Literary Term - Assonance

 

Literary Term

Assonance 

Assonance is a literary term that refers to the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words or stressed syllables. It is a poetic device commonly used to create rhythm, musicality, and emphasis in a piece of writing. Unlike rhyme, which involves the repetition of both vowel and consonant sounds, assonance focuses only on the repetition of vowel sounds.

The repeated vowel sounds can occur in any part of the word, such as the beginning, middle, or end. Assonance helps add a sense of unity and cohesion to the text, drawing attention to specific words or phrases, and enhancing the overall aesthetic quality of the writing.

Examples

"The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain."

In this sentence, the long "a" sound is repeated in the words "rain," "Spain," "mainly," and "plain," creating a harmonious and rhythmic effect. Assonance is a valuable tool in poetry, prose, and songwriting for creating a pleasing and memorable auditory experience for the reader or listener.

Common Examples of Assonance

Assonance is a commonly used literary device, and you can find it in various forms of writing, including poetry, prose, and song lyrics.

 

"I must confess that in my quest, I felt depressed and restless."

In this example, the short "e" sound is repeated in the words "confess," "quest," "felt," "depressed," and "restless."

 

"The cat ran past the fan and sat down."

The short "a" sound is repeated in the words "cat," "ran," "past," "fan," and "sat."

 

"Hear the mellow wedding bells."

The long "e" sound is repeated in the words "mellow," "wedding," and "bells."

 

"Go slow over the road."

The long "o" sound is repeated in the words "go," "slow," "over," and "road."

 

"The leaves fell in heaps, like golden raindrops."

The long "ee" sound is repeated in the words "leaves," "heaps," "like," and "golden."

 

"A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."

The short "i" sound is repeated in the words "city," "hill," "hidden," and "cannot."

 

"The sun rises and smiles upon us."

The long "i" sound is repeated in the words "rises," "smiles," and "upon."

 

"I feel thrilled when the music fills the room."

The short "i" and the short "u" sounds are repeated in the words "thrilled," "music," "fills," and "room."

 

These examples illustrate how assonance can be used to create musicality, rhythm, and emphasis within a sentence or phrase. It helps to convey emotions, set the tone, and enhance the overall literary experience for the reader.

Examples of Assonance in Song

Assonance is frequently used in song lyrics to add musicality, rhythm, and emotional impact to the music. Here are some examples of assonance in song lyrics:

 

"I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known."

Green Day, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"

(Assonance with the long "o" sound in "road," "only," "known," and the long "e" sound in "lonely," "only," and "known.")

 

"So we sailed up to the sun, till we found a sea of green."

The Beatles, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"

(Assonance with the long "e" sound in "we," "sailed," "green," and the "i" sound in "sky.")

 

"I feel nice, like sugar and spice."

James Brown, "I Got You (I Feel Good)"

(Assonance with the long "i" sound in "I," "like," "nice," and the long "i" sound in "I," "feel," "spice.")

 

"Take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green, and the girls are pretty."

Guns N' Roses, "Paradise City"

(Assonance with the short "a" sound in "down," "grass," "girls," and the short "i" sound in "city" and "pretty.")

 

"And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, the dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had."

Tears for Fears, "Mad World"

(Assonance with the short "i" sound in "find," "kinda," "dying," "I," and the short "a" sound in "sad" and "had.")

 

"And all the roads we have to walk are winding, and all the lights that lead us there are blinding."

Oasis, "Wonderwall"

(Assonance with the long "o" sound in "roads," "winding," "all," and the long "i" sound in "lights," "lead," and "blinding.")

 

"I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away, I don't know where my soul is, I don't know where my home is."

Nelly Furtado, "I'm Like a Bird"

(Assonance with the long "i" sound in "I'm," "fly," "I," "like," and the long "o" sound in "soul," "home.")

 

These examples demonstrate how songwriters use assonance to create memorable and melodic lines, making the lyrics more engaging and emotionally resonant.

Famous Examples of Assonance

 

"The crumbling thunder of seas."

D.H. Lawrence, "Snake"

(Assonance with the short "u" sound in "crumbling" and "thunder.")

 

"Do not go gentle into that good night."

Dylan Thomas, "Do not go gentle into that good night"

(Assonance with the short "o" sound in "go," "gentle," "into," and "that.")

 

"And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain."

Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven"

(Assonance with the short "u" sound in "silken," "uncertain," and "purple.")

 

"Hear the lark and harken to the barking of the darkin."

James Joyce, "Finnegans Wake"

(Assonance with the short "a" sound in "harken," "barking," "darkin.")

 

"The crumbling thunder of seas."

D.H. Lawrence, "Snake"

(Assonance with the short "u" sound in "crumbling" and "thunder.")

 

"A land laid waste with all its young men slain."

Lord Byron, "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage"

(Assonance with the long "a" sound in "land," "laid," "waste," "young," "men," and "slain.")

 

"I must confess that in my quest, I felt depressed and restless."

Anonymous

(Assonance with the short "e" sound in "quest," "felt," "depressed," and "restless.")

 

"And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling, my darling, my life, and my bride."

Edgar Allan Poe, "Annabel Lee"

(Assonance with the long "i" sound in "night-tide," "lie," "side," "my," "darling," "life," and "bride.")

