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Paradox

Device
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

A seemingly contradictory statement that, upon reflection, reveals a deeper truth or complex insight central to poetic meaning.

Explore this topic in depth (1)

Metaphysical Poetry — Metaphysical poetry brings love, faith, science, death and the body into unusually close contact. Its poets—especially John Donne, George Herbert and Andrew Marvell—make poems that think aloud, argue fiercely and discover emotional force in surprising comparisons.

Detailed Definition
A paradox is a statement that appears self-contradictory or absurd but reveals a deeper truth upon reflection; in poetry, paradoxes challenge logical assumptions and provoke insight, as in Donne’s “Death, thou shalt die,” which uses paradox to assert spiritual triumph over mortality.
Example
Example in poetry:
Paradox: John Donne’s “Death, be not proud”; Emily Dickinson’s “Much Madness is divinest Sense”; modern example: Terrance Hayes’ “American Sonnet”: “You can’t make a camera out of a gun”; paradox reveals truth through contradiction; it’s central to metaphysical and political poetry; this device challenges binary thinking.
Additional Notes
Paradox: A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals deeper truth (e.g., “The child is father of the man”); central to metaphysical poetry and philosophical verse.
Other Meanings of “Paradox”
Also Known As
Self-contradiction Impossible truth Logical impossibility Absurd verity Figurative contradiction Contradiction Aporia
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