The power of consonance in literature

Consonance is a literary technique that involves the repetition of consonant sounds within a close proximity of words. It is often used in poetry, music, and everyday speech to create a musical and rhythmic effect. Unlike alliteration, which repeats sounds at the beginning of words, consonance can occur anywhere in a word.

What exactly is consonance?

Consonance is a poetic technique that is also commonly used in literature and speech, including names and song lyrics. It adds a subtle but powerful emphasis to words and phrases.

The letters that make consonant sounds

In the English language, there are 21 consonant letters that create 24 consonant sounds. These include b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, z, and the digraphs ch, sh, and th. However, it is important to note that the same letter can produce different sounds in different words.

Identifying consonance

To identify consonance, one must listen for the repetition of consonant sounds within words. This can include different letters producing the same sound, such as "f" and "ph".

Examples of consonance in literature and everyday language

Consonance is often used in poetry to create a musical and rhythmic effect. Here are some examples:

• "Behind Me - dips Eternity-Before Me - Immortality-Myself - the term between -Death but the Drift of Eastern Gray" - Emily Dickinson
• "The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yardAnd made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood" - Robert Frost
• "Nearly all joined in singing this hymn, which swelled high about the howling of the storm." - Kate Chopin
• "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." - Bible, Psalms 23:4

Aside from poetry, consonance can also be found in common phrases and tongue twisters, such as "a matter of time", "better late than never", and "Betty Botter bought some butter but, she said, the butter's bitter; if I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit of better butter, that will make my batter better." It can also be seen in song lyrics, like from Bob Dylan's "Maggie's Farm".

The use of consonance in names

Consonance can also be found in various names, both in literature and real life. Examples include the fictional character Holly Golightly from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Truman Capote, and the author Raymond Chandler and his famous detective Philipe Marlowe. Longer names, like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "The Wizard of Oz", also incorporate consonance.

Consonance vs. alliteration and assonance

Alliteration, another poetic technique, is a form of consonance that specifically repeats sounds at the beginning of words, such as "she sells seashells by the seashore". Assonance, on the other hand, involves the repetition of vowel sounds rather than consonant sounds. In short, alliteration, assonance, and consonance all focus on sound repetition in different ways.

In conclusion, consonance is a powerful tool in literature and everyday speech that adds musicality and emphasis to words. Its presence can be found in various forms of writing and speech, making it an important aspect to pay attention to in the English language.

Understanding Consonant Sounds and Consonance in Literature

In the world of language and literature, consonants are speech sounds created with some sort of restriction in the vocal tract. This means that an articulator, such as the lips, tongue, or teeth, obstructs the airflow when a consonant is being produced, resulting in a specific sound.

But what exactly does the term "consonant" mean? In simple terms, it refers to a type of speech sound that is not a vowel. Instead, it involves the use of the vocal tract to create a restricted sound.

Consonance Explained

In literature, consonance is a literary device that involves the repetition of the same consonant sounds in a series of closely connected words within a sentence or phrase. These repeated sounds can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of words.

Consonance is primarily used in poetry, prose, and songs to create a musical and rhythmic effect. However, it can also be found in common phrases and names.

Examples of Consonance

Consonance: He struck a streak of bad luck.

Assonance: The cat is out of the bag.

In the above examples, the repeated sound "k" is a consonant sound and there is no repetition of vowel sounds. In comparison, the repeated sound "a" in the assonance example is a vowel sound and does not have the same consonant repetition.

Key Takeaways about Consonance

• Consonance is a literary device that involves the repetition of the same consonant sounds in a series of words.
• These repeated sounds can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of words.
• It is commonly used in poetry, prose, and songs.
• Consonance can also be found in common phrases and names.
• To identify consonance, look for the repetition of the same consonant sounds (not necessarily the same letters) in a series of words.
• It is similar but different from alliteration and assonance, which focus on shared consonant and vowel sounds, respectively.