antithesis examples in song lyrics

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Examples of Antithesis Across Media: Notable Uses

• DESCRIPTION Happy woman eating a cotton candy and Businessman crying in rain as Antithesis examples
• SOURCE Woman: andresr / E+ / Getty Images / Man: PM Images / Stone / Getty Images
• PERMISSION Used under Getty Images license

You're a brave and outgoing public speaker, but your best friend clams up at the thought of talking on stage. They are your antithesis: someone or something with a contrary characteristic. Authors and speakers use antithesis between characters, concepts and situations to draw contrasts in their work — which can be a very effective way to persuade an audience to support a character, vote a certain way or even buy a particular product.

Antithesis Examples in Literature and Film

Using antithesis as a literary device in stories helps to develop a conflict , paving the way to a resolution. It also allows the protagonist to develop some strength in character and fight back against antithetical forces.

Julius Caesar

In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Marcus Brutus and Mark Antony were painted in opposite colors. Interestingly, the contrast isn’t stark. Shakespeare takes a more subtle approach to antithesis here, portraying Brutus as an honorable man, if slightly naive. Antony was also an honorable man, but he possessed a certain ruthlessness and ambition that Brutus lacked.

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens begins: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Dickens epitomized the very idea of antithesis with this line. How can anything be both good and bad? In truth, life is always a simultaneous balance of the two.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling, Dumbledore and Voldemort engage in a fiery and electric battle of the ages. They are both powerful wizards, with Dumbledore coming down on the side of good and Voldemort coming down on the side of evil.

Paradise Lost

John Milton writes that it is “better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n" in Paradise Lost . Milton draws this stark contrast to make the point is that it may be better to be in power, even if it’s in the darkest depths of the netherworld, than to serve at the feet of another.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Aslan and the White Witch are constantly at odds with one another in The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Aslan represents the side of good, whereas the White Witch comes down on the side of evil, sometimes even being compared to Satan.

An Essay on Criticism

The “to err is human; to forgive divine" from Alexander Pope's A n Essay on Criticism paints a striking image of two opposing forces. Mistakes are a part of what it means to be human. However, if you want to elevate yourself to a status higher than humankind, you’ll have to learn to forgive one another.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

In Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , Snow White and the Wicked Witch possess antithetical character traits. Snow White wanted to be kind and helpful to her fellow man, while the Wicked Witch's bitter jealousy prompts her to poison Snow White with an apple, thus taking away her beauty and charm.

Beauty and the Beast

Even the title of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is based on antithesis. Belle is the quintessence of beauty and the Beast is the epitome of ugliness. However, even though they’re initially presented as polar opposites, they still find a way to each other. And what is the Beast’s reward in the end? His beastliness is turned into beauty.

The venerable William Shakespeare writes, “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice" in Hamlet . In a short statement, he uses antithesis to contrast talking with its opposite: listening. True to form, Shakespeare found an illustrative way to drive a simple point home.

Antithesis Examples in Music

Much like poetry, song lyrics use antithesis to create vivid mental images and to draw important contrasts. How better to paint a picture or tug on a heartstring than with an illustrative play on words?

• "It rained all night the day I left, the weather it was dry, / The sun so hot, I froze to death, Susanna, don’t you cry." - Oh Susanna ! by Stephen Foster
• "You’re easy on the eyes, hard on the heart." - Y ou’re Easy on the Eyes by Terri Clark
• "I close my eyes so I can see / I burn a fire to stay cool / Shut the door so I can leave." - Shut the Door by Fugazi
• "And even though the sun is shining / Well, I feel the rain." - Even in the Quietest Moments by Roger Hodgson
• "It's never too soon / It's never too late." - Quicksand by Bethany Joy Lenz
• "Give me some sunshine / Give me some rain / Give me another chance / I wanna grow up once again." - Give Me Some Sunshine by Swanand Kirkire

Antithesis Examples in Speech and Advertising

Speakers frequently use antithesis to sway a crowd. On the same note, advertisers also use this rhetorical device to persuade their audience to buy a product. Take a look at a few noteworthy examples of historic moments and marketing campaigns.

• “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” - Neil Armstrong
• "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
• "Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." - Sara Lee advertising slogan.
• “Unlike short-sighted, egocentric humans, God 'sees with equal eye' the fall of a hero and a sparrow, the destruction of an atom or a solar system.” - Alexander Pope.
• “Speech is silver, but silence is gold.” - Source unknown
• "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here." - Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address
• "I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dryrot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." - Jack London
• "Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing." - Goethe
• “Money is the root of all evil: poverty is the fruit of all goodness.” - Source unknown
• “Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit.” - Aristotle
• “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” - Samuel Johnson
• “Folks who have no vices have very few virtues.” - Abraham Lincoln
• "All the joy the world contains / Has come through wishing happiness for others. / All the misery the world contains / Has come through wanting pleasure for oneself." - Shantideva

Using Writing Tools

Any time you make a decision between two options, you're comparing their characteristics and deciding which you prefer. In this way, antithesis can be a very effective persuasive tool. Use rhetoric to make decisions (or to persuade others to do so) in real life or in writing.

