平行性 - 定義と例 | LitCharts

Parallelism - Definition and Examples | LitCharts Parallelism Parallelism Definition Parallelism Examples Parallelism Function Parallelism Resources Sign In Sign up for A + AI Tools Ask LitCharts AI Discussion Question Generator Essay Prompt Generator Quiz Question Generator Guides Literature Guides Poetry Guides Shakespeare Translations Literary Terms Sign In Sign up for A + Sign up Upgrade to A + Parallelism Download this entire guide (PDF) Definition Examples Function Resources Parallelism Definition What is parallelism? Here’s a quick and simple definition: Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. These "parallel" elements can be used to intensify the rhythm of language, or to draw a comparison, emphasize, or elaborate on an idea. The following well-known adage is an example of parallelism: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." The grammatical structures of the first and second sentences parallel each other. Some additional key details about parallelism: Parallelism can be as simple as choosing grammatically similar elements when writing a list, as in "First do X, second do Y, third do Z." In some cases, parallelism involves the exact repetition of words, but all that is required to fit the definition of parallelism is the repetition of grammatical elements. Parallelism is a prominent feature of Hebrew and Middle Eastern poetry, and it appears frequently in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. How to Pronounce Parallelism Here's how to pronounce parallelism: par -uh-lel-iz-em Parallelism in Grammar vs. in Rhetoric and Literature The term "parallelism" is used to describe both a figure of speech and a principle in grammar, although its use in each context is slightly different. Parallelism in Grammar In grammar, parallelism is the principle that using similar grammatical elements in certain contexts—when making a list, for example—leads to sentences that flow in a more natural way. In the following sets of sentences, the first version is parallel while the second is not. Note how the examples without parallelism are awkward and a little confusing. In this first set of sentences, the first sentence contains a list of three parallel nouns , while the second combines two nouns with a verb . Parallelism: Their son loved playing chess , video games , and soccer . No parallelism: Their son loved chess , video games , and to play soccer . In the second set of sentences, the first contains parallel adjectives , while the second combines two adjectives with a verb . Parallelism ( adjectives ): The Bach Sonata was beautiful , moving , and inspiring . No parallelism: The Bach Sonata was beautiful , moving , and it inspired . Parallelism in Rhetoric and Literature In contrast to the strictly grammatical view of parallelism, in rhetoric and literature parallelism can do much more than just create a pleasing and grammatical sentence structure. Writers use parallel grammatical elements within one sentence or, more broadly, between and among different sentences in a paragraph, for effect : to emphasize ideas or themes , suggest connections, or highlight contrasts, all while adding rhythm to the structure of their expression. Parallelism and Related Figures of Speech While parallelism is itself a figure of speech, it can also be seen as a kind of "umbrella" category of a number of different figures of speech. Put another way: there are a number of figures of speech that make use of parallelism in specific ways. It's useful to know what these other terms mean, since technically speaking they are specific types of parallelism. Parallelism and Antithesis One literary device that often makes use of parallelism is antithesis . In antitheses, two elements of a sentence are placed in contrast to one another. This opposition is clearest when a writer puts the ideas in parallel positions. Neil Armstrong used antithesis with parallelism when he first stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969, using the parallel structure of the two halves of his sentence to highlight the contrast between his "small step" and the "giant leap" that this step represented in the history of humanity. That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. Parallelism and Anaphora Another specific type of parallelism is anaphora . This figure of speech involves the repetition of at least one word at the beginning of successive clauses or phrases. In one of Winston Churchill's most famous speeches during World War II, he makes stirring use of anaphora : .... We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender... Note that there are also other uses of parallelism in this excerpt of Churchill's speech that do not fall into the category of anaphora. The different locations that Churchill names ("on the beaches...on the landing grounds...in the fields and in the streets...in the hills") create parallelism through their grammatical similarity. Parallelism and Asyndeton In asyndeton , a conjunction (such as "and") is omitted between parts of a sentence to create a certain rhythm. Often, this is made possible by parallelism, which helps the reader to interpret the sentence's meaning even when it is not (technically) grammatically correct. In Julius Caesar's famous boast to the Senate after his victory at the Battle of Zela, he makes use of asyndeton because he omits the word "and" before the final clause. Veni, vidi, vici : I came, I saw, I conquered. Technically this omission of "and" makes the sentence an example of "comma splicing," which is a grammatical no-no, but the parallelism allows the meaning to come through and creates a pleasing rhythm. Parallelism and Epistrophe Epistrophe is the opposite of anaphora . Instead of repeated word(s) at the beginning of successive phrases, epistrophe involves repeating words at the end of successive phrases. Abraham Lincoln employed epistrophe when he declared in his Gettysburg Address that the Union was fighting to defend a government "of the people , by the people , for the people ." Again, this is an example of parallelism as well as epistrophe, since epistrophe is just a specific type of parallelism. Parallelism Examples Parallelism Examples in Literature Parallelism occurs frequently in poetry and prose, from ancient Hebrew poetry to contemporary fiction. Parallelism in Psalms of the Old Testament Parallelism is found throughout both the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible. In this pair of verses from Psalm 24, there are two examples of what biblical scholars call synonymous parallelism , meaning that the idea of the first clause is repeated and rephrased with a parallel grammatical structure in the second clause to emphasize or amplify the point. The earth is the LORD's and everything in it , the world, and all who live in it ; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters . Parallelism in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar , Mark Antony is given the opportunity to speak at the funeral of his recently assassinated friend, Caesar. He uses this chance to incite a riot in the hopes of winning back control of the Senate from the conspirators who assassinated Caesar in the first place. Friends, Romans, countrymen , lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar , not to praise him . The evil that men do lives after them ; The good is oft interred with their bones ... The first use of parallelism in Antony's speech comes in the list of nouns with which he calls the crowd to attention, naming their reasons to be loyal listeners as friends and patriotic citizens. Antony then uses parallelism again (with antithesis ) to state his intended purpose by contrasting the verbs "to bury" and "to praise." The third instance of parallelism is also an example of antithesis. Parallelism in Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms In this passage from A Farewell to Arms , Hemingway uses repetition and parallelism to create a rhythm that gives his simple style a precise and powerful effect. This repetition continues the matter-of-fact tone in which the narrator is describing the events of the war. This particular parallelism could also be called an example of epistrophe because its repetition occurs at the end of successive clauses. Up the river the mountains had not been taken ; none of the mountains beyond the river had been taken . That was all left for next year. Parallelism in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Paul Revere's Ride" In this famous poem, Longfellow chronicles the ride of Paul Revere on his way to warn colonists of the attacking British soldiers. The first two instances of parallelism are simple repetitions of grammatical elements— first the repetition of a verb phrase, and then a series of adjectives . The third instance is also an example of antithesis (as well as anaphora , with the repetition of "now"). This third parallelism also sets the scene with the striking imagery of the horse's hooves. He has left the village and mounted the steep And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep , Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides; And under the alders, that skirt its edge, Now soft on the sand , now loud on the ledge , Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides. Parallelism in Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake In this short excerpt from Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake , there are several examples of parallelism used to create rhythm within a sentence while elaborating on an idea. Here you can see how even without using the more elaborate versions of parallelism (anaphora, antithesis, asyndeton, etc.), th