Ever wondered how we could breathe life into inanimate objects or distant concepts with language?
Welcome to the enchanting world of apostrophe in figure of speech. It’s not just a punctuation mark; it’s a powerful literary device where a speaker breaks off from addressing one party and instead addresses a third party. This party can be an inanimate object, an absent individual, or even an abstract concept.
Let’s explore this intriguing linguistic art form and discover how it illuminates human emotion in profound and unexpected ways.
Apostrophe as a Figure of Speech
Definition and Origin
Apostrophe, as a figure of speech, is a fascinating and powerful rhetorical device that serves to lend expressive depth and emphasis to a speaker’s words.
This device involves a deliberate shift in the discourse, allowing a speaker or writer to address an individual, an abstract concept, an inanimate object, or even an absent or imaginary entity directly, as though it were capable of responding.
The term ‘apostrophe’ comes from the ancient Greek word ‘apostrophé’, which translates to “a turning away”. This describes the speaker’s act of diverting their discourse from the intended audience to address another, often non-present, entity.
Apostrophe should not be confused with the punctuation mark of the same name; they are different concepts despite sharing the same term.
Rhetorical Purpose
In the realm of rhetoric, apostrophe operates as a multidimensional device that can be used to create a profound impact on the audience. This figure of speech serves several purposes, with one of the most significant being its ability to evoke intense emotions within the audience.
When a speaker uses apostrophe to address an abstract idea or a non-human entity directly, they create an interactive dynamic that fosters a sense of connection between the audience and the subject matter. This conversational tone, created by a discourse directed at an entity that is not physically present or able to respond, paradoxically draws the audience in closer.
The audience becomes an active participant in the discourse as they grapple with the emotional depth and the implications of the speaker’s words.
Examples in Literature and Poetry
Apostrophe has been widely used by various writers and poets throughout the history of literature. This figure of speech can add depth and emotional resonance to their work, as well as provide a unique perspective on the themes being explored. Here are a few examples:
Shakespeare’s Works
William Shakespeare’s works provide many examples of the use of apostrophe. Here are a few:
- “Macbeth” (Act 1, Scene 5): Lady Macbeth, upon reading her husband’s letter about the witches’ prophecy, addresses an absent Macbeth:
"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
What thou art promised."
Here, Lady Macbeth uses apostrophe to express her ambitions and desires for Macbeth’s future, even though he’s not present.
- “Romeo and Juliet” (Act 2, Scene 2): In this famous scene, Romeo addresses Juliet, who is physically present but unaware of his presence:
"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."
Though Juliet is not absent, the use of apostrophe here underlines Romeo’s feelings of love and admiration for her, as well as the distance between them.
- “Julius Caesar” (Act 3, Scene 1): Mark Antony addresses the body of the slain Julius Caesar:
"O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times."
- “Hamlet” (Act 1, Scene 2): Hamlet addresses his dead father in a monologue:
"O that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!"
By addressing his father and God, Hamlet uses apostrophe to express his grief, despair, and thoughts of suicide following his father’s death.
- Sonnet 18: In one of his most famous sonnets, Shakespeare speaks to the abstract concept of a summer’s day:
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate."
By addressing the summer’s day directly, Shakespeare uses apostrophe to highlight the beauty of the person to whom the sonnet is addressed, making a comparison with the loveliness of a summer’s day.
John Keats’ Works
John Keats, a renowned Romantic poet, often employed apostrophe in his poetry to enhance the emotional depth and lyrical beauty of his work. Here are some examples:
- “Ode to a Nightingale”: Keats addresses the nightingale directly throughout this ode:
"My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,
But being too happy in thine happiness,—"
In this piece, Keats employs apostrophe to convey his longing for the peace and oblivion that the song of the nightingale symbolizes.
- “Ode on a Grecian Urn”: This poem is an extended apostrophe where Keats addresses an ancient Greek urn:
"Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:"
Here, Keats uses the apostrophe to express his admiration for the timeless beauty and mystery of the urn and its depicted scenes.
- “To Autumn”: In this ode, Keats directly addresses the season of autumn:
"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;"
By addressing autumn, Keats personifies the season, allowing him to express his deep appreciation for its richness and tranquility.
- “Ode to Psyche”: Keats addresses the Greek goddess Psyche:
"O Goddess! hear these tuneless numbers, wrung
By sweet enforcement and remembrance dear,
And pardon that thy secrets should be sung
Even into thine own soft-conched ear:"
Through this direct address, Keats elevates Psyche while also highlighting his own desire to worship and celebrate her.
