What is an Apostrophe? (Figurative Language)
What is an Apostrophe? (Figurative Language)
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, there's a well-known scene where Hamlet delivers a monologue while holding a skull. During the monologue he speaks to the skull as if it is real. While this may seem like the behavior of a mad man, it's actually a common literary device called apostrophe. No, it's not the same as the ' you use when writing.
Apostrophe is a literary device that occurs when a character in a work of literature speaks to an object, idea, or person who does not exist.
So when Hamlet says:
"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite
jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath bore me on his back a
thousand times, and now how abhorr’d in my imagination it is!
My gorge rises at it..."
He is using apostrophe.
Apostrophe may sound like a weird literary device, but in reality, humans use apostrophe all the time. For example, you may yell at a table right after you stubbed your toe, encourage your car to keep running for another mile until you can reach a gas station, or imagine you're having a conversation with a friend who moved away.
When used in literature, apostrophe is a way for characters to express their feelings when no one else is around. They also help authors add imagery to their works.
Consider these uses of apostrophe:
- O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how lovely are thy branches.
- Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are
- Where, O death, is your sting?
Next time you read a book or a poem and you see a character or speaker talking to an inanimate object, idea, or someone that doesn't exist, you don't have to worry that they've gone mad. Instead, you'll know they're using an apostrophe.
P.S. - You can use the same excuse when you get caught talking to someone or something that doesn't exist in your own life. ;-)
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