Anaphora

Anaphora Definition Anaphora is a rhetorical device that consists of repeating a sequence of words at the beginnings of neighboring clauses, thereby lending them emphasis.

Anaphora Examples What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp? — William Blake, "The Tyger"

Anaphora Examples It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way... — Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Anaphora’s Purpose Anaphora draws attention and emphasis to the word or phrase that it repeats. This focuses the reader on essential details.

Anaphora Exercise Set up a document in Notability called Hayden and Anaphora. At the top of your document, type your own definition of anaphora and why it is used. Find one example of anaphora in “Frederick Douglass” by Robert Hayden. In Notability, write down the word(s) that is repeated, which line(s) the word appears on, and how many times per line it is repeated. For your example, write what detail the anaphora draws us to, and how that contributes to the poem’s overall meaning.