As a writer, you will need to have a grasp of the different rhetorical devices to inject more beauty into your work. The polysyndeton is one of these literary devices.
What is polysyndeton?
Polysyndeton is the literary strategy that uses a conjunction over and over, even if it doesn’t seem necessary, to join different ideas in one sentence. The word comes from the Greek word sundetos, meaning “bound together.”
This intentional repeated use of conjuctions, such as but, and, or, and nor, in close proximity is a deliberate choice in order to emphasize each listed phrase or word. The result is that the sentence exudes a serious or an excited mood.
The Purpose of Polysyndeton in Literature
Here are some of the common ways that polysyndeton impacts written passages:
- Powerful mood: The quick succession of repeated phrases or words that polysyndeton brings results in a powerful mood. It can also be used to show a character who is excited or anxious, as the repeated words give off the feeling of being a bit jittery.
- Pause in a run-on sentence: Another reason that writers use polysyndeton is to create a pause in a run-on sentence, allowing the reader to put an emphasis on each word in the series, making sure that each one receives due attention.
- Increases memorability: By slowing down the rhythm of your sentences, it helps makes them more memorable, while also breaking up a long list that tends to overwhelm readers or cause them to skip over the whole section.
- Creates a musical effect: In addition, polysyndeton results in a rhythmic, almost musical cadence, allowing the writer to speed up or slow down how the reader reads the sentence.
Examples of Polysyndeton in Literature
Many authors know how to wield the power of polysyndeton. In this post, we hope to share some examples from literature so you can see how it affects the scene:
Example #1. From Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens
There were frowzy fields, and cow-houses, and dunghills, and dustheaps, and ditches, and gardens, and summer-houses, and carpet-beating grounds, at the very door of the Railway. Little tumuli of oyster shells in the oyster season, and of lobster shells in the lobster season, and of broken crockery and faded cabbage leaves in all seasons, encroached upon its high places.
Classic authors like Charles Dickens know how to use the power of polysyndeton, as you can see from the example above. The repeated use of the conjunction “and” in these two lines creates what feels like a run-on sentence that turns our attention first to one thing and then another, giving us a vivid image of the whole scene.
Example #2. From St. Pauls’ Letter to the Romans in the Bible
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Although it’s perfectly easier to say “death, life, angels, rulers, present things, things to come, powers, height, depth, and everything else in all creation,” using polysyndeton gives this passage a whole new feel, an almost powerful mood that emphasizes what the author is saying.
In essence, he’s saying “Nothing can separate us from the love of God,” but the expanded version makes it more memorable and quote-worthy.
Example #3. From Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
And I do not see that it brings into the islands meat or bread or beer or wine or timber or cabbages or books or instruments of music or horses or armour or anything else worth having.
In the passage above from The Chronicles of Narnia series, C.S. Lewis uses polysyndeton in the repetition of the word “or,” which can easily be deemed unnecessary. But, using it in this way creates a more powerful effect for the scene.
Example #4. From The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
There were other things in the stocking, nuts and oranges and a toy engine, and chocolate almonds and a clockwork mouse, but the Rabbit was quite the best of all.
In these opening paragraphs of this classic children’s story, we are introduced to the Velveteen Rabbit by the description of all the other presents inside the boy’s Christmas stocking. The repeated use of the conjunction “and” creates a sense of excitement for all the items mentioned, and further forms the contrast with this most beloved of all, the stuffed Rabbit.
The Difference Between Polysyndeton and Asyndeton
A literary device similar to polysyndeton is asyndeton. They both connect a group of words in one sentence, but instead of using conjunctions, the asyndeton uses a series of commas. The result is a faster cadence, letting the reader move quickly over the list of words. For example, one of the most famous quotes from Julius Caesar is, “Vene, vidi, vici,” which means “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
Using Polysyndeton in Your Writing
Learning to use polysyndeton in your writing can give you the power of dictating the speed at which your reader goes through your sentences. It also lets you put emphasis on a list of words when needed, making sure that the audience pays attention and catches the mood you intend your writing to evoke.
Other than that, we encourage you to keep learning about other literary devices, so you can bring your words to life!
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 17 of the Most Common Literary Devices Every Reader and Writer Should Know
- Repetition in Writing and Rhetoric: 9 Types and Examples
- What Is Rhetoric? Definitions and Examples to Make Your Writing More Effective
- 8 Tips and Strategies for Better Persuasive Writing
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
