Mrs. Clark. Within the play of Romeo and Juliet, there is most likely many more examples that the one below:
"If love be rough with you, be rough with love." -Mercutio, from Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. (Act 1, Scene 4, Line 27)
"If love be rough with you, be rough with love." -Mercutio, from Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. (Act 1, Scene 4, Line 27)
You can see these anywhere!
In the movie Hurricane, featuring Denzel Washington in 1999, he says the line, "Justice - that's all I want - justice." As you can tell, he makes it very clear what the main point of his statement is.
Where else?
There are many other places you can see epanalepsis in action:
- Poems
- The Bible
- Songs
- Books
One example, from the bible, would be "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." -John 16:33
Try it out; it never hurts to try!
See that fancy title? Try using it in your writings to really make a point and blow your professors minds.
"People aren't perfect, and that's what makes us people." -Example of epanalepsis from myself