Conceit examples. Conceit in Literature: Definition & Examples 2022-10-20
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A conceit is a literary device that involves extending a metaphor or analogy over the course of a work, often in a highly elaborate or creative way. It is typically used to compare an abstract concept or idea to something concrete and tangible, in order to make the concept easier to understand or to add depth and complexity to the work. Conceits are often used in poetry, but they can also be found in prose and other forms of literature. Here are a few examples of conceits:
The sun as a lover: In the poem "The Sun Rising" by John Donne, the speaker compares the sun to a lover who is trying to wake the speaker and their partner from bed. The speaker chides the sun for its presumptuousness, saying "Busy old fool, unruly sun, / Why dost thou thus, / Through windows and through curtains, call on us?" The conceit of the sun as a lover adds a playful and imaginative twist to the poem.
The world as a stage: In the play "As You Like It" by William Shakespeare, the character Jaques delivers a famous monologue in which he compares the world to a stage and the people in it to actors. He says, "All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely players; / They have their exits and their entrances, / And one man in his time plays many parts." This conceit helps to emphasize the idea that life is fleeting and that people are constantly changing and evolving.
Love as a war: In the poem "The Flea" by John Donne, the speaker uses the conceit of a flea biting both the speaker and their lover to compare love to a war. The speaker says, "Mark but this flea, and mark in this, / How little that which thou deniest me is; / It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee, / And in this flea our two bloods mingled be." The conceit helps to illustrate the idea that love can bring two people together in a way that is intimate and almost spiritual.
Time as a person: In the poem "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell, the speaker uses the conceit of time as a person to argue that the speaker and their lover should seize the day and enjoy their youth while they can. The speaker says, "Time's winged chariot hurrying near; / And yonder all before us lie / Deserts of vast eternity." This conceit helps to create a sense of urgency and encourages the reader to think about the fleeting nature of time.
Overall, conceits are a powerful literary tool that can add depth and complexity to a work by making abstract concepts more concrete and understandable. Whether they are used to compare love to a war or time to a person, conceits help to bring new perspectives and insights to the reader's understanding of the world.
Metaphysical Conceit Literary Device & Examples
In using conceits, writers are able to convey abstract concepts more vividly. . And though it in the center sit, Yet when the other far doth roam, It leans, and hearkens after it, And grows erect, as that comes home. It is used to demonstrate the highs and lows of being in love. Historically, conceits are unique because they weren't just one line or phrase but rather a Examples of Petrarchan Conceits Named after the In these works of art, the writer uses an unlikely connection between a natural element and a lover. What is the conceit of a story? In classic literature, we find two primary types of a conceit: metaphysical conceit and Petrarchan conceit.
Through this surprise, the author is able to emphasize the main point of their conceit and leave a lasting impression on the reader. While comparisons compare unlike things, a conceit is a special type of comparison because the two things compared are so unalike that it gives us pause. Although the conceit slowly went away after the 17th century, due to being perceived as artifice, some later poets like Emily Dickinson used it. Metaphysical Conceit There are two specific types of conceit: Metaphysical and Petrarchan. Conceit and metaphor are two figures of speech that are often used in literature.
The comparison, which at first seems surprising or out of place, adds depth to both literature and ordinary conversation, and at the same time, a conceit helps to boil down an idea that may be fairly complex into a simple turn of phrase. What is Conceit in Literature? Conceit in Poetry The conceit literary device was commonly used in literature between the 14th and 17th centuries. Donne deepens this comparison by comparing how when the fixed point of the compass sits still and the other leg is far, it "leans and harkens" towards it, much like how the lovers long for each other when apart. To begin, the definition of metaphysical conceit is the act of comparing something intangible abstract to something natural physical. Petrarch compares his beloved to many things, such as an angel, a celestial spirit, and a living sun.