John Donne’s Works
John Donne, a metaphysical poet known for his innovative and intense verse, made frequent use of the figure of speech apostrophe in his work. Here are several examples:
- “Death, be not proud” (Holy Sonnet 10): The entire poem is an extended apostrophe, with Donne addressing Death as though it were a person:
"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;"
Here, Donne defies Death’s perceived power, insisting it’s not as invincible and fearsome as it is often portrayed.
- “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”: Donne addresses his absent beloved:
"Thou art the best of me, and thus thy soul,
Being kind to me, teach me to be kind
To thee, and for thy sake to myself."
This address to his absent beloved conveys the depth of their bond, expressing a sense of unity even in separation.
- “The Sun Rising”: Donne opens this poem by chastising the sun:
"Busy old fool, unruly sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains, call on us?"
By addressing the sun directly, Donne personifies it, turning it into a disruptive character that disturbs the lovers’ peace.
- “Batter my heart, three-person’d God” (Holy Sonnet 14): Donne addresses God directly:
"Batter my heart, three-person'd God; for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;"
Donne uses apostrophe to express his fervent desire for spiritual renewal and transformation.
- “A Nocturnal upon St. Lucy’s Day”: Donne addresses the abstract concept of the ‘end of love’:
"Study me then, you who shall lovers be
At the next world, that is, at the next spring;"
By personifying the ‘end of love’, Donne amplifies his feelings of loss and desolation.
Addressing Absent Entities and Inanimate Objects
Apostrophe, as a figure of speech, allows a speaker or writer to address entities that are absent or inanimate as if they were present, capable of understanding, or even responding.
This rhetorical device can be used to express strong emotions, elicit particular reactions from an audience, or personify non-human entities or concepts. Here are a few points of expansion on the topic:
Abstract Ideas and Qualities
The use of apostrophe to address abstract concepts, qualities, or ideas is a powerful literary device that allows poets and writers to bring intangible elements to life, enhancing the richness and depth of their work.
Personification of Abstract Entities
When addressing abstract entities, the speaker or writer often personifies them. Personification is the attribution of human characteristics or behaviors to a non-human entity or abstraction. This can involve giving the abstract concept emotions, desires, physical sensations, or the ability to perform human actions.
The personification can make the abstract concept more relatable and tangible to the audience, and it can deepen the audience’s understanding of the speaker’s relationship with the concept.
Exploring Complex Ideas
Apostrophe allows a speaker or writer to explore complex ideas in a direct and personal manner. By addressing an abstract concept, the speaker can discuss their thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to the concept, and can challenge or question the concept.
The direct address can help to clarify the speaker’s views or arguments, and it can provoke thought and engagement from the audience.
Eliciting Emotional Responses
The use of apostrophe to address abstract concepts can also serve to evoke emotional responses from the audience. The speaker’s direct address to the concept can create a sense of intimacy, urgency, or drama, and the personification of the concept can trigger empathy or identification from the audience.
Furthermore, the direct address can highlight the speaker’s emotional state and can serve to amplify the emotional intensity of the work.
Aversion and Turning Away
The use of apostrophe to signify a turning away or distancing from a subject indeed presents a powerful and dramatic tool in a poet’s repertoire. It can enable the poet to communicate a variety of emotions or attitudes, including aversion, repudiation, or even a form of emotional self-protection.
Expressing Aversion or Repudiation
In some cases, a poet might use apostrophe to express their distaste, disdain, or moral objection to a particular subject. They might address the object, being, or situation directly, outlining their reasons for rejection, or they might appeal to a higher power, seeking intervention or expressing despair.
This form of apostrophe can create a sense of tension or conflict in the work, highlighting the poet’s personal struggle with the subject matter.
Creating Dramatic Effect
The act of turning away in an apostrophe can create a profound dramatic effect in poetry. The speaker’s rejection or distancing can introduce an element of tension, conflict, or emotional turmoil, adding depth and complexity to the poem.
The act of turning away can also highlight the emotional intensity or significance of the subject matter, drawing the reader’s attention and empathy.