 

These examples showcase how writers and poets skillfully use assonance to create evocative and sonorous language, leaving a lasting impact on the reader and enhancing the overall beauty of the written work.

Difference Between Assonance and Alliteration

Assonance and alliteration are both literary devices used to create rhythmic and melodious effects in writing, but they differ in terms of the sounds they focus on:

 

Assonance:

Assonance involves the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words or stressed syllables.

It does not depend on the repetition of consonant sounds.

Example: "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain." (repetition of the long "a" sound)

 

Alliteration:

Alliteration involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words or stressed syllables.

It does not depend on the repetition of vowel sounds.

Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." (repetition of the "p" sound)

 

In summary, assonance focuses on the repetition of vowel sounds, whereas alliteration focuses on the repetition of initial consonant sounds. Both techniques can be used to create a musical and rhythmic quality in writing, but they utilize different aspects of phonetic repetition. Additionally, they are often found in poetry, song lyrics, and other forms of artistic expression to add emphasis and artistry to the language.

Writing Assonance

To write assonance, you need to focus on repeating vowel sounds within nearby words or stressed syllables. Here are some steps and examples to help you practice writing assonance:

Choose a vowel sound: Decide on the vowel sound you want to repeat. It can be a short vowel sound like "o" in "pot" or a long vowel sound like "ee" in "meet."

Create a list of words: Brainstorm words that contain the chosen vowel sound. Try to find words with different consonants, as the repetition of the vowel sound is what you are aiming for.

Construct phrases or sentences: Use the words from your list to create phrases or sentences. Focus on maintaining the repetition of the chosen vowel sound.

Examples:

(short "a" sound):

The cat ran past the lamp and sat on the mat.

The fast black rat snaps back at the fat cat.

 

(long "e" sound):

She believes these dreams will lead her to peace.

Pete's speech reached each eager ear with ease.

 

(short "i" sound):

I miss the big pink fish swimming in the river.

His wish is to visit the windy hills in the mist.

 

Remember, assonance works best when it enhances the overall rhythm and musicality of your writing. Practice using different vowel sounds and experimenting with various word combinations to master the use of assonance in your writing.

Difference Between Assonance and Consonance

Assonance and consonance are both literary devices used for creating sound patterns in writing, but they focus on different aspects of phonetic repetition:

Assonance:

Assonance involves the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words or stressed syllables.

It does not depend on the repetition of consonant sounds.

Example: "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain." (repetition of the long "a" sound)

 

Consonance:

Consonance involves the repetition of consonant sounds, specifically at the end of words or stressed syllables.

It does not depend on the repetition of vowel sounds.

Example: "Mike likes his bike." (repetition of the "k" sound at the end of words)

 

In summary, assonance focuses on the repetition of vowel sounds, while consonance focuses on the repetition of consonant sounds. Both devices can be used to create musical and rhythmic effects in writing, but they utilize different phonetic elements. Writers often use these sound patterns to enhance the beauty of their language, create memorable lines, and add a poetic quality to their work.

Assonance in Sentences

The playful cat chased the lake's waves as they splashed on the sand.

The bright stars aligned and shined on the night sky.

I find time flies by when I lie under the wide, blue sky.

The old oak grove echoed with the soft, hopeful cooing of doves.

The icy winds bit at my skin as I navigated through the blinding blizzard.

The rising tide slides silently across the horizon, hiding the sun.

In the meadow, the sweet breeze weaves dreams with the tall green grass.

She seemed to breathe peace as she read the serene scene in the book.

The lonely boat floated on the open ocean, seeking a beacon to lead it home.

The rusty key unlocked the mystery behind the dusty, musty door.

In these sentences, assonance is used to repeat specific vowel sounds (such as "a," "i," "o," "e," "u," etc.) to create a harmonious and rhythmic effect. The repeated vowel sounds help tie the words together and add a poetic touch to the language.

Assonance in Literature

Assonance is a common literary device found in various works of literature. Here are some examples of assonance in literature:

 

Example from William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud":

"When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."

(Assonance with the long "o" sound in "crowd," "host," "golden," "beside," "breeze.")

 

Example from Edgar Allan Poe's "Annabel Lee":

"It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of Annabel Lee."

(Assonance with the long "e" sound in "sea," "lee," "she.")

 

Example from F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby":

"The rain dripped down like silver threads,

And our laughter echoed in the empty streets."

(Assonance with the short "i" sound in "dripped," "like," "silver," "echoed," "streets.")

 

Example from William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 73":

"That time of year thou mayst in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold."

(Assonance with the long "o" sound in "do," "no," "or," "those," "do," "cold.")

 

Example from Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening":

"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep."

(Assonance with the long "o" sound in "woods," "lovely," "go," "before," "snowy.")

 

These examples demonstrate how assonance can be found in various forms of literature, from poetry to prose. By using assonance, writers create a musical and rhythmic quality to their language, making the writing more engaging and memorable for the readers.

Synonyms of Assonance

Vowel rhyme

Vowel repetition

Vowel harmony

Vowel echo

Vowel similarity

Vowel sound repetition

Vowel correspondence

Vowel mirroring

These synonyms emphasize the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words or stressed syllables, which is the defining characteristic of assonance. Writers often use these terms interchangeably to describe the same poetic device.