Assonance is a literary device that involves the repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together in a sentence or verse. It can be used to create rhythm, mood, and emphasis in writing. Assonance can occur between the vowels of words (e.g., meat, bean) or between their consonants (e.g., keep, cape) . However, assonance between consonants is generally called consonance in American usage. A special case of assonance is rhyme, in which the endings of words (generally beginning with the vowel sound of the last stressed syllable) are identical.
Assonance is commonly used in poetry to provide musicality and softness to the writing. It is also used in proverbs and everyday speech. Examples of assonance in literature include:
- "His tender heir might bear his memory" - William Shakespeare, "Sonnet 1"
- "I never seen so many Dominican women with cinnamon tans" - Will Smith, "Miami"
- "Dot my Is with eyebrow pencils, close my eyelids, hide my eyes. I'll be idle in my ideals. Think of nothing else but I" - Keaton Henson, "Small Hands"
Assonance is a useful tool for writers to enhance their writing with rhythm, mood, and emphasis.
