The metaphor in literature is a hidden comparison. The Meaning of Metaphor

A metaphor is an expression or a word in a figurative sense, the basis of which is a phenomenon or an object with similarities to it. If to say in simple words, then one word is replaced by another, having a similar sign with it. Metaphor in literature is one of the oldest artistic techniques.

What does the metaphor consist of?

The metaphor consists of 4 parts:

1. Context is a complete excerpt of the text, uniting the meaning of the individual words or sentences included in it.
2. An object.
3. The process by which the function is executed.
4. The application of this process or its intersection with any situation.

The concept of metaphor was discovered by Aristotle. Thanks to him, now it has formed a view of the necessary belonging of the language, allowing to achieve cognitive and other goals.

Ancient philosophers believed that the metaphor was given to us by nature itself and was so established in everyday speech that many concepts do not need to be called literally, and its use replenishes the lack of words. But after them they placed on it the function of an additional application to the mechanism of language, and not to its basic form. It was believed that for science, it is even harmful, because it leads to a dead end in the search for truth. Contrary to everything, the metaphor in literature continued to exist, as it is necessary for its development. To a greater extent, it was used in poetry.

Only in the 20th century metaphor was finally recognized as an integral part of speech, and scientific research with its use began to be made in new dimensions. This contributed to its property as the ability to combine materials of different nature. What is a metaphor in the literature became clear when they saw that the expanded use of this artistic device leads to the appearance of riddles, proverbs, allegories.

Building a Metaphor

The metaphor is created from 4 components: two groups and the properties of each of them. The characteristics of one group of objects are offered to another group. If a person is called a lion, it means that he is endowed with similar characteristics. This creates a new image, where the word "lion" in the figurative sense means "fearless and powerful."

Metaphors are specific for different languages. If the Russians "donkey" symbolizes stupidity and stubbornness, then the Spaniards - hard work. The metaphor in literature is a concept that can differ for different peoples, which should be taken into account when translating from one language to another.

Metaphor functions

The main function of the metaphor is a bright emotional evaluation and a figurative-expressive coloring of speech. In this case, from small-size objects, rich and capacious images are created.

Another function is nominative, consisting in filling the language with phraseological and lexical constructions, for example: the neck of a bottle, the bend of a river, the pansies of an eye .

In addition to basic, metaphor performs many other functions. This concept is much broader and richer than it seems at first glance.

What are the metaphors

From ancient times metaphors are divided into the following types:

1. Sharp - connecting concepts lying in different planes: "I'm walking around the city, shot by my eyes ...".
2. Wiped - so common in everyday life that the figurative character is no longer noticed (" People have been reaching out to me in the morning"). It has become so familiar that portable meaning is difficult to grasp. It is found when translating from one language to another.
3. The metaphor-formula - its transformation into a direct meaning (the worm of doubts, the wheel of fortune) is excluded. She has become a stereotype for a long time.
4. Expanded - contains a large message in a logical sequence.
5. Realized - it is used for its intended purpose ("I came to my senses , and again there is a dead end").

What is a metaphor in literature?

It is difficult to imagine modern life without metaphorical images and comparisons. The most common metaphor in literature. This is necessary for the bright disclosure of images and the essence of phenomena. In poetry, the metaphor of the unfolded species is particularly effective, represented in the following ways:

1. Indirect message using a figurative expression or history using a comparison.
2. Turnover of speech with the use of words in a figurative sense, based on analogy, similarity and comparison.

The unfolded metaphor is consistently revealed in the text fragment: "A small rain with dawn washed the dawn ," " The moon gives the New Year's dreams ."

Some classics believed that the metaphor in literature is a separate phenomenon, which acquires a new meaning at the expense of its origin. In this case, it becomes the author's goal, where the metaphorical image leads the reader to a new meaning, an unexpected meaning. Such metaphors from fiction can be found in the works of the classics. Take, for example, the Nose, which acquires a metaphorical meaning in Gogol's story. They are rich in metaphorical images of Shakespeare's work, where they give the heroes and events a new meaning. On the basis of this, one can say that the definition is far from complete. Metaphor in literature is a broader concept and not only adorns speech, but often gives it a new meaning.

Conclusion

What is a metaphor in literature? It effectively affects the mind through emotional coloring and imagery. This is especially evident in poetry. The impact of the metaphor is so strong that psychologists use it to solve problems related to the psyche of patients.

Metaphorical images are used when creating advertisements. They awaken the imagination and help consumers make the right choice. Such manipulation of man and society is also carried out in the political sphere.

Metaphor more and more enters into everyday life, manifested in language, thinking and action. Its study expands, encompassing new areas of knowledge. According to the images created by metaphors, one can judge the effectiveness of this or that media.