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Deliberate confusion of scale
- Synecdoche is the use of a deliberate confusion of scale, in which a poet refers to one thing in terms of a part of it - or in terms of what it is a part of.
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- Definition of Synecdoche. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to signify the whole, or vice-versa. In fact, it’s derived from the Greek word synekdoche: “simultaneous meaning.”
- Common Examples of Synecdoche. Here are some examples of synecdoche that may be found in everyday expression: The White House (signifies the U.S. president or executive branch)
- Examples of Synecdoche as Character Names. Fictional characters often feature synecdoche in their names to indicate an aspect or part of them that signifies their nature as a whole.
- Famous Examples of Synecdoche. Think you haven’t heard of any famous synecdoche? Here are some well-known and recognizable examples of this figure of speech
- Definition and Explanation of Synecdoche
- Types of Synecdoche
- Examples of Synecdoche
- Examples of Synecdoche in Literature
- Related Literary Terms
- Other Resources
A synecdoche occurs when one part of something is used instead of its whole. This might refer to an object being described through its materials, a container and what it holds, (for example, “I’m having a glass” rather than “I’m having a drink”) and the items in a category. The word originates from the Greek phrases “synekdochē” meaning “to sense” ...
Microcosm: a smaller part represents a larger whole. For example, referring to one’s car astheir “wheels.”Macrocosm:a larger whole represents a smaller part or parts. For example, refer to “the government’s plans” when the plans were really created by a smaller group of people.“You have my heart”“Faces in the crowd”“Lend me your ears”“Keep your eyes up here”The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot
In what is perhaps’s Eliot’s best-known poem ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,’ there are several interesting examples of synecdoche. Throughout the poem, he uses stream of consciousness to convey his speaker’s experiences. The interior monologuefollows a city-dwelling man who is overcome with feelings of isolation and indecisiveness. Here are a few lines from the poem that demonstrate how a writer might use synecdoche to their advantage: In these lines, readers can see clear examples of...
I heard a Fly buzz-when I diedby Emily Dickinson
In Dickinson’s poem, ‘I heard a Fly buzz-when I died,’ the poet uses synecdoche in the second stanza. Here are a few lines from that section of the poem: In these lines, Dickinson uses the phrase “The Eyes around” as a way of describing the mourners around the deathbed. Of course, they aren’t just “eyes,” they are entire people. She uses a microcosmic synecdoche to make the imagerymore interesting. There are other connections back to this image of “eyes” throughout the rest of the poem. Inclu...
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
In Hamlet, readers can find many good examples of different literary devices. In the following passage, Shakespeare uses synecdoche to emphasize what Claudius has done. The line “the whole ear of Denmark,” is used to refer to the larger lie that the people of Denmark have been exposed to. The population has been misinformed in regard to what happened to the former king and now Hamlet is learning the truth by listening to the ghost’s story. Read more of William Shakespeare’s poetry, including...
Extended Metaphor: a literary term that refers to a long metaphorical comparisonthat can last an entire poem.Watch: What is Synecdoche?Watch: Metonymy vs SynecdocheRead: Figures of SpeechGenerations of writers have used synecdoche in both poetry and prose. Synecdoche is a device used in many idioms, colloquial expressions, and slang terms. One common form of synecdoche uses a body part (hand, heart, head, eyes, etc.) to stand in for an entire person.
Poetry. In Norman MacCaig's poem Visiting Hour, the speaker uses synecdoche to describe himself as he visits his wife in hospital: 'the hospital smell combs my nostrils as they go...
Mar 14, 2023 · Synecdoche is often used in literature and poetry to create vivid, memorable images in a reader’s mind. For example, the synecdoche boots on the ground is frequently used to describe an army of soldiers marching, where the boots stand in for the whole soldier.
Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that refers to a part of something is substituted to stand in for the whole, or vice versa. For example, the phrase “all hands on deck” is a demand for all of the crew to help, yet the word “hands”—just a part of the crew—stands in for the whole crew. Synecdoche is a subset of metonymy.
Synecdoche both simplifies collections of parts by using the whole and emphasizes certain aspects of the whole by using its most important parts. It can be used for simplification and brevity or poeticism and elaboration.
