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Literature vocabulary · Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

Paradox

Meaning in literature, with examples

/ˈpærədɒks/nounCommon term

In literature, paradox means: A statement or situation that seems self-contradictory or absurd but turns out to express a deeper truth, as in 'less is more'.

In Turkish: paradoks, çelişki, tenakuz

How it is used

Used in poetry analysis, drama and philosophy. Critics point out a paradox at the heart of a character or a story, and call a situation paradoxical. Metaphysical poets such as John Donne are famous for their use of paradox.

Example sentences

  1. The central paradox of the novel is that the hero must lose everything to become free.

  2. Donne ends the poem with a paradox about death dying.

Common collocations

  • central paradox
  • a paradox at the heart of
  • apparent paradox
  • paradoxical situation
  • oxymoronA figure of speech that puts two contradictory words side by side, such as 'deafening silence' or 'bittersweet', to create a striking effect.
  • ironyA contrast between what is said and what is meant, or between what is expected and what actually happens, often used for humor or criticism.
  • figure of speechA use of words in a non-literal or unusual way to create a special effect or meaning, such as a metaphor, simile, hyperbole or personification.
  • themeA central idea or message about life that a literary work explores, such as love, loss, freedom or identity, and what the work suggests about it.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

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