Writers and speakers often rely on patterns of repetition to give their language rhythm, balance, and force. Among these devices, epanalepsis stands out for its ability to frame a statement in a way that feels both emphatic and complete. The following sections explore how epanalepsis works, why it has been valued from antiquity to the present, and the role it plays in shaping memorable lines across literature and rhetoric.
Epanalepsis Definition
The word itself comes from the Greek meaning “taking up again.” In rhetorical usage, it refers to the deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at both the beginning and end of a clause or sentence. This structure creates a sense of enclosure by focusing attention on the repeated term and amplifying its significance. Unlike anaphora, which emphasizes the start of successive clauses, or epiphora, which emphasizes their endings, epanalepsis combines the two positions into one balanced figure.
Epanalepsis in Practice
Examples in Literature
Literary texts reveal how epanalepsis can sharpen both rhythm and emphasis. In Macbeth (1606), William Shakespeare has the witches chant, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” The phrase circles back on itself, binding the contradiction within the repetition of “fair” and “foul.” The device intensifies the line’s paradox, embedding the sense of inversion that governs the play.
A more lyrical instance comes from Conrad Aiken’s poem “Bread and Music” (1914): “Music I heard with you was more than music.” The word “music” both opens and closes the line, enclosing the remembered experience within its own sound. The repetition makes the emotion not only more emphatic but also more haunting, as if the memory cannot escape the word that defines it.
Use in Rhetoric and Persuasion
Orators often turn to epanalepsis when they want their words to linger in the audience’s memory. The device has appeared in countless speeches, from antiquity through modern politics. John F. Kennedy, in his address to the United Nations General Assembly (1961), used it with devastating clarity: “Mankind must put an end to war—or war will put an end to mankind.” By repeating “mankind,” he framed the sentence in urgency, leaving no doubt about the stakes. Understanding this rhetorical force helps distinguish epanalepsis from related figures, especially anadiplosis, which moves repetition forward rather than enclosing it.
Comparisons with Related Devices
Epanalepsis vs. Anadiplosis
Although both rely on repetition, the difference lies in structure. Anadiplosis repeats the last word of one clause at the start of the next, producing a chain effect, while epanalepsis circles back to where it began. The biblical line from Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,” exemplifies epanalepsis because it frames the clause with the same word. Shakespeare, on the other hand, uses anadiplosis in Richard II (1595): “The love of wicked men converts to fear, / That fear to hate, and hate turns one or both” The chain-like structure pushes the thought forward, each link feeding the next.
Epanalepsis vs. Diacope
Diacope also relies on repetition but separates the repeated words with intervening terms. Shakespeare, again, provides a classic instance in Hamlet (1600): “To be, or not to be!” The phrase repeats “to be” but interrupts it with a short variation that dramatizes hesitation. Epanalepsis, on the other hand, frames the statement, as in King Lear (1606): “Nothing will come of nothing.” Where diacope highlights contrast through interruption, epanalepsis stresses closure through circular repetition.
Epanalepsis vs. Antimetabole
Antimetabole works by repeating words in reverse order, creating a mirror-like structure that highlights contrast. One of the most famous instances comes from John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address (1961): “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.” The sentence balances itself through inversion, with “country” and “you” switching positions. Epanalepsis, in contrast, does not invert the sequence of words but frames a clause by repeating the same term at both its beginning and end.
Epanalepsis vs. Epizeuxis
Epizeuxis is the immediate, unbroken repetition of a word for emphasis. It differs from epanalepsis in that there are no intervening words and no framing structure. Shakespeare gives a famous case in King Lear (1606): “Never, never, never, never, never.” The sheer insistence of epizeuxis creates intensity through hammering repetition, while epanalepsis creates emphasis through circular enclosure.
Epanalepsis vs. Anaphora
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines. Shakespeare uses it powerfully in Richard II (1595): “This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.” The insistent repetition of “this” builds rhythm and intensity. Epanalepsis differs because it repeats the same word only at the beginning and end of a single clause, framing the thought instead of building it line by line.
Epanalepsis vs. Epiphora
Epiphora (also called epistrophe) repeats words at the end of successive clauses. In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (1600), Shylock cries: “I’ll have my bond, speak not against my bond. I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.” The repeated phrase “my bond” hammers the point through its position at the close of each clause. Epanalepsis, on the other hand, places the same word at both beginning and end of a single clause, producing closure rather than accumulation.
Function and Effect of Epanalepsis
The distinctive power of epanalepsis lies in what it accomplishes with such economy. Writers and speakers use it:
- To anchor a central term so it cannot be overlooked.
- To produce a sense of inevitability, as though the idea cannot escape its own boundary.
- To add balance and rhythm, particularly effective in poetry and oratory.
These functions explain its persistence across centuries, linking literary craft with rhetorical persuasion. Its appeal becomes even more evident in poetry, where pattern and rhythm are essential.
Use in Poetry
Because poetry thrives on echo and pattern, epanalepsis feels at home in verse. In such contexts, the device does more than call attention to a word; it provides a bracket that holds emotion or thought in place. From poetry, the device carries naturally into prose and even ordinary speech, where its compactness makes it memorable.
Use in Prose and Everyday Language
Everyday sayings often rely on epanalepsis to achieve their staying power. Familiar expressions such as “Nothing is worse than doing nothing” illustrate how repetition frames a thought with clarity and rhythm. Novelists, too, sometimes use epanalepsis to highlight character obsessions or to underscore a theme. These uses show how the device moves fluidly between elevated and common language, a quality that has roots in classical rhetorical theory.
Why Writers Use Epanalepsis
The enduring use of epanalepsis across literature, politics, and common speech speaks to its unique blend of brevity and resonance. It allows writers and speakers to stress what matters most without lengthening a passage, sealing an idea in a way that feels final and memorable. Whether in the drama of Shakepeare, the oratory of Kennedy, or the proverbs of everyday speech, epanalepsis proves itself a versatile tool for those who aim to combine rhythm, emphasis, and clarity in their language.
Further Reading
Rhetorical Devices: Epanalepsis by mannerofspeaking.org
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