Assonance

Assonance is a literary device where vowel sounds are repeated in words, phrases, or sentences. Used in poetry and prose, assonance is all about the same sounds and not about similar spelling. Assonance creates rhythm and mood through its use of repetition.

Assonance Meaning

Assonance is frequently found in literary works.

Related to rhyme, it is characterised by the repeated use of vowel sounds in words, phrases, or sentences that are close to each other.

The word assonance is derived from the Latin ‘assonare’, which translates into English as ‘to sound’. This hints at the key aspect of assonance - that it is sound-based and not based on similar spelling. For the same reason, assonance is sometimes referred to more casually in English as ‘vowel rhyme’.

Often in assonance, the consonants will differ and the matching vowel sound will be in the middle of a word, phrase, or sentence. While similar to rhyme and alliteration, assonance is more subtle. It is used more frequently in modern poetry.

Poets use assonance to replace end rhyme and alliteration for a more nuanced and complex type of rhythm.

Assonance is a sound-based literary device.

Assonance: Effects on Mood and Rhythm

The main effects created by assonance in prose and poems are those of rhythm and mood. The rhythm created is often visual but is always auditory or sound-based. For example, using longer sounds creates a slower, more placid rhythm while using short sounds can create a sense of urgency or quick movement. Assonance also affects mood and tone.

Mood is important in literature, whether it is related to a poem or prose. Longer, slower sounds tend to create more sombre, relaxed, or even haunting moods. Short, quick sounds create moods that are often lighter and could be more energising, invigorating or uplifting.

Assonance versus Alliteration Examples

In English literature, assonance is often confused with alliteration, but it is more subtle with more possible variations. Used in poetry and prose, alliteration is a common device also used to create rhythm and mood.

The difference is in the use of a similar sound versus the same letter and the position of the repetition. Alliteration is the repetition of the same first letter of a series of words in a phrase, sentence, or stanza. This letter can be a vowel or a consonant. Assonance is a little more difficult to spot, and is the repeated use of similar sounds of vowels only. These vowel sounds are mostly found in the middle of words. The consonants in assonance are usually different.

Alliteration: example

Samuel Taylor Coleridge uses alliteration in his poem 'The Rime of The Ancient Mariner' (1797-1798). It is the 'f' sound that is repeated across words in the stanza.

Assonance versus Consonance Examples

Another literary device confused with assonance and alliteration is consonance. The difference lies in the type of sound repeated, and where the repeated part of the word is located. Consonance is the repetition of consonants or consonant sounds to create mood and rhythm. In contrast to alliteration, which is a repetition always found at the beginning of a word, these consonants can be anywhere in a word.

Assonance repeats vowel sounds only, so it's easier to differentiate from consonance when analysing a poem or prose.

Consonance: example

Edgar Allen Poe is a master of literary devices. He uses consonance throughout his poem, 'The Raven' (1845).

Assonance, consonance, and alliteration: example

Is it possible to use all three of these related literary devices together in one poem? Yes, it is. Once again, a useful example; Poe’s poem 'The Raven' uses all three in just one line.

• Assonance: This can be seen in the repeated ‘ur’ in ‘curtain’ and ‘purple’.

• Alliteration: The repeated ‘s’ at the beginning of ‘sad’ and ‘silked’.

• Consonance: This device can be seen in the reiterated ‘s’ sound in ‘rustling’ and ‘uncertain’.

Assonance in Poetry Examples

Many modern poets use assonance instead of the more predictable perfect or end rhyme. Assonance can be as effective in creating mood, tone, and rhythm without being as noticeable to the reader. This makes it a useful device for authors and poets who prefer to create more natural language in their work.

For another example of 'The Raven’s' use of literary devices, we can look at how Poe uses assonance to create a sense of slow pace and sombre mood in the first line. The tone, pace, and mood are then altered by the switch to a short repeated sound in the last two lines.

A more modern example of assonance in poetry can be seen in the opening lines of Maya Angelou’s 'Still I Rise' (1978).