Symbolizing Emotional Self-Protection
At times, the turning away in an apostrophe can symbolize a form of emotional self-protection. The poet may choose to distance themselves from a painful memory, a challenging situation, or a harmful entity. This distancing serves as a protective mechanism, helping to buffer the poet (or the persona they’ve adopted in the poem) from emotional harm.
Narrators and Soliloquies
The use of apostrophe to signify a turning away or distancing from a subject indeed presents a powerful and dramatic tool in a poet’s repertoire. It can enable the poet to communicate a variety of emotions or attitudes, including aversion, repudiation, or even a form of emotional self-protection.
Expressing Aversion or Repudiation
In some cases, a poet might use apostrophe to express their distaste, disdain, or moral objection to a particular subject. They might address the object, being, or situation directly, outlining their reasons for rejection, or they might appeal to a higher power, seeking intervention or expressing despair.
This form of apostrophe can create a sense of tension or conflict in the work, highlighting the poet’s personal struggle with the subject matter.
Creating Dramatic Effect
The act of turning away in an apostrophe can create a profound dramatic effect in poetry. The speaker’s rejection or distancing can introduce an element of tension, conflict, or emotional turmoil, adding depth and complexity to the poem. The act of turning away can also highlight the emotional intensity or significance of the subject matter, drawing the reader’s attention and empathy.
Symbolizing Emotional Self-Protection
At times, the turning away in an apostrophe can symbolize a form of emotional self-protection. The poet may choose to distance themselves from a painful memory, a challenging situation, or a harmful entity. This distancing serves as a protective mechanism, helping to buffer the poet (or the persona they’ve adopted in the poem) from emotional harm.
Apostrophe in Popular Culture
The use of apostrophe is not confined to classic literature or poetry. It also makes frequent appearances in popular culture, including music, film, television, and even comic books. Here are some examples:
Movies and Television
In movies and television, the use of apostrophe as a figure of speech can be seen to add depth and emotional resonance to a scene. For example, in the movie Cast Away, Tom Hanks, who portrays a character named Chuck, is stranded on a deserted island. He uses an inanimate object, a volleyball named “Wilson,” to talk to and confide in. Through this apostrophe, Hanks’ character not only forms a bond with Wilson but also provides the audience with an insight into his emotional state and loneliness.
Music
The use of apostrophe in music is quite common, especially in genres that tend to be heavily narrative or emotionally expressive, such as folk, country, rock, and pop music.
Songwriters often use apostrophe to address someone or something directly, thereby conveying deep emotion, establishing a conversational tone, or creating a dramatic effect. Here are a few examples:
Hello by Adele
In Adele’s song “Hello,” the entire song can be seen as an example of an apostrophe. The song is addressed to an old lover who is not present, and Adele speaks to this person as though they were in conversation.
"Hello from the other side
I must've called a thousand times
To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done
But when I call, you never seem to be home"
Here, Adele is directly addressing her old lover, voicing her regrets and the desire to reconnect. Yet, the individual she is speaking to isn’t present and cannot answer her call, hence establishing a poignant apostrophe.
The apostrophe enhances the emotional intensity of the song and enables Adele to express her feelings in a deeply personal and direct manner.
Be Kind by Marshmello and Halsey
“Be Kind” is a song by Marshmello and Halsey. The song lyrics feature Halsey addressing an individual directly, and based on the song’s context, this person is not present during the song’s narration. Here are some lyrics from the song:
"Wanna believe, wanna believe That you don't have a bad bone in your body But the bruises on your ego make you go wild, wild, wild, yeah Wanna believe, wanna believe That even when you're stone cold, you're sorry Tell me why you gotta be so out of your mind, yeah"
This is an example of apostrophe as Halsey expresses her feelings and frustrations directly to this person, though they are not physically there to respond. The use of apostrophe here helps to intensify the emotional weight of the song and provides listeners with a more profound understanding of the inner turmoil the singer is experiencing.
Mean by Taylor Swift
“Mean” is a song by Taylor Swift from her album “Speak Now.” In the song, Swift uses apostrophe to address a person who has been cruel and critical to her. Here are some lyrics from the song:
"You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I'm wounded
You, picking on the weaker man"
In these lines, Swift directly addresses a person who isn’t present. She vividly describes the person’s harsh words and their impact on her. This is an example of apostrophe, as she is speaking to someone who is absent, confronting them through her lyrics.