• Examples of Rhetorical Devices: 25 Techniques to Recognize
• Examples of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos
• Types of Logical Fallacies: Recognizing Faulty Reasoning

Figures of speech in Taylor Swift songs

Hello! How are you all? I hope everythng is OK. I haven't been active this months because of my studies but I'm doing well :muscle: .

I'm very excited about this blog. I love Literature and I have read a lot of classic Spanish poetry (Lorca is my favourite). In my opinion Taylor Swift is a very good poet and she uses figures in a wonderful way, that's why I love her music.

I have made a list of figures of the speech that Taylor apply in her songs. So here it is:

A metaphor is a figure of speech that consists of identifying something real with something imaginary by creating a relationship of similarity.

I want you to know, I'm a mirrorball (Mirrorball, folklore)

It is simply a direct comparison that actually has a relationship with each other.

And you call me up again

Just to break me like a promise (All too well, RED)

The famous hyperbole is exactly an intentional exaggeration to the reality exposed, sometimes used with moderation in order to draw attention to the message to be emphasized.

Fifteen years, fifteen million tears (It's Time To Go, evermore)

This figure of speech consists of designating an idea with the name of another with which there is a relationship of dependence.

Don Perignon, you brought it (instead of champagne) (Champagne Problems, evermore)

Anaphora is a figure of speech that consists of the repetition of one or more words at the beginning of a line or statement.

But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss

I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs

The smell of smoke would hang around this long

'Cause I knew everything when I was young

I knew I'd curse you for the longest time  (Cardigan, folklore)

Epithet is the qualifying adjective that highlights the characteristics and qualities of a noun without differentiating it from its group.

Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground (I Knew You Were Trouble, RED)

Irony is a figure of speech that consists of implying the opposite of what is said.

And you would hide away and find your peace of mind

With some indie record that's much cooler than mine (We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, RED)

The paradox (artistic contradiction) consists of using concepts or ideas that are contradictory to each other, but that together possess a very significant value at a deeper level of sense and meaning not revealed at first sight, but that penetrates deeply in an astonishing way.

Please, don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere (New Year's Day, reputation)

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which a contradiction appears, combining two words or expressions of opposite meaning and giving rise to a new meaning.

I never heard silence quite this loud (Story of us, Speak Now)

Synesthesia

Synesthesia is a figure of speech that, in addition to mixing auditory, visual, gustatory, olfactory and tactile sensations, associates elements from the physical senses with internal sensations.

Losing him was blue...

But loving him was red (Red, RED)

Polysyndeton

Figure of speech consisting of the repetition of one or more conjunctions within the same sentence or text in order to give more force to what is being expressed.

All you are is mean

And a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life

And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean (Mean, Speak Now)

The antithesis is a rhetorical figure that consists of opposing two ideas using antonymous words or phrases of opposite meaning, close in proximity and of similar grammatical structure.

The more that you say, the less I know (Willow, evermore)

It consists of eliminating the linking elements between words in a sentence or between different sentences in order to speed up the expression.

His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room (Wildest Dreams, 1989)

It consists of interrupting the speech to vehemently address another person or personified things that may be real or imaginary, generally with a pathetic or lamenting tone.

Don't you think I was too young to mess with? (Dear John, Speak Now)

It is a literary figure that consists of using several forms of the same word by changing its inflectional morphemes.

You had a speech, you're spechless (Champagne Problems, evermore)

And that's all. If you find some more leave a comment!.

I hope you like it

Comments (7)

So well thought out and written!!

Thank you so much :heart: :heart: :heart:

this is exactly how they should teach the figures of speech at school :relieved:

Yes! Music is a good way of teaching Literature. It connects very well with students

Reply to: Espe

i completely totally agree

Taylor’s lyrics rhyme all the time! There literally countless examples! Here are few of them (cause I really don’t have the time to type more):

You come around and the armor falls

Pierce the room like a cannon ball

Now all we know is don't let go

We are alone, just you and me

Up in your room and our slates are clean

Just twin fire signs, four blue eyes

The lucky one(basically the whole song)

There's glitter on the floor after the party

Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby

Candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor

You and me from the night before

My only one

My smoking gun

My eclipsed sun

This has broken me down

My twisted knife

My sleepless night

My win-less fight

This has frozen my ground

You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye

And I got that red lip, classic thing that you like

And when we go crashing down, we come back every time

'Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style

You've got that long hair slick back, white t-shirt

And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt

Walkin' through a crowd, the village is a glow

Kaleidoscope of loud heartbeats under coats

Everybody here wanted somethin' more

Searchin' for a sound we hadn't heard before

And it said

Welcome to New York

And Cardigan and Enchanted....

—google copy pasting :joy:

Yess, she is a genius

Into Swifties? Join the community.

More mythological references?

Swifties amino discord - a guide.

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Examples of antithesis can be found in Katy Perry’s song Hot

Published by Piers Turner Modified over 5 years ago

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