Climax (rhetoric)

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In rhetoric, a climax (Greek: ??????, klîmax, lit. "staircase" or "ladder") is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, or clauses are arranged in order of increasing importance. In its use with clauses, it is also sometimes known as auxesis (lit. "growth").

Video Climax (rhetoric)

Usage

Climax is frequently used in persuasion (particularly advertising) to create false dilemmas and to focus attention on the positive aspects of the subject at hand. The initial inferior options make the final term seem still better by comparison than it would appear in isolation: "X is good, Y is better, Z is best" is a standard format. It can also be used in reverse to make the initial term seem better by comparison: "A isn't perfect but B is worse and C is worst."

Maps Climax (rhetoric)

Examples

• "There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
• "I think we've reached a point of great decision, not just for our nation, not only for all humanity, but for life upon the earth."
• "...Lost, vaded, broken, dead within an hour."

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Anticlimax

An anticlimax or anti-climax is an abrupt descent (either deliberate or unintended) on the part of a speaker or writer from the dignity of idea which he appeared to be aiming at, as in:

"The English poet Herrick expressed the same sentiment when he suggested that we should gather rosebuds while we may. Your elbow is in the butter, sir."

As a relative term, anticlimax requires a greater or lesser climax to precede it in order to have proper effect. An anticlimax can be intentionally employed only for a jocular or satiric purpose. It frequently partakes of the nature of antithesis, as in:

"Die and endow a college or a cat."

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See also

• Figure of speech
• Bathos
• Climax as a narrative element

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References

Citations

Sources

•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Anticlimax", Encyclopædia Britannica, 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 123 

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External links

•  "Anticlimax", Encyclopædia Britannica, 2 (9th ed.), 1878, p. 127  -- 11th edition reprinted this article
• Video about the use of climax and anticlimax
• More figures of speech in video examples

Source of article : Wikipedia