Anadiplosis is a literary device where the last word in a clause is repeated as the first word in the next clause. It is used for emphasis and to capture an audience’s attention. It can create ascending or descending emphasis and is often used in poetry and speeches.
Anadiplosis is a literary device that literally means “to double down” in Greek. This device is defined as the last word in a clause which is repeated as the first word in the next clause. Many authors and poets use anadiplosis for emphasis, to help the audience understand the importance of what is being said. Repetition may also have helped students in ancient times remember poems or songs they needed to learn to remember for their lessons. Givers of speeches can use anadiplosis to create both ascending and descending emphasis.
The use of anadiplosis is often reserved when a speaker or author needs to capture an audience’s attention. Most cases of anadiplosis lead to some sort of climax, with each repeated sentence pushing up from the last. For example, the sentence “I just want to escape. Run away, maybe today. Maybe today I will. I’ll run away.” The end of each sentence in this verse is repeated as the beginning of the next sentence. Each sentence also progresses the intentions of the speaker.
The above example reads something like a trip. The speaker sounds almost inventive in the first sentence. He or she is just idly thinking about running away. With the second sentence, this plan is becoming more concrete. The third and fourth sentences cement this decision, as this person is determined to go on some kind of journey. When read aloud, the reader feels the need to speed up as the sentences progress. This is one of the more poetic characteristics of anadiplosis: it often pushes the action forward, leapfrogging itself to get there.
Some cases of anadiplosis can be likened to building blocks instead of increasing actions. For example, in the Bible, John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This example repeats a single sentence at the beginning of each clause instead of repeating different clauses. This example builds the definition of the Word instead of pushing the action forward. By the end of the sentence, the reader understands that the Word and God are one and the same, and that both are extremely important.
Poets and authors can also use anadiplosis to create descending action. For example, in the movie Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the character Yoda says, “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hatred leads to suffering”. In this example, each iteration falls down, resulting in something darker than the last.
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