Why does Shakespeare use apostrophe in Macbeth?
Just like in Macbeth, Shakespeare uses apostrophe so his characters can address spiritual beings. The most common usage of apostrophe in many works of literature beyond Shakespeare are evocations of deities, like God. And just like in Macbeth, the character using apostrophe is calling out to an absent spiritual being.
What metaphors are used in Macbeth?
Some examples of metaphors and similes in Macbeth are Macbeth’s statements that fortune “Show’d like a rebel’s whore,” that “All is but toys,” and that “Life’s but a walking shadow.”
What does apostrophe mean in literature?
As a literary device, apostrophe refers to a speech or address to a person who is not present or to a personified object, such as Yorick’s skull in Hamlet. It comes from the Greek word apostrephein which means “to turn away.”
Is apostrophe a figure of speech?
Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone (or something) that is not present or cannot respond in reality. Apostrophe appears most often in poetry and plays, though it can appear in prose literature as well. Apostrophe always addresses its object in the second person.
How does Shakespeare use metaphor in Macbeth?
‘ Macbeth uses a metaphor to explain that his guilty conscience is attacking and stinging him. Macbeth uses a simile to say that he would rather deal with wild animals than Banquo’s ghost which he has just seen. One of the Witches’ apparitions uses a simple metaphor to advise Macbeth about being brave.
Which is an example of an apostrophe in Shakespeare?
Apostrophe doesn’t always start with “O” though. Another example of apostrophe in Shakespeare’s work is in Macbeth. Macbeth is going through emotional turmoil and visualizes a dagger before him. He addresses the dagger and says,
When do you use an apostrophe in a sentence?
Apostrophe occurs when a speaker directly addresses something or someone but the thing or person they are addressing is either not there or inanimate, meaning they are not able to respond. Sometimes the speaker asks the absent addressee a question, and other times the speaker simply speaks directly to it.
How is apostrophe used in the book Frankenstein?
Look at how Mary Shelly uses apostrophe in her novel Frankenstein: “Oh! Stars and clouds and winds, ye are all about to mock me; if ye really pity me, crush sensation and memory; let me become as naught; but if not, depart, depart, and leave me in darkness.”. Talking to stars, clouds, and winds is apostrophe.
Is the apostrophe a punctuation mark or a literary device?
It is important not to confuse apostrophe, the literary device, with the apostrophe punctuation mark (‘). The punctuation mark shows possession, or marks the omission of one or more letters (contraction).