Epigram
An epigram is a concise and often witty verse that conveys a clever idea, frequently with a humorous or sarcastic twist. Historically, the term originated from inscriptions on ancient monuments and evolved through Greek and Roman literature, with notable contributions from poets such as Sappho and the Roman poet Martial, who is credited with refining the form. Epigrams typically feature a short, rhymed structure, often presenting unexpected contrasts or contradictions that make them memorable. While many epigrams aim to entertain with humor, others convey deeper messages or reflections on life, morality, and society. Famous epigrammists include Oscar Wilde, known for his sharp wit, and figures like Mother Teresa, whose work highlights the form's versatility. Today, epigrams are popular in various media, including social media and merchandise, emphasizing their enduring appeal across cultures and time periods. Overall, epigrams serve as a powerful means of expression, allowing authors to encapsulate profound thoughts in just a few words.
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Epigram
An epigram is a short passage of verse that is often clever and may include a sarcastic or tongue-in-cheek twist. The famous nineteenth-century poet Oscar Wilde described an epigram as “a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way.” The seventeenth-century poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote this well-known epigram defining the literary form:
What is an epigram? A dwarfish whole,
Its body brevity, and wit its soul.
In contemporary times, epigrams flourish on the Internet, where many memes and social media posts include short statements that are ironic or humorous.
Background
Epigrams date back to the earliest days of literature. They originally referred to the inscriptions carved in stone in ancient monuments and tombs but were later used in the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Essentially a description told in verse form, the early epigram was longer and less likely to contain clever remarks. Many ancient elegies—metrical poems expressing sadness or grief—were epigrams. Some were added to the tombs of friends and loved ones at burial. This is an ancient Greek elegy that is an epigram:
The poet Hipponax lies here.
In justice, this is only fair.
His lines were never dark or deep.
Now he enjoys (like his readers) sleep.
One of the most famous Greek epigrammists was Sappho, a revered female lyrical poet who lived during the sixth-century BCE. Sappho wrote this epigram, along with many others: “What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful.”
The ancient Roman poet Marcus Valerius Martialis, who lived in the first century CE, refined the form, adding the Roman tradition of satire to his epigrams. Over the centuries, his format became the format used by most epigram writers. Because of this, Martialis is considered the master of the Roman epigram. Martialis wrote many witty epigrams, including this one:
You say to me, Cerylus, that my writings are crude. It's true.
But that's only because I write about you.
Martialis’s format rose to prominence in the seventeenth century when it featured prominently in the sonnet couplets written by authors such as William Shakespeare.
Overview
Epigrams have common characteristics: they are short, written in verse, often rhyme, and contain an unexpected contrast or contradiction. These characteristics make epigrams interesting, thought-provoking, and memorable. An example is this epigram written by Catherine the Great, who was the empress of Russia from 1769 to 1796:
If you can’t be a good example,
You’ll just have to be a horrible warning.
While most epigrams are humorous, some are note, including this one by Mother Teresa: “Live simply, so that others may simply live.”
The two-line epigram became a common format in English because of its frequent use in sonnet couplets by writers over the centuries. These writers include not only Shakespeare but also Alexander Pope, Emily Dickinson, and George Eliot. This Shakespearian sonnet is an epigram:
So all my best is dressing old words new, Spending again what is already spent: For as the sun is daily new and old, So is my love still telling what is told.
While this format was popular for a time, epigrams of various lengths and topics became popular at different times in literary history. For example, many of the epigrams of sixteenth-century Welsh poet John Owens and a few by eighteenth-century English poet William Blake were longer than two lines, including this one:
You say their Pictures well Painted be,
And yet they are Blockheads you all agree,
Thank God, I never was sent to School
To be Flogg’d into following the Stile of a Fool.
The Errors of a Wise Man make your Rule
Rather than the Perfections of a Fool.
During the early twentieth century, epigram couplets were accompanied by a third line that served as a title. However, later in the century, most English epigrams reverted to the two-line format with an ironic, sarcastic, or humorous ending, including this epigram by American poet Dorothy Parker: “The only ‘ism’ Hollywood believes in is plagiarism.”
The Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde is one of the most famous epigrammists of the nineteenth century. He incorporated his sharp wit into his work, as in this epigram: “I can resist everything but temptation.”
Epigrammists often incorporated literary techniques into their work, such as alliteration, the repetition of letters and sounds, and antithesis, which is the contrasting of words or phrasing with opposite meanings. The nineteenth-century English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, uses antithesis in this epigram: “He makes no friend, who never made a foe.”
Other techniques used in epigrams include irony, or language that has the opposite meaning of how it is used. The famous German physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955) uses irony in this epigram: “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”
Epigrammists also include puns in their work. A pun is a play on words. Puns are usually intended to be humorous. This epigram includes a pun: The tallest building in town is the library — it has thousands of stories!
In contemporary times, epigrams frequently appear on social media, on T-shirts and mugs, and in other similar formats. Like the epigrams of ancient times, they sometimes use racy or obscene language. The topics may be either serious or light and range from politics to parenting to liquor. Epigrams are meant to catch interest, entertain, or provoke thought or emotion through humor or a clever twist of words that makes them memorable. In other words, epigrams allow an author to create a lasting impression with just a few words.
Bibliography
“Epigram.” LitCharts, www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/epigram. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“Epigram.” Literary Devices, literarydevices.net/epigram/. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“Epigram.” New World Encyclopedia, www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Epigram. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“Epigram.” Online Etymological Dictionary, www.etymonline.com/word/epigram. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
“Epigram.” Poets.org,poets.org/glossary/epigram. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
Garner, Bryan A. “Some Really Wilde Epigrams.” National Review,3 Oct. 2022, www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2022/10/03/some-really-wilde-epigrams/. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
Yamasaki, Parker. “Epigram: Definition and Examples of This Literary Device.” Grammarly, 24 Mar. 2023, HYPERLINK "https://www.grammarly.com/blog/epigram/"https://www.grammarly.com/blog/epigram/. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.