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A fairly simple way to show a complex thought.
Antithesis makes use of a contrast in language to bring out a contrast in ideas. It is one of the most attractive and powerful tools in speech and writing. Some of the most famous lines in modern history are built on the antithesis, from Neil Armstrong’s “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind,” to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “…not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Antithesis has a natural beauty to the human ear because we are creatures who love to organize and categorize our thoughts and ideas. Antithesis organizes ideas in a way that is both evocative and powerful, and it is an excellent tool to have in your writer’s toolbox.
Antithesis can be built by contrasting any of the different parts of a statement.
You may wish to keep the structure of the sentences identical, but use two opposing words.
You may wish to change entire clauses to contrast with one another.
You may even wish to have whole sentences oppose one another throughout the course of a paragraph. While simply opposing a key word can be the easiest to build, longer uses of antithesis can be very powerful.
The sound of a sentence built on antithesis can also be used to great effect. Trying to alliterate, or match the first sound of the contrasting words, can help highlight the opposition. For example:
“Life can be kind and cruel, full of hope and heartache,”
can drive the point home more eloquently than:
“Life can be kind and mean, full of joy and heartache.
Antithesis can also help to point out fine distinctions in an issue by presenting them together. By contrasting legality and morality, wisdom and learning, or success and happiness, you make your reader think about the subtle shades of difference between the concepts. When dealing with ideas that you think your reader might tend to think of as the same, joining them in antithesis can help set the stage for your argument.
Example #1: “We live within our limits, for we are men, not gods.”
Example #2: “I speak not from ignorance, but from experience.”
Example #3: “War is not fought to achieve joy, but rather to avoid pain.”
We can use antithesis to emphasize a point or startle a reader into paying attention. Let’s look at some famous quotes by some famous people where contrast is drawn with antithesis.
1. “We are caught in war, wanting peace. We are torn by division, wanting unity.” —Richard Nixon
2. “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”—John F. Kennedy
3. Marc Antony: “I came to bury Caesar, not to praise him.”—Shakespeare (Julius Caesar )
4. “I pass with relief from the tossing sea of Cause and Theory to the firm ground of Result and Fact.” —Winston Churchill
5. “Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” —Barry Goldwater
6. Brutus: “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” — Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)
7. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” —Charles Dickens (A Tale of Two Cities)
8. “Too black for heaven, and yet too white for hell.” —John Dryden (The Hind and the Panther)
9. “To err is human, to forgive, divine.” —Alexander Pope (An Essay on Criticism)
10. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” —Shakespeare (Macbeth)
Let’s Practice with some exercises on Antithesis
A. Can you underline the antithesis components in the following statements.
1. You are easy on the eyes, but hard on the heart.
2. Many are called, but few are chosen.
3. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
4. To err is human; to forgive divine.
5. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.
6. Let's agree to disagree.
7. Forgive us this day our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
8. What men must know, a boy must learn.
9. Man proposes; God disposes.
10. Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.
B. Complete the following famous antithesis lines.
1. To err is human; to forgive is _________.
2. Man _________; God disposes.
3. Float like a _________; sting like a _________.
4. Speech is silver; silence is __________.
5. Rude words bring about ________, but kind words inspire _________.
6. Patience is _________, but it has a _________ fruit.
7. The more you __________, the __________ you know.
8. Folks who have ________ vices have _______ virtues.
9. Integrity without _________ is weak and useless, and knowledge without _________ is dangerous and dreadful.
In a nutshell, Antithesis is a literary device designed to highlight the differences of two irreconcilable opposites. Structurally, the contrasting ideas are placed in sharp juxtaposition and sustained tension, i.e. observing correct grammar and parallelism, in order to achieve the ultimate contrasting effect. The well-balanced or parallel structure makes the comparison easier and highlights the contradictions between the ideas. In sum, an antithesis is composed of three main components: (a) at least two parts, (b) contrasting ideas, and (c) a parallel grammatical structure.
A. Underline the antithesis components in the following statements.
1. You are easy on the eyes, but hard on the heart.
2. Many are called, but few are chosen.
3. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
4. To err is human; to forgive divine.
5. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.
6. Let's agree to disagree.
7. Forgive us this day our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
8. What men must know, a boy must learn.
9. Man proposes; God disposes.
10. Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.
B. Complete the following famous antithesis lines.
1. To err is human; to forgive is divine.
2. Man proposes; God disposes.
3. Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee.
4. Speech is silver; silence is gold.
5. Rude words bring about sadness, but kind words inspire joy.
6. Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit.
7. The more you know, the less you know.
8. Folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
9. Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful
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Firdous is an imaginative wordsmith and a story teller. She has been coaching young minds to be able to express themselves creatively and confidently express their ideas since the past 12 years using her extensive experience in creative writing and public speaking. She loves reading and writing fictional stories, essays and poetries. As a true bibliophile, she continues to draw inspiration from the wonderful world of books and weave emotions into each piece of work. She believes in encouraging originality and fosters creativity in her students through her persistence, collaboration and constant support.
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