Alliteration is the name of a figure of speech based on sound of words. In this literary device two or more neighbouring words or syllables are used close to each other. The repeated consonant sounds are usually the first or initial sounds. Alliteration is a common feature in poetry and it is found in songs, raps and speeches.
- 1.Peter piper picked a peck of picked peppers.
- 2.She shells seashells by the seashore.
- 3.Deepika dreamt of a drip drooping drain in his dream.
- 4.Papia patted her pet dog in the park.
- 5.Humming birds hovered in heavenly harmony in the bush.
- 6.Garry grumpily gathered the garbage from the bins.
- 7.The boy buzzed around the locality as busy as a bee.
- 8.Go and gather green leaves on the grass in the field.
- 9.Sonali saw Somashree in the circus show.
- 10.Gayetri gathered green grapes in the orchard.
- 11.The wind was whistling through the weeping willows in the bush.
- 12.My mother makes mouthwatering meat for us.
- 13.The man happily helped the homeless and helpless flood victims.
- 14.Our financial future fell into futile.
- 15.My views on vices are vaguely veiled at best.
Now let us analyze and understand example of alliteration in literature in each sentence.
1.Peter piper picked a peck of picked peppers.
In this example the consonant sound ’pi’ has been repeatedly used to create musical effects on the readers’ minds.
2. She shells seashells by the seashore.
In this example the consonant sound ‘she’ is repeatedly used for the purpose of sound effect.
3 . Deepika dreamt of a drip drooping drain in his dream.
In the above example the consonant sound ‘d’ is repeated to create lyrical impact on the readers’ minds.
4. Papia patted her pet dog in the park.
In the above sentence the consonant sound ‘p’ is repeatedly used to emphasize the meaning and catch the attention of the readers to its lyrical sound.
5. Humming birds hovered in heavenly harmony in the bush.
In the above example you will find that the ‘h’ consonant sound is repeatedly used to create musical effects on the readers’ minds.
6. Garry grumpily gathered the garbage from the bins.
In the above alliterative sentence the consonant sound ‘g’ is repeated for the purpose of lyrical and musical effects on the readers’ minds.
7. The boy buzzed around the locality as busy as a bee.
In the above example the consonant sound ‘b’ is repeated more than once in the sentence to make musical sound effects.
8. Go and gather green leaves on the grass in the field.
In the above sentence the ‘g’ consonant sound has been used repeatedly to create lyrical impact on the readers’ minds.
9. Sonali saw Somashree in the circus show.
In the above alliterative sentence you will find that the consonant sound ‘s’ has been repeatedly used to make lyrical impact on the readers’ minds.
10. Gayetri gathered green grapes in the orchard.
In the above example the consonant sound ‘g’ is repeated and it is found sprinkled through this sentence.
11.. The wind was whistling through the weeping willows in the bush.
In the sentence the consonant sound ‘w’ is repeatedly used to create lyrical impact on the readers’ minds.
12. My mother makes a mouthwatering meat for us.
In the above alliterative sentence the consonant sound ‘m’ is repeatedly used to create musical sound effects on the readers’ minds.
13. The man happily helped the homeless and helpless flood victims.
In the above example the consonant sound ‘h’ has been repeatedly used to create musical impact on the readers’ minds.
14. Our financial future fell into futile.
In this sentence the consonant sound ‘f’ is repeated for the purpose of creating musical effects on the readers’ minds.
15. My views on vices are vaguely veiled at best.
In the above example the consonant sound ‘v’ is repeated to make lyrical impact on the readers’ minds.
Why is alliteration used?
There are many reasons of using alliteration. It is a rhetorical device that is used to create rhythm to the text. By creating rhythm alliteration carries the text forward. It is also used to emphasize the meaning of certain words and phrases.
The repeated sound of alliteration can help to create the mood or tone of a poem or prose.
We can use alliteration to create a lyrical and bouncy quality that make the text bright and cheerful. Therefore, the poets and writers have been using alliteration, a literary device throughout the ages to create magnificent lyrical impact.
Examples that follow;
1.Workers whistled at the women walking along the road.
Here the consonant sound ‘w’ is repeated for musical effect
2. Gary gathered green mangoes in the garden.
Here the consonant sound ‘g’ creates musical effect.
The above examples show how the alliterative sentences create musical effects on our ears and fulfill the writer’s purpose of creating musical rhythm.
How is alliteration used?
Alliteration is used to draw the attention of the readers to the most important aspect of a phrase. It is also used to create musicality and rhythm in the phrase. While using alliteration the following points should be remembered;
1.You should think of the subject that you want to emphasize.
2.You should begin the sentence with the same sound.
3.While using alliteration in writing you should keep in mind to use the words close to each other in a sentence.
For example;
Imagine, Clara is going to start a business of clothes.She will advertise like the following—
Clara’s closet sells comfortable clothing.
Here the consonant sound ‘c’ is repeated and created musical effect.
Where is alliteration used?
Alliteration is often used in sing song, fun, silly phrases. For this you will see it in common songs like–
Busy as bee.
Right as rain.
Alliteration in clichés can make them more fun and catchier.
Alliteration is used in titles. If alliteration is used in titles they become more memorable and can make them sound a little bit cooler. You can see the examples as follow-
- Black Beauty
- Peter Pan
Alliteration again in poetry can lend itself to rhythm and musicality. As it is a unique device you will be able to find in poems. You can see the following example;
1. Felu’s friend forgot to capture first photo in Fiji.
In the above poem the consonant sound ‘f’ makes the poem more memorable.
When is alliteration used?
We can use alliteration in many areas. We need to use alliteration to stress certain words or phrases that are very important in the writings. When we write any poem, nursery rhymes the use of alliteration makes them lyrical and musical in tone.
When the speakers deliver their speeches some of them use it to attract the attention of the listeners. We can also use it in formal writings to create soft and soothing mood. For lyrical impact alliteration in formal writings is considered to be appropriate. The following example will make us understand well.
Example;
1. Bunty bought a bunch of flowers to Bulbuli’s birthday party.
This example shows the repetition of consonant sound ‘b’ makes it musical.
Conclusion
Here in this article alliteration in literature: What, where, why, how has been discussed with 5 facts. It is a useful sound device found in many types of literature. It is revealed that alliteration can make a phrase easy to memorise and fun to read or say out aloud. It also can make a poem calm and smooth. It must be kept in mind that we should use this literary device in the writings to reach the highest merit of writing.
Hi…. I am Goutam Datta. I have completed a double M. A. in English and B. Ed. I am a creative writer. Currently, I am a part of the LambdaGeeks.