106:
and to focus attention on the positive aspects of the subject at hand. The initial inferior options make the final term seem still better by comparison than it would appear in isolation: "X is good, Y is better, Z is best" is a standard format. It can also be used in reverse to make the initial term
363:
186:
As a relative term, anticlimax requires a greater or lesser climax to precede it in order to have proper effect. An anticlimax can be intentionally employed only for a jocular or satiric purpose. It frequently partakes of the nature of
592:
528:
178:
is an abrupt descent (either deliberate or unintended) on the part of a speaker or writer from the dignity of idea at which they appeared to aim, as in:
182:"The English poet Herrick expressed the same sentiment when he suggested that we should gather rosebuds while we may. Your elbow is in the butter, sir."
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132:: "I think we've reached a point of great decision, not just for our nation, not only for all humanity, but for life upon the earth."
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are arranged in order of increasing importance. In its use with clauses, it is also sometimes known as
122:: "There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
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The
Longman Dictionary of Literary Terms: Vocabulary for the Informed Reader
107:
seem better by comparison: "A isn't perfect but B is worse and C is worst."
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477:. Berkley Publishing Group/Penguin Publishing. New York.
155:"...O'erthrows thy joys, friends, fortune and thy state"
27:
Arrangement of phrases in increasing order of importance
262:. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. p. 677.
768:
608:
364:"SCENE II. The coast of Wales. A castle in view"
555:, vol. 2 (9th ed.), 1878, p. 127
145:"...Lost, vaded, broken, dead within an hour."
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443:. Oxford University Press. New York, Oxford.
8:
561:Video about the use of climax and anticlimax
557:— 11th edition reprinted this article
489:A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms
593:
579:
571:
566:More figures of speech in video examples
389:
239:
426:. Oxford University Press. New York.
7:
58: "staircase" or "ladder") is a
424:Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
330:A Generation in Search of a Future
130:A Generation in Search of a Future
25:
82:
54:
246:Corbett and Connors, 1999. p. 57
667:
119:First Letter to the Corinthians
460:. Pearson, Longman. New York.
1:
491:. Checkmark Books. New York.
439:and Connors, Robert J. 1999.
362:Shakespeare, William (1595).
224:Climax as a narrative element
94:Climax is frequently used in
258:Smyth, Herbert Weir (1920).
983:
163:
44:
475:The Elements of Eloquence
148:William Shakespeare from
347:The Passionate Pilgrim,
552:Encyclopædia Britannica
529:Encyclopædia Britannica
141:The Passionate Pilgrim
487:Quinn, Edward. 1999.
437:Corbett, Edward P. J.
18:Anticlimax (rhetoric)
404:Much Obliged, Jeeves
343:Shakespeare, William
282:Baldick, 2008. p. 31
248:Baldick, 2008. p. 59
926:Rhetorical question
441:Style and Statement
368:shakespeare.mit.edu
315:1 Corinthians 13:13
136:William Shakespeare
546:"Anticlimax"
523:"Anticlimax"
967:Figures of speech
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948:
720:Hysteron proteron
602:Figures of speech
503:"Silva Rhetorica"
483:978-0-425-27618-1
432:978-0-19-920827-2
402:Wodehouse, P.G.,
195:"Die and endow a
86: "growth").
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16:(Redirected from
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456:et al. 2006.
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454:Kennedy, X.J.
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919:Antanaclasis
823:Epanorthosis
740:Polysyndeton
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633:Antimetabole
618:Alliteration
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371:. Retrieved
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166:Catacosmesis
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102:) to create
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75:
49:
35:
29:
808:Catachresis
793:Antonomasia
788:Antiphrasis
730:Parallelism
680:Epanalepsis
643:Aposiopesis
623:Anadiplosis
176:anti-climax
126:George Wald
100:advertising
956:Categories
936:Synecdoche
840:Dysphemism
813:Ecphonesis
803:Apostrophe
745:Spoonerism
735:Polyptoton
715:Hyperbaton
690:Epistrophe
675:Consonance
638:Antithesis
373:2022-04-20
230:References
189:antithesis
172:anticlimax
164:See also:
160:Anticlimax
151:Richard II
96:persuasion
941:Tautology
867:Apophasis
845:Euphemism
828:Hyperbole
818:Ekphrasis
710:Hypallage
700:Hendiadys
695:Epizeuxis
685:Epiphrase
653:Asyndeton
648:Assonance
235:Citations
191:, as in:
116:From the
62:in which
962:Rhetoric
904:Pleonasm
894:Oxymoron
889:Metonymy
884:Metaphor
857:Innuendo
833:Adynaton
798:Aphorism
783:Allusion
778:Allegory
750:Symploce
725:Isocolon
658:Chiasmus
628:Anaphora
473:. 2014.
422:. 2008.
208:See also
111:Examples
32:rhetoric
879:Litotes
872:Sarcasm
850:Meiosis
610:Schemes
413:Sources
197:college
77:auxesis
72:clauses
68:phrases
931:Simile
770:Tropes
760:Zeugma
755:Tmesis
663:Climax
495:
481:
464:
447:
430:
266:
219:Bathos
50:klîmax
45:κλῖμαξ
36:climax
862:Irony
199:or a
138:from
128:from
90:Usage
70:, or
64:words
40:Greek
668:Anti
493:ISBN
479:ISBN
462:ISBN
445:ISBN
428:ISBN
349:XIII
264:ISBN
83:lit.
55:lit.
34:, a
914:Pun
201:cat
174:or
170:An
30:In
958::
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526:,
505:.
382:^
366:.
345:,
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66:,
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587:t
580:v
509:.
376:.
306:.
304:2
294:.
292:1
272:.
153::
143::
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38:(
20:)
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