Through both conceits, it is clear that the two lovers cannot be together, no matter how strongly they feel. Metaphysical Conceit in "The Definition of Love" by Andrew Marvell 'As lines, so loves oblique may well Themselves in every angle greet; But ours so truly parallel, Though infinite, can never meet. For example, a writer might be able to use their talents to successfully compare the every day object of a doorknob to that of life itself, illustrating a complex idea in a simple, easy to understand way. In modern philosophical terminology, metaphysics refers to the studies of what cannot be reached through objective studies of material reality. Lesson Summary A conceit in literature is essentially a form of metaphor.
What is Conceit in Literature? Definition, Examples of Literary Conceit
But to us, they make sense because of their connotational meaning. The speaker is compared to the part of the compass that moves. Crafted originally from the work of Petrarch, Petrarchan conceit first focused purely on comparisons of love and the agony of lost love. What Is a Metaphysical Conceit? He argues that the flea has already 'co-mingled' their blood and that the flea hasn't committed any type of sin by doing so. Petrarchan Conceit Though metaphysical conceits and Petrarchan conceits share some similarities, such as how they both compare two distinctly different objects or concepts, there are also a few differences between the two.
Where we almost, nay more than married are. See the following stanza: 'As lines, so loves oblique may well Themselves in every angle greet; But ours so truly parallel, Though infinite, can never meet. In a way, a conceit almost becomes like an argument, where a writer proves that a relationship between two seemingly-unlike concepts exists and that it not only exists, but is a surprisingly apt comparison. Meaning of conceit: When identifying a comparison as a conceit, it is important to note that these comparisons tend to be elaborate or surprising. The speaker and his beloved's feelings may last for infinity, but they will never have the chance to be together. Conceit, figure of speech, usually a simile or metaphor, that forms an extremely ingenious or fanciful parallel between apparently dissimilar or incongruous objects or situations. Such wilt thou be to me, who must, Like th' other foot, obliquely run; Thy firmness makes my circle just, And makes me end where I begun.
It is the more or less conscious realization of this fact which gives to the conceit its peculiar flavor of artificiality, and makes it essentially unpleasing to the sensitive reader. It differs from similes or metaphors in that the connection being made is between two extremely different, or unlikely objects. These literary devices come in two types: a Petrarchan and metaphysical conceit. This comparison between two dissimilar things could be identified as a conceit. What is a metaphysical concept? Metaphysical Conceits Metaphysical conceits are more abstract, relying on almost absurd comparisons to elicit a response from the audience.
Negative Conceit Originally, a conceit referred to an extended metaphor that was unconventional and complex. These conceits use complex logic to make an un unlikely comparison between the world and a person or concept. Let's take a look at the first stanza: Mark but this flea, and mark in this, How little that which thou deny'st me is; It sucked me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea, our two bloods mingled be; Thou knowest that this cannot be said A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead. What are the characteristics of metaphysical poetry? For example, a poem utilizing this conceit might have the speaker compare one of their lover's features to the sun or the waves of an ocean. A conceit is a type of metaphor, a comparison of two unlike things for the purpose of creating an extended meaning. Meretriciousness had set in.
Although the conceit slowly went away after the 17th century, due to being perceived as artifice, some later poets like Emily Dickinson used it. Metaphysical conceits are known to make sense intellectually rather than intuitively. Explore some other fun examples of metaphysical conceit. We see this in Shakespeare's 130th sonnet: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. It is clear from the start that the two objects being compared are dissimilar, however, it might surprise the reader how apt the comparison between the two actually is.
Let's take a look at some metaphysical conceit examples from a few famous poems. By using two seemingly unrelated objects for comparison, the author is able to add depth and passion through their effort of comparing these two different items, as well as showcase an imaginative view of something. Therefore the love which us doth bind, But Fate so enviously debars, Is the conjunction of the mind, And opposition of the stars. The structure of the poem provides some guidelines. If they be two, they are two so As stiff twin compasses are two; Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show To move, but doth, if the other do. What kind of ambition does Macbeth have in the play? As you see from this example, I can actually compare the new mother and the tightrope walker from several different points. The poetry definition of conceit is the act of using two very unlikely objects in order to draw a comparison within a poem.
