Rhetorical figures

Anaphora, chiasmus, gradation, antithesis, oxymoron.

⚡Key points

Anaphora→repetition at the start of clauses

Chiasmus→crossed symmetry ABBA

Gradation→build-up (Va, cours, vole)

Antithesis→opposing ideas

Oxymoron→joining the incompatible

Figures of repetition and symmetry

Rhetorical figures build the rhythm and persuasiveness of speech. Anaphora repeats a word at the start of successive segments (Moi président, je…). Chiasmus mirror-crosses elements (ABBA): Il faut manger pour vivre et non vivre pour manger. Parallelism repeats a construction.

Repetition and symmetry

Anaphora

Paris ! Paris outragé ! Paris brisé ! Paris martyrisé ! (de Gaulle)

Chiasmus

Un roi chantait en bas, en haut mourait un dieu. (Hugo)

Gradation

Va, cours, vole, et nous venge. (Corneille)

Opposition and paradox

Antithesis clashes two opposite ideas: Je vis, je meurs ; je me brûle et me noie (Louise Labé). An oxymoron joins the incompatible in one phrase: cette obscure clarté (Corneille), un silence assourdissant. It is the height of expressiveness.

Figure → definition

Anaphora	repetition at the start	Mon âme, mon cœur, mon tout
Chiasmus	ABBA symmetry	blanc bonnet / bonnet blanc
Gradation	rising/falling build-up	Va, cours, vole
Antithesis	opposition	Je vis, je meurs
Oxymoron	contradiction in one phrase	obscure clarté
Parallelism	repeated structure	Partir, c’est mourir un peu

💡⚠️ Antithesis ≠ oxymoron

Antithesis opposes two elements in different parts of the sentence (Je vis, je meurs). An oxymoron compresses the contradiction into one phrase (une douce violence). At C2 the goal is not only to recognise but to create these figures in writing.

Antithesis: Ici tout est ordre, là tout est chaos.

Oxymoron: un mort-vivant, une joyeuse tristesse.

Dialogue: analysing a speech

Prof« Je vous ai compris » répété trois fois : quelle figure ?

ÉlèveUne anaphore : la répétition martèle l’idée.

ProfEt « cette obscure clarté » ?

ÉlèveUn oxymore : deux mots contradictoires réunis.

Teacher: “I have understood you”, repeated three times — which figure? | Student: Anaphora: the repetition hammers the idea home. | Teacher: And “that dark brightness”? | Student: An oxymoron: two contradictory words joined.