I need help with the figure of speech "bitter sweet"???
Expert Answers
| Certified Educator
calendarEducator since 2009
write4,794 answers
starTop subjects are Literature, History, and Social Sciences
Like the previous post, "bitter sweet" is an oxymoron. It comes from two Greek words, meaning sharp and dull. So, even from the word itself, you are able to get at the definition of the word.
Oxymorons are great to use in literature, because it makes the reader think. It is similar to a paradox in some ways. On the surface, it does not make sense at all, but with some more reflection, usually a great truth is unlocked with wit and cleverness. Moreover, most of life is filled with oxymorons. For instance, no one is consistent. Everyone is a walking contradiction. In part this is what makes life interesting.
A nice oxymoron is "silent whispers." If we expand this idea, we can say apply it also the conceptual things.
Related Questions
- Is Bitter-sweet an example of antithesis? If not what is an example of antithesis?
- 2 Educator Answers
- What is the difference between poetic devices and figures of speech? Is alliteration a poetic...
- 3 Educator Answers
- I want some information on the literature figures of speech.with their relative examples
- 2 Educator Answers
- What are figures of speech?
- 1 Educator Answer
| Certified Educator
calendarEducator since 2009
write858 answers
starTop subjects are Literature, Social Sciences, and History
"Bittersweet" is an oxymoron. An oxymoron is a two-word paradox, or something which appears to be a contradiction, but is actually possible. Other examples include "living dead", "darkly lit", "sweet sorrow", etc. In each of these, the concept seems to be impossible (how can something which causes sorrow or sadness also be sweet or pleasurable?), but can actually exist.
The Enotes Guide to Literary Terms states the etymology as follows:
The term comes from the Greek oxumoros, meaning pointedly foolish which was formed by combining oxus, meaning sharp, and moros, meaning foolish.
An oxymoron can be a effective way to state a paradox concisely, & thus point out discrepancies or emphasize a particular point.