apostrophe

Figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, “Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour:/ England hath need of