Assonance is a literary device where vowel sounds in nearby words are repeated within a sentence or phrase. Unlike rhyme, which focuses on matching end sounds, assonance emphasizes the echo of similar internal vowel sounds. This creates subtle and sonorous sound effects.
Let's take a look at an example from Shakespeare, The Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 4:
Come away, come away, death,
And in sad cypress let me be laid.
Fly away, fly away, breath,
I am slain by a fair cruel maid.
The repetition of the long vowel "a" sounds in "away," "laid," and "maid" attempts to portray the sadness of a heart-sick lover longing for death because the woman he loves has no interest in him. However, we know that both the song and singer are exaggerating and do not really wish for death. The use of assonance here is rather cliche.
Assonance works best when it properly reflects the intended meaning of the author in novel ways. Let's look at an example from Percy Shelley in his poem "Mont Blanc" (1817):
Thy caverns echoing to the Arve's commotion,
A loud, lone sound no other sound can tame;
Here, the poet attempts to make sound match with sense. The Arve is the name of a river in France and Switzerland, which runs through Mont Blanc, a famous mountain in Europe. By merely choosing the word "commotion," he achieves this effect. The repeated short vowel "o" sounds in that word represent the echoing of the river in the caves that he mentions.
He also combines consonance with assonance with words like "loud" and "sound" to achieve a similar effect. The repetition of both the "ou" vowel sound and the "d" sound in both words again reflects an echo, as does the literal repetition of the word "sound."
1. Why writers use assonance
Writers use assonance for a wide variety of reasons. However, the chief effect is musicality and sonorous effect. In short, it just sounds good. Nonetheless, assonance works best when it is made to echo the meaning that the writer is trying to get across. Let's look at some of the reasons writers use assonance.
1. To create mood and atmosphere. Assonance helps evoke emotions and set the tone of a piece. For instance, long vowel sounds can create a sense of melancholy, while short vowels may produce a lively or tense mood.
2. To add musicality and rhythm. By repeating vowel sounds, writers create a lyrical quality, making their work more pleasurable to read or hear. This can also aid in emphasizing key passages.
3. To draw attention to themes or ideas. Assonance highlights specific words or phrases, encouraging readers to focus on their significance and interpret their deeper meanings.
Examples of Assonance
1. Arnold, "Philomela" (1853):
Say, will it never heal?
And can this fragrant lawn
With its cool trees, and night,
And the sweet, tranquil Thames,
And moonshine, and the dew,
To thy rack'd heart and brain
Afford no balm?
Arnold uses a combination of assonance and consonance to mirror the emotion being expressed here. The short "e" vowel sounds in combination with the "l" sound in "will" and "heal" have a soothing effect. This is appropriate as the poet here is talking about bringing comfort to a being in deep pain. The long "o" sounds in "cool," "moon," and "dew" also have a similar calming effect. Lastly, the harsh and difficult-to-pronounce consonance and assonance in "rack'd heart" reflects the pain and distress of the being referred to.
2. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1915):
In the room, the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.
”The recurring “o” sound mirrors the monotonous and cyclical nature of social interactions, and it also serves to highlight Prufrock’s sense of disconnect.
3. Eliot, "The Waste Land" (1922):
April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing.
The elongated “e” sounds in “breeding” and “mixing” work in contrast against the abrupt and halting sound of “dead.” This properly evokes the tension between renewal and decay.
4. Yeats, "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" (1890):
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore.
Yeats uses a combination of assonance and consonance here. The repeated “a” sounds in “lapping” and “lake” evoke a soothing, meditative rhythm, reflecting the speaker’s longing for peace and solitude. In addition, the combination of consonant sounds like "l," "k," and "p" in "lake water lapping" attempts to reproduce the sound of water lapping.
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Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, November 19). What Is Assonace? https://www.eminentediting.com/post/what-is-assonance |
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