Literary TermOxymoron

Lourdes OsegueraElizabeth Figueroa

Period: 2

Oxymoron - a figure of speech in which two contradictory words or phrases are combined to produce a rhetorical effect by means of a concise paradox.

The term comes from the Greek oxumoros, meaning pointedly foolish which was formed by combining oxus, meaning sharp, and moros, meaning foolish.

Definition…

ox·y·mo·ron  [ok-si-mawr-on, -mohr-] http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/au

dio.pl?oxymor01.wav=oxymoron

Pronunciation

An example “I like a smuggler. He is the

only honest thief.” (Charles Lamb).

1st Literary example…

A smuggler doesn’t pay duty to any imports or goods.

A smuggler robs the “Income” only. So a smuggler robs who are in charge of that profit.

The way it works for the author is that its two contradictory ideas such as saying “honest thief.” Honest is good but thief is bad.

1st Analysis

Most famous instance of sustained oxymoron is said to be Sir Thomas Wyatt's version of Petrach's 134th sonnet.

'I find no peace, and all my war is done I fear and hope, I burn and freeze like ice, I flee above the wind, yet can I not arise; And nought I have and all the world I season.

2nd Literary Example

This contradicts itself, because its all opposite from the man’s feelings, he feels both and none at the same time.

This supports the passage because it can be saying that he is not at peace of mind even after all the battles he’s endured.

He tries his best to succeed but fails

2nd Analysis

Juliet:'Tis almost morning, I would have thee gone—And yet no farther than a wan-ton's bird,That lets it hop a little from his hand,Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,And with a silken thread plucks it back again,So loving-jealous of his liberty.

Romeo:I would I were thy bird.

Juliet:Sweet, so would I,Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,That I shall say good night till it be morrow. [Exit above]

Romeo And Juliet Act 2, scene 2, 176–185

3rd Literary example

“sweet sorrow” contradicts itself because its both sweet and sad one must say goodbye to a friend.

It also combines both pleasure and pain

Parting is sorrow for Julia because she would like to be rebellious and be with Romeo instead, and pleasure because being with Romeo and doing anything with him is pleasurable.

3rd Analysis

"Oxymoron | Define Oxymoron at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 23 Oct. 2010. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/oxymoron>.

"Merriam-Webster Pronunciation." Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. <http://lynx.eb.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?oxymor01.wav=oxymoron>.

"Oxymoron in English Literature." Index Page of Netvert.biz. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. <http://www.netvert.biz/wordpower/oxymoron1.html>.

Works Cited