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Duality

Metaphysics
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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

The coexistence of opposing forces or states—such as body/soul, time/eternity, or reason/faith—that structure metaphysical thought and verse.

Detailed Definition
Duality provides the dynamic tension essential to metaphysical poetry. Rather than resolving opposites, poets hold them in creative suspension, using paradox and conceit to show how contradiction reveals deeper unity or divine mystery beyond human logic.
Example
Example in poetry:
John Donne’s “The Good-Morrow” contrasts childish pastimes with mature love; Emily Dickinson’s “The Soul selects her own Society” contrasts inner sovereignty with outer world; George Herbert’s “The Flower” contrasts spiritual death with renewal; T.S. Eliot’s “Four Quartets” contrasts time and eternity; Sylvia Plath’s “Tulips” contrasts body’s vitality with soul’s desire for oblivion; Rumi’s poetry contrasts earthly existence with divine unity.
Additional Notes
Duality in metaphysics explores binary oppositions (soul/body, time/eternity); metaphysical poets often seek synthesis—Donne’s “The Ecstasy” argues true union requires both physical presence and spiritual communion, rejecting false dichotomies through dialectical conceit.
Also Known As
Dualism Binary Opposition Polarity Dichotomy Hyde Jekyll
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