A metaphor is a figure of speech that refers to something as being the same as another thing for rhetorical effect. It may provide clarity or identify hidden similarities between two ideas. Where a simile compares two items, a metaphor directly equates them, and does not use "like" or "as" as does a simile. One of the most commonly cited examples of a metaphor in English literature is the "All the world's a stage" monologue from As You Like It.
Metaphors, according to Aristotle, have "qualities of the exotic and the fascinating; but at the same time we recognize that strangers do not have the same rights as our fellow citizens."
Metaphors, according to Aristotle, have "qualities of the exotic and the fascinating; but at the same time we recognize that strangers do not have the same rights as our fellow citizens."
Metaphors are most frequently compared with similes. The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th edition) explains the difference as:
- A simile states that A is like B, a metaphor states that A is B or substitutes B for A.
Where a metaphor asserts the two objects in the comparison are identical on the point of comparison, a simile merely asserts a similarity. For this reason a metaphor is generally considered more forceful than a simile.
The metaphor category also contains these specialised types:
- Allegory: An extended metaphor wherein a story illustrates an important attribute of the subject.
- Catachresis: A mixed metaphor used by design and accident (a rhetorical fault).
- Parable: An extended metaphor narrated as an anecdote illustrating and teaching such as in Aesop's fables, or Jesus' teaching method as told in the Bible.
- Pun: Similar to a metaphor, a pun alludes to another term. However the main difference is that a pun is a frivolous allusion between two different things whereas a metaphor is a purposeful allusion between two different things.
Metaphor, like other types of analogy, can usefully be distinguished from metonymy as one of two fundamental modes of thought. Metaphor and analogy both work by bringing together two concepts from different conceptual domains, whereas metonymy works by using one element from a given domain to refer to another closely related element. Thus, a metaphor creates new links between otherwise distinct conceptual domains, whereas a metonymy relies on the existing links within them.
The term metaphor is also used to describe more basic or general aspects of experience and cognition:
- A cognitive metaphor is the association of object to an experience outside the object's environment
- A conceptual metaphor is an underlying association that is systematic in both language and thought
- A root metaphor is the underlying worldview that shapes an individual's understanding of a situation
- A nonlinguistic metaphor is an association between two nonlinguistic realms of experience
- A visual metaphor uses an image to create the link between different ideas
Metaphors can also be implied and extended throughout pieces of literature.
Simple metaphors
A simple metaphor has a single link between the subject and the metaphoric vehicle. The vehicle thus has a single meaning which is transferred directly to the subject.
Examples
- Cool down! [Cool = temperature]
- He was mad. [mad = anger]
- I'll chew on it. [chew = think]
- It was raining cats and dogs. [cats and dogs = rain]
- Max was an angel. [angel = lovely person]
In the simple metaphor, the effort to understand what the author or speaker intends is relatively low, and hence it may easily be used with a wider and less sophisticated audience.
Complex metaphors
A complex metaphor happens where a simple metaphor is based on a secondary metaphoric element. For example using a metaphor of 'light' for 'understanding' may be complexified by saying 'throwing light' rather than 'shining light'. 'Throwing' is an extra metaphor for how light arrives.
Examples
- That lends weight to the argument.
- They stood alone, frozen statues on the plain.
- The ball happily danced into the net.
Compound metaphors
A compound metaphor is one where there are multiple parts in the metaphor that are used to snag the listener. These parts may be enhancement words such as adverbs, adjectives, etc.
Each part in the compound metaphor may be used to signify an additional item of meaning.
Examples
- Thick, primal, blind fog descended before his eyes.
- The car screeched in hated anguish, its flesh laid bare in the raucous collision.
Compound metaphors are like a multiple punch, hitting the listener repeatedly with metaphoric elements. Where the complex metaphor uses stacked layers to enhance the metaphor, the compound metaphor uses sequential words. The compound metaphor is also known as a loose metaphor.
Live and dead metaphors
A live metaphor is one which a reader notices. A dead metaphor is one no-one notices because it has become so common in the language.
Examples
Two people walk off a tennis court. Someone asks the loser: "What happened?".
- "He won". Literal truth.
- "He beat me". Obviously a dead metaphor.
- "He thrashed me". This one is slightly alive.
- The river runs. Dead, and many variations on this theme.
- Electricity is a fluid. Nearly dead.
- All our efforts are running into the sand. Live.
references: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor