Assonance
Assonance is a literary device characterized by the repetition of similar vowel sounds within closely connected words or phrases. It falls under the broader category of alliteration, which encompasses the repetition of sounds in general, with assonance specifically focusing on vowels. Often referred to as "vowel rhyme," assonance creates a rhythmic effect that can evoke the qualities of formal rhyming, making it particularly prominent in poetry. The term has evolved over time, originating from the Latin word "assonantem," meaning "to resound," and entering English in the early 18th century.
Historical examples, such as lines from Shakespeare's Sonnet 1, illustrate the instinctive use of assonance by poets long before the term was formally defined. Additionally, assonance enhances the emotional and rhythmic qualities of both poetry and song lyrics, allowing for a more engaging reading experience. Its use is prevalent in modern poetry, which often favors free verse over strict rhyme schemes, allowing poets to create melodic effects without adhering to traditional structures. Overall, assonance serves as a powerful tool for enhancing mood and emphasizing key phrases within literary compositions.
On this Page
Assonance
Assonance is a literary device marked by the repetition of similar vowel sounds across a consecutive or localized set of words or phrases. It is one of two distinct forms of alliteration, which is the repeated use of similar or identical letters or sounds within a closely connected textual passage. When alliteration involves consonant sounds instead of vowels, it is known as consonance.
Some sources use the term “vowel rhyme” as a functional synonym for assonance. While the words and sounds used in an assonant passage do not necessarily rhyme, commentators note that when read aloud, assonance creates a rhythmic effect that resembles formal rhyming. As such, it is most closely associated with poetry.
Overview
The etymological history of the word “assonance” includes changing definitions over time. Originating from the Latin word assonantem,which means “to resound” or “to respond,” assonance entered the English language from French in or around the year 1727. Assonance initially had a narrower definition than the one currently associated with the term, applying specifically to vowels with identical accented sounds that were between consonants. By the early nineteenth century, the term had acquired a more generalized usage that recognized assonance simply as the deliberate and rhythmic repetition of vowel sounds across multiple words closely linked in a written passage.
A common example of assonance can be found in Sonnet 1, first published in 1609 and written by William Shakespeare (1564–1616):
“His tender heir might bear his memory.”
Notably, Sonnet 1 was composed more than a century before the term “assonance” made its first known entry into the English language. This reflects the intuitive nature with which authors craft passages using similar sounds to achieve rhythmic and melodic effects. Because assonance and other forms of alliteration have these qualities, they have also become a popular device in song lyrics.
In addition to imbuing prose and poetry with a perceptible sense of rhythm, assonance can also be used to draw attention to particularly impactful or important turns of phrase within a poem or composition, or to establish or advance a sense of mood. Its evocative abilities are evident in the opening stanza of the 1804 poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth:
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
The first four lines in the verse contain a dense concentration of long “o” sounds, in words like “lonely,” “floats,” “o’er,” and “golden.” Wordsworth then pivots toward repetition of long “e” sounds in “beneath,” “trees,” and “breeze,” creating an aural break from the established rhythm as the subject of the poet’s focus shifts.
Assonance has taken on increased prominence in modern poetry, which has generally moved away from traditional rhyming conventions in favor of looser and free-verse structures. Literary critics note that assonance enables poets to evoke the formal qualities of rhyme in their verse-form compositions without the need to commit themselves to a particular rhyme scheme or metric structure.
Bibliography
Adams, Percy G. “The Historical Importance of Assonance to Poets.” PMLA,vol. 88, no. 1 (Jan. 1973): pp. 8–18.
“Assonance.” Center for Literacy in Primary Education,2023, clpe.org.uk/poetry/poetic-devices/assonance. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
“Assonance.” Online Etymology Dictionary,www.etymonline.com/word/assonance. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
Nordquist, Richard. “What Is Alliteration in English?” ThoughtCo,8 June 2018, www.thoughtco.com/alliteration-definition-1692387. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
“Poetry 101: What Is Assonance in Poetry? Assonance Definition with Examples.” MasterClass,16 Aug. 2021, www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101-what-is-assonance-in-poetry-assonance-definition-with-examples. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
“What Are Assonance and Consonance?” Oregon State University,4 Dec. 2020, liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-are-assonance-and-consonance. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
“What Is Alliteration? Definition, Examples of Literary Alliteration.” Woodhead Publishing,2019, www.woodheadpublishing.com/literary-devices/alliteration. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
Yamasaki, Parker. “What Is Assonance? Definitions and Examples of This Literary Device.” Grammarly,31 Oct. 2022, www.grammarly.com/blog/assonance/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.