Antimetabole
Christy Brown
Leah Woodside
Per. 2
Definition
• A verbal pattern in which half of an expression
is balanced against the first but with words in
reverse grammatical order. (A-B-C, C-B-A)
Pronunciation
An-tee-meh-TA-boe-lee
http://www.forvo.com/word/antimetabole/
Literary Reference and Analysis
• “Fair is foul and foul is fair” The witches,
“Macbeth”
• Shakespeare is foreshadowing the recurring
theme of treachery and betrayal, and uses
antimetabole to say that fair is so uncommon
it has become foul, and foul has become so
normal that it is as common as fair in the play.
Literary Reference and Analysis
• “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man
for the Sabbath” Mark 2. 27
• Jesus was trying to make the point that the
needs of man have priority over the Sabbath.
Antimetabole demonstrates this point by
reversing the priorities, saying that the
priorities of man are to be put over the
Sabbath.
Literary Reference and Analysis
• "That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true 'tis pity; And
pity 'tis 'tis true." (Polonius, “Hamlet”)
• Polonius is saying how Hamlet is crazy, and
what a shame it is. Shakespeare uses
antimetabole to reiterate the fact that Hamlet is
mentally unstable, and emphasizes the fact that
Polonius is saying he has sympathy for
Hamlet, and is sorry that he has gone insane.
Works Cited
• http://www.forvo.com/word/antimetabole/
• Shakespeare, William. “Macbeth”. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1977.
• Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet”. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1992.
• Jesus. The Bible. Mark 2. 27.