consonance
- noun
- /ˈkɒnsənəns/
- Literature
:
consonancia
- In this ironic description of the heavenliness of Macbeth's castle, Shakespeare uses more alliterative consonance (bird, bed, breed) to link Banquo's observations on the sweet birds breeding in their beds.
- alliterative consonance
- consonance and alliteration
Examples
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Besides the general echoic effect by which it links words, alliterative consonance in Macbeth seems to create important links in meaning, symbolism, and imagery.
Academic text (1997) -
In poetry, consonance often creates a musical quality by repeating similar sounds at the ends of words.
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In Macbeth, alliterative consonance may function in other ways.
Academic text (1997) -
Alliterative consonance can serve to emphasize these comparisons.
Academic text (1997) -
Later, likewise, Shakespeare uses alliterative consonance thematically.
Academic text (1997) -
They not only make a perfect rhyme, but through consonance and assonance, they resonate in our imagination.
Academic text (1997) -
The alliterative consonance is enhanced by the alliterative and homophonic sounds of the first syllable of "buttress" and the word "but."
Academic text (1997) -
The head/hand passage, which occurs after Banquo's ghost has disrupted Macbeth's banquet, reveals how Shakespeare uses alliterative consonance to link sound and sense.
Academic text (1997) -
The use of consonance in this line helps to enhance the rhythm and flow of the poem.
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Writers sometimes employ consonance to add a layer of meaning through sound, making their work more engaging.
Synonyms
A repeat of consonant sounds at the ends of words to make lines sound similar
How Similar
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Consonance has the same roots con- 'with' and son- 'sound' as the word consonant, so a helpful way to remember the poetic sense is that it brings consonant sounds 'together' by repeating them in nearby words or at the ends of words.