Chiastic structure

Chiastic structure (also called chiastic pattern or ring structure ) is a literary structure used in ancient literatures including epic poetry ( Odyssey and Iliad ); scripture (the Torah , the Bible ), as well as in the texts of other pre-modern cultures texts. Concepts or ideas are placed in a special symmetric order or pattern in a chiastic structure to emphasize them. If the topics in the text appear in the order ABC…CBA so that the first concept that comes up is also the last, the second is the second to last, and so on, the text is said to have a chiastic structure. Also, a chiastic structure can be of the form ABBAABB…ABBA. Chiastic structures are sometimes called palistrophes, chiasms, symmetric structures, ring structures, or concentric structures. The term "palistrophe" was coined by Sean E.

Chiastic structure , or chiastic pattern , is a literary technique in narrative motifs and other textual passages. An example of chiastic structure would be two ideas, A and B, together with variants A' and B', being presented as A,B,B',A'. Alternative names include ring structure , because the opening and closing 'A' can be viewed as completing a circle, palistrophe , or symmetric structure. It may be regarded as chiasmus scaled up from clauses to larger units of text. These often symmetrical patterns are commonly found in ancient literature such as the epic poetry of the Odyssey and the Iliad . Various chiastic structures are also seen in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament , where biblical writers used it to illustrate or highlight details of particular importance. The term "palistrophe" was coined in: McEvenue, Sean E.

Literary technique For other uses of "ring structure", see [[: ring structure ]]. Chiastic structure , or chiastic pattern , is a literary technique in narrative motifs and other textual passages. An example of chiastic structure would be two ideas, A and B, together with variants A' and B', being presented as A,B,B',A'. Chiastic structures that involve more components are sometimes called "ring structures", "ring compositions", or, in cases of very ambitious chiasmus, "onion-ring compositions". These may be regarded as chiasmus scaled up from words and clauses to larger segments of text. These often symmetrical patterns are commonly found in ancient literature such as the epic poetry of the Iliad and the Odyssey . Classicist Bruno Gentili describes this technique as "the cyclical, circular, or 'ring' pattern ( ring composition ). Here the idea that introduced a compositional section is repeated at its conclusion, so that the whole passage is framed by material of identical content". Meanwhile, in classical prose, scholars often find chiastic narrative techniques in the Histories of Herodotus : "Herodotus frequently uses ring composition or 'epic regression' as a way of supplying background information for something discussed in the narrative. First an event is mentioned briefly, then its precedents are reviewed in reverse chronological order as far back as necessary; at that point the narrative reverses itself and moves forward in chronological order until the event in the main narrative line is reached again." Various chiastic structures are also seen in the Hebrew Bible , the New Testament , the Book of Mormon, and the Quran . "Epic Heritage and Mythical Patterns in Herodotus." Published in Companion to Herodotus , ed. F. de Jong, and Hans van Wees (Brill, 2002), 104–05.

Literary technique in narrative motifs and other textual passages For other uses of "ring structure", see Ring structure (disambiguation) . Chiastic structure , or chiastic pattern , is a literary technique in narrative motifs and other textual passages. An example of chiastic structure would be two ideas, A and B, together with variants A' and B', being presented as A,B,B',A'. Chiastic structures that involve more components are sometimes called "ring structures", "ring compositions", or, in cases of very ambitious chiasmus, "onion-ring compositions". These may be regarded as chiasmus scaled up from words and clauses to larger segments of text. These often symmetrical patterns are commonly found in ancient literature such as the epic poetry of the Iliad and the Odyssey . Classicist Bruno Gentili describes this technique as "the cyclical, circular, or 'ring' pattern ( ring composition ). Here the idea that introduced a compositional section is repeated at its conclusion, so that the whole passage is framed by material of identical content". Meanwhile, in classical prose, scholars often find chiastic narrative techniques in the Histories of Herodotus : Herodotus frequently uses ring composition or 'epic regression' as a way of supplying background information for something discussed in the narrative. First an event is mentioned briefly, then its precedents are reviewed in reverse chronological order as far back as necessary; at that point the narrative reverses itself and moves forward in chronological order until the event in the main narrative line is reached again. Various chiastic structures are also seen in the Hebrew Bible , the New Testament , the Book of Mormon , and the Quran . "Epic Heritage and Mythical Patterns in Herodotus." Published in Companion to Herodotus , ed. F. de Jong, and Hans van Wees (Brill, 2002), 104–05.

Chiastic structure , or chiastic pattern , is a literary technique in narrative motifs and other textual passages. An example of chiastic structure would be two ideas, A and B, together with variants A' and B', being presented as A,B,B',A'. Chiastic structures that involve more components are sometimes called "ring structures" or "ring compositions". These may be regarded as chiasmus scaled up from words and clauses to larger segments of text. Example of a ring structure in the Quran These often symmetrical patterns are commonly found in ancient literature such as the epic poetry of the Iliad and the Odyssey . Classicist Bruno Gentili describes this technique as "the cyclical, circular, or 'ring' pattern ( ring composition ). Here the idea that introduced a compositional section is repeated at its conclusion, so that the whole passage is framed by material of identical content". Meanwhile, in classical prose, scholars often find chiastic narrative techniques in the Histories of Herodotus : Herodotus frequently uses ring composition or 'epic regression' as a way of supplying background information for something discussed in the narrative. First an event is mentioned briefly, then its precedents are reviewed in reverse chronological order as far back as necessary; at that point the narrative reverses itself and moves forward in chronological order until the event in the main narrative line is reached again. Various chiastic structures are also seen in the Hebrew Bible , the New Testament , the Book of Mormon , and the Quran . "Epic Heritage and Mythical Patterns in Herodotus." Published in Companion to Herodotus , ed. F. de Jong, and Hans van Wees (Brill, 2002), 104–05.