Home › Glossary › Letter C

Chiaroscuro metaphor

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A metaphor using strong contrasts between light and dark imagery

Detailed Definition
A Chiaroscuro metaphor combines opposing elements of light and darkness within a single image to express paradox, transformation, or nuanced perception; such metaphors resist binary thinking, instead revealing how illumination and obscurity coexist—e.g., “a bright despair” or “shadowed grace”—enriching poetic texture with layered, ambivalent meaning.
Example
Example in poetry:
Chiaroscuro metaphor contrasts light and dark for emotional depth—like Caravaggio in verse; In Plath’s "Tulips," white walls vs. red flowers create psychological tension; Shakespeare’s Sonnet 147 uses feverish light/dark imagery; This trope reveals complexity through opposition; Chiaroscuro metaphors thrive in confessional and baroque poetry.
Additional Notes
Extended metaphor based on light-dark opposition, creating dramatic tonal contrasts throughout poem. Applies chiaroscuro principles from painting to verse. Related to metaphysical conceit but emphasizes visual contrast.
Also Known As
Light-dark metaphor Shadow-brightness figure Contrast imagery Tenebrism comparison
Skip to main content