Stry of higher and secondary specialized education of the republic of uzbekistan national university of uzbekistan

CHAPTER II PECULIARITIES OF THE ANTITHESIS IN THE LITERARY TEXT
2.1 The usage of antithesis as a literary device6
Antithesis (Greek for “setting opposite”) means “a contrast or opposite.” For example, when something or someone is the opposite of another thing or person.
As a rhetorical device, antithesis pairs exact opposite or contrasting ideas in a parallel grammatical structure. Consider William Shakespeare’s famous line in Hamlet: “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.” This is a great example of antithesis because it pairs two contrasting ideas—listening and speaking—in the same parallel structure.²¹

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  The effect of antithesis can be powerful. When used correctly, antithesis highlights the stark difference between opposing ideas by placing them side-by-side in exactly the same structure. When used in the context of an argument, the way these ideas are placed side-by-side can make it obvious which idea is better.
  
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  Antithesis is also a great literary device to create rhythm. Antithesis often makes use of parallelism—it sets up a repetitive structure that makes writing sound musical. Consider Charles Dickens’s famous opening of A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” 
  

Antithesis is a literary device that refers to the juxtaposition of two opposing elements through the parallel grammatical structure. The word antithesis, meaning absolute opposite, is derived from Greek for “setting opposite,” indicating when something or someone is in direct contrast or the obverse of another thing or person.
Antithesis is an effective literary and rhetorical device, as it pairs exact opposite or contrasting ideas by utilizing the parallel grammatical structure. This helps readers and audience members define concepts through contrast and develop an understanding of something through defining its opposite. In addition, through the use of parallelism, antithesis establishes a repetitive structure that makes for rhythmic writing and lyrical speech.
For example, Alexander Pope states in An Essay on Criticism, “To err is human; to forgive divine.” Pope’s use of antithesis reflects the impact of this figure of speech in writing, as it creates a clear, memorable, and lyrical effect for the reader. In addition, Pope sets human error in contrast to divine forgiveness, allowing readers to understand that it is natural for people to make mistakes, and therefore worthy for others to absolve them when they do.
Antithesis is often used in everyday speech as a means of conveying opposing ideas in a concise and expressive way. Since antithesis is intended to be a figure of speech, such statements are not meant to be understood in a literal manner. Here are some examples of antithesis used in everyday speech:

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  Go big or go home.
  
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  Spicy food is heaven on the tongue but hell in the tummy.
  
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  Those who can, do; those who can’t do, teach.
  
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  Get busy living or get busy dying.
  
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  Speech is silver but silence is gold.
  
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  No pain, no gain.
  
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  It’s not a show, friends; it’s show business.
  
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  No guts, no glory.
  
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  A moment on the lips; a lifetime on the hips.
  
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  If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.
  

Antithesis can be an effective rhetorical device in terms of calling attention to drastic differences between opposing ideas and concepts. By highlighting the contrast side-by-side with the exact same structure, the speaker is able to impact an audience in a memorable and significant way. Here are some common examples of antithesis from famous speeches:

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  “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” (Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream”)
  
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  “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” (Abraham Lincoln “The Gettysburg Address”)
  
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  “‘Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.'” (Edward Kennedy quoting Robert F. Kennedy during eulogy)
  
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  “We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change.” (John F. Kennedy “Presidential Inaugural Speech”)
  
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  “You see, for any champion to succeed, he must have a team — a very incredible, special team; people that he can depend on, count on, and rely upon through everything — the highs and lows, the wins and losses, the victories and failures, and even the joys and heartaches that happen both on and off the court.” (Michael Chang “Induction Speech for Tennis Hall of Fame”)
  

Proverbs are simple and often traditional sayings that express insight into truths that are perceived, based on common sense or experience. These sayings are typically intended to be metaphorical and therefore rely on figures of speech such as antithesis. Proverbs that utilize antithetical parallelism feature an antithesis to bring together opposing ideas in defined contrast. Therefore, antithesis is effective as a literary device in proverbs by allowing the reader to consider one idea and then it’s opposite. It also makes for lyrical and easily remembered sayings.²²