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Literary Devices
Definition of Alliteration
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought the box of bricks to... read full definition
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought... read full definition
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the... read full definition
Part 1
Explanation and Analysis—Fire and Brimstone:
It may seem obvious, and even in Edwards's time it was a common trope, but it is worth noting the fiery imagery Edwards uses to describe hell and God's wrath throughout the sermon, as in this sentence:
The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation don’t slumber, the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them, the flames do now rage and glow.
Repeatedly, Edwards describes hell as burning hot, and God's wrath is also often compared to fire. This is not a unique association, but it is a visceral image that further builds the audience's terror of hell. More so than today, fires would have been a part of everyday life for nearly everyone alive in this time period. Alongside fires used for cooking and warmth, Edwards's audience might have witnessed larger conflagrations that destroyed homes or whole towns; they might have even seen criminals, disobedient slaves, or accused witches burned at the stake. Edwards's fiery imagery, then, would have connected with the entire audience. Anyone who knew what it was like to be burned, or who had seen people and buildings destroyed by fire, would have then connected God's wrath to that physical feeling of pain they had witnessed or experienced. They would also associate God's wrath and hell with the striking visual of a fire, which Edwards personifies here by saying that the flames "rage."
Finally, note the alliteration Edwards (like many Puritan preachers) employs in the above quote. His list of the ways in which hell is ready to receive sinners is made punchier and more memorable by alliteration.
Related Themes:
