When Neil Armstrong walked on the moon he said, 'that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' – this is a famous example of antithesis. Antithesis is a literary device used to show the difference or contrast between two objects. Synonyms for antithesis are 'opposite' or 'contrast.' Antithesis can be found in everyday use of figures of speech.
Antithesis: meaning and synonyms
Antithesis is a commonly used literary device that can be found in novels, poems, plays and in our day to day speech.
Antithesis – A literary device that states that two objects are different from each other
This is a type of literary device that can be used to highlight the differences between two objects in a positive or negative way. There are many synonyms for antithesis, including, opposite or contrast. Antithesis can be used in two ways.
1. To juxtapose two different ideas
This type of antithesis is commonly used alongside parallelism.
Parallelism – Phrases placed in succession to each other that use the same grammatical structure.
Writers are able to use the two devices together to pair opposite objects together in their sentences. When antithesis and parallelism are used at the same time, this creates rhythm. An example of antithesis being used alongside parallelism is seen in the song 'Hello Goodbye' (1967) by The Beatles:
The phrase 'You say yes' is mirrored in the second half of the sentence, 'I say no'. There are also two forms of antithesis in this sentence, 'you' is the antithesis of 'I' and 'yes' is the antithesis of 'no'. By using antithesis, the singer is showing how different he is to the other person.
2. To describe one thing as the opposite of another
Another way to use antithesis is as a way to describe one thing as the opposite of the other. When antithesis is used this way it is meant to create a contrast between two objects. Sometimes, this will be done by using the word 'antithesis' itself in the sentence, this can be seen below,
He is the antithesis of a good friend.
Here, the word 'antithesis' is used to imply that the person is the opposite of a good friend.
Antithesis: examples
Examples of antithesis can be found across media, including literature – from poems and songs to novels and our everyday speech.
Figures of speech
Figures of speech are phrases that are used in a non-literal sense for effect and we use them in our everyday speech.
A figure of speech – A word or phrase that is used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical effect.
Antithesis is used frequently in figures of speech to provide a reason for something. Below are two examples of figures of speech that use antithesis.
We know that these figures of speech use antithesis as they use objects that are the opposite of each other. In the first example, 'come' is the opposite of 'go' as the former is to enter into something, while the latter is to leave. From this, we know that the figure of speech is being used to mean that if something comes easily, it will also leave easily.
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.
The second example is similar to the first one, as we can infer what the figure of speech means. The word 'junk' (or rubbish) is the opposite of 'treasure'. This means that the figure of speech is saying that what is rubbish to one man, will be treasured by another.
Plays
Some of the most famous phrases that use antithesis come from plays. This is frequently noted in the plays of William Shakespeare, who used antithesis as a dramatic device when writing his works. Antithesis can be used in plays to show the differences between characters and their motivations, as well as to show a character's inner strife. One of the most well-known examples of this is seen in Shakespeare's play Hamlet (1603)
To be, or not to be, that is the question.
Here, Shakespeare uses antithesis to show that Hamlet is asking himself an important question; 'to live, or to die?'. The presence of antithesis may be harder to see here than in modern writing. However, the use of the word 'not' shows that the device is being used. Shakespeare contrasts the phrase 'to be' with 'not to be', showing that the character is questioning his own mortality. Antithesis is used at a crucial point in this play to relay to the audience Hamlet's internal conflict.
Poems
Antithesis can also be frequently found in poetry. Antithesis is commonly seen alongside parallelism when it is used in poetry. It is effective when used in poetry as an antithesis can be used to reinforce rhythm in the poem. It can also contribute to the overall lyrical quality of the poem. An example of antithesis in poetry can be found in 'Fire and Ice' (1920) by Robert Frost.
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
'Fire' is hot and is, therefore, the antithesis of 'ice' which is cold. However, there is a second antithesis that is also present in the poem. The poem centres around ways the world may end, and so, 'fire' and 'ice' also are used as symbols for different causes of the earth's destruction. 'Fire' is a metaphor for greed, while 'ice' is a metaphor for hate or bigotry. Therefore, Frost uses antithesis for both the elements and what they represent.
Novels
Antithesis is also used commonly in novels. Here, an antithesis can be used to set up conflicts between characters, themes or settings in the novel. Antithesis can also be used to draw the reader's attention to a certain word or phrase. This will make it more memorable, especially if it is a theme that will be used throughout the novel. One of the most well-known examples of antithesis in literature is seen in Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
This is an example of parallelism and antithesis being used at the same time as the sentence mirrors itself. If the sentence is divided in two at the comma, it can be seen that the two halves are the same, except for the words 'best' and 'worst'. From this, the reader can gather that in the city, some people had a good time, while others did not. This sets up a conflict that is at the heart of the novel.
Antithesis: the use of and effect
When used correctly antithesis can be an extremely effective device. Antithesis can be used to show how vastly different two things are, as it places the objects side by side for comparison. This is particularly effective in persuasive writing such as a speech or argument. In persuasive writing, antithesis is also a useful device as it can highlight why what you are arguing for is better than what you are arguing against.
Antithesis is also effective when used in poems and novels. If anthesis is used as a literary device it can help create a rhythm throughout the poem. This is especially effective when used alongside parallelism. Antithesis can be used to create a lyrical effect on the writing, making it sound more musical. This is effective as it helps make writing more memorable.
Antithesis - Key takeaways
- Antithesis is a literary device that states that two objects are different from each other.
- It can be used alongside parallelism.
- It can be used to contrast two objects or show that one is the opposite of another.
- Antithesis can be found in persuasive writing, poems, figures of speech and plays.
- Antithesis can be used to create rhythm or to make an argument.
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