10 EXAMPLES OF REPETITION AS A LITERARY FIGURE - LITERATURE - 2025

The repetition as a literary figure serves to emphasize an expression or idea by repetition of a word or phrase. There are fourteen types of repetition figures.

Some of the most prominent repetitions are alliteration, anaphora, concanetation, pleonasm, and paronomasia. The characteristics of these and other repeating literary figures will be detailed below.

The 14 main types of repetition

1- Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of a sound to instill a sensation.

Example

"Of fleeting ends, fugitive fires, melted into your skin founded "

2- Anaphora

It is the reiteration of one or more words. In addition, it serves to create a certain rhythm.

Example

"You give meaning to my existence, you disobedience, your very presence deserves my reverence, you gave me a gift, you were my sword "

3- Anadiplosis

Two or more words can be repeated in this figure. The most remarkable thing is that the last words of each verse are repeated at the beginning of the next.

Example

“Love me, partner.

Don't abandon me, follow me

follow me, companion, in this wave of anguish "

4- Concatenation

It is the reiteration of words in a chained way. It can be seen as several anadiploses forming a chain.

Example

"Everything happens and everything is, but ours is to pass, pass by making paths, roads on the sea "

5- pun

It is the reiteration of a phrase in reverse. The words of the first verse or sentence are changed to give contrast and, consequently, emphasize what was wanted to express.

Example

"Or what is more to blame, even if anyone does wrong, the one who sins for the pay, or the one who pays to sin? "

6- Epanadiplosis

It is the repetition of the same word, at the beginning and also at the end of each verse.

Example

Heron is my sorrow, slender and sad heron, alone like a sigh and a woe, alone, stubborn in her mistake and misfortune, stubborn "

7- Epiphora

It consists of the repetition of one or more words at the end of a paragraph.

Example

“I want to get away and walk, walk, walk, to distant lands to reach and admire, admire, through green and clean meadows walk, walk, and under the stars sleep and dream, dream, dream "

8- Parallelism

Parallelism is the repetition, in a sentence or verse, of the same structure with slight variations.

Example

"The night fell on my spirit, in anger and pity the soul is flooded.

Then I understood why people cry!

Then I understood why he kills himself! "

9- Pleonasm

In this case, two unnecessary words are used. As a result, the expression is given more force.

Example

"I will throw you silk cord

for you to go up, if the silk won't reach, my braids would add "

10- Polipote

It is the repetition of words of the same root but with different morphemes.

Example

Yesterday left; tomorrow has not arrived;

today a point is going without stopping;

I am a was, and a will be, and a is, tired "

11- Paronomasia

The most remarkable thing about paranomasia is that it is a literary device that consists of using paronyms (similar words in terms of form or pronunciation).

Example

"My poor car, between crags broken.

without candles, awake

and among the waves alone "

12- Polysyndeton

This literary figure adds conjunctions that are not necessary. It involves the use of unnecessary conjunctions within a sentence or verse.

Example

“(…) I am a was, a will be, and a is, tired, in today and tomorrow and yesterday together.

diapers and shroud and I'm left, present deceased estates "

13- Reduplication

It is the continuous repetition of a word in the same verse or phrase. Therefore, it emphasizes the meaning of the verse

Example

"No, my heart does not sleep, he's awake, awake "

14- Chiasmus

Chiasm is the repetition of the same phrases or words. The most remarkable thing is that they are repeated in a cross way and retain a symmetry.

Example

“Youth, divine treasure, and you'll not return!

When I want to cry, I do not cry, and sometimes I cry without wanting to "

References

1. «Figures of repetition» in Literary Figures. Recovered in October 2017 from Literary Figures at: figuraliterarias.org
2. «Example of repetition» in Example of (September 2008). Retrieved in October 2017 from Example of en: examplede.com
3. "Examples of repetition" in Rhetoric (November 2014). Recovered in October 2017 from Rhetoric in: rhetoric.com
4. "Examples of repetition" in 10 Examples. Retrieved in October 2017 from 10 Examples at: 10ejendices.com
5. "The resources of repetition" in Literary Portrait (February 2009). Recovered in October 2017 from Literary Portrait at: retratoliterario.wordpress.com