You and I by One Direction
“You and I” is a song by One Direction from their album “Midnight Memories.” Throughout the song, the band employs apostrophe as they address an absent romantic interest. Here are some lyrics from the song:
"You and I,
We don't wanna be like them,
We can make it 'til the end,
Nothing can come between you and I."
In these lines, One Direction is speaking directly to a person who is not present. They’re expressing their belief in the strength and uniqueness of their relationship, and their determination to not let anything come between them.
This is a clear example of apostrophe, as the band is directly addressing someone who is absent, expressing their feelings and hopes for the relationship.
The One That Got Away by Katy Perry
“The One That Got Away” is a song by Katy Perry from her album “Teenage Dream.” In this song, Perry uses apostrophe to address a past lover who is no longer in her life. Here are some lyrics from the song:
"In another life, I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away
The one that got away."
In these lines, Perry is speaking directly to a person who is not present, expressing regret and longing for a past relationship. This is an example of apostrophe as she is addressing someone who is absent, confronting the loss and what could have been.
Nursery Rhymes
Nursery rhymes often use the literary device of apostrophe, addressing inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas as though they were capable of responding. This lends a sense of whimsy and delight that is characteristic of many children’s songs and poems. Here are a few examples:
- “Hey Diddle Diddle”: This nursery rhyme features a cat, a cow, and a dish all being addressed as if they were human:
"Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed to see such fun,
And the dish ran away with the spoon."
- “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”: This beloved nursery rhyme features an apostrophe to a star. The speaker wonders about the star and its place in the universe:
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky."
- “Humpty Dumpty”: This rhyme features a direct address to an anthropomorphic egg, Humpty Dumpty:
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again."
In each of these examples, the use of apostrophe brings the nursery rhyme to life, creating a world where animals, objects, and celestial bodies can be interacted with as though they were human. This not only delights children but also stimulates their imagination and creativity.
Apostrophe versus Punctuation Mark
Apostrophe as a figure of speech and apostrophe as a punctuation mark are distinct concepts that serve different purposes, though they share the same name.
Apostrophe as a Figure of Speech
As discussed in the previous texts, an apostrophe as a rhetorical device is a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent person, an inanimate object, or an abstract idea as if it were present and capable of responding.
This technique is widely used in literature, drama, music, and speeches to evoke emotion, create a connection with the audience, or add dramatic effect.
Apostrophe as a Punctuation Mark
An apostrophe as a punctuation mark (‘), on the other hand, serves a few different purposes in English grammar. It’s used to indicate possession, to form contractions, and sometimes to form plurals.
Examples:
- Indicating Possession: John’s book (the book belongs to John).
- Forming Contractions: It’s raining (It is raining).
- Forming Plurals: Mind your p’s and q’s (Mind your manners).
While these two uses of ‘apostrophe’ share the same name, they are used in different contexts and serve very different purposes in communication. One is a literary and rhetorical device, and the other is a grammatical tool used in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is apostrophe considered a form of dialogue?
Not quite. Apostrophe can look like dialogue because it involves direct address, but true dialogue involves a back-and-forth between two or more characters who can respond to one another.
Because the objects or concepts addressed in an apostrophe can’t actually respond, it doesn’t create a dialogue in the true sense of the word.
Is there a particular structure or form to an apostrophe?
While there’s no rigid form or structure to an apostrophe, it generally involves the speaker or writer breaking from the ongoing narrative or dialogue to address directly someone who is not present, an inanimate object, or an abstract idea.
This sudden shift or ‘turning away’ is what characterizes an apostrophe. Sometimes these addresses start with an “O” or “Oh,” but this isn’t a necessary feature.
Can the apostrophe be addressed to oneself?
Yes, in some cases, speakers or writers might use apostrophe to address themselves, particularly a past or future version of themselves. This can serve to express internal conflict, self-reflection, or anticipation.
However, it’s important to note that while this might resemble a monologue or soliloquy, it’s still considered apostrophe because the addressed “self” is not present in the current moment to respond.
Conclusion
The apostrophe is a dynamic figure of speech that can add emotional resonance, dramatic flair, and a sense of immediacy to a narrative. It’s not confined to a particular genre, style, or form, making it a versatile tool in the hands of writers and speakers.
Whether it’s in the pages of a novel, the lines of a poem, the lyrics of a song, or the powerful rhetoric of a speech, the apostrophe serves to evoke deeper connections and a heightened sense of engagement for the audience. Truly, it’s a testament to the beauty and complexity of language.
