Antithesis
Literary term · say it an-TITH-uh-sis
Antithesis is the placing of opposite ideas in balanced phrases or sentences to make their contrast clear. The matching shape of the language brings the difference into focus, often making a thought sharper or more memorable.
Where antithesis shows up
Opposites in a description
A description can pair opposing ideas in matching phrases. This can show that a place, person, or period contains sharp contradictions.
The opening of A Tale of Two Cities describes the same period through opposing extremes, pairing prosperity with misery and wisdom with foolishness.
In A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Opposites in an argument
A speaker can balance opposing choices or claims against each other. The contrast helps the reader see the question at the heart of the argument.
In Hamlet, Hamlet begins his famous soliloquy by setting continued existence against its opposite, then weighs enduring suffering against resisting it.
In Hamlet by William Shakespeare
How to spot antithesis
- Look for opposite ideas placed close together.
- Check whether the phrases have matching grammatical shapes.
- Ask what the balanced contrast makes clearer.
What is the difference between antithesis and juxtaposition?
Antithesis pairs opposite ideas in balanced language, while juxtaposition simply places things side by side for comparison. Two contrasting scenes can be juxtaposed without using antithesis; antithesis usually works through the shape and meaning of nearby phrases.
What is the difference between antithesis and oxymoron?
Antithesis sets opposing ideas against each other, while an oxymoron joins apparently contradictory words into one expression. Antithesis often stretches across two balanced phrases; an oxymoron is usually a compact pairing, such as a description of silence as deafening.
Related terms
Books where you can see Antithesis
200,000+ classics to read and hear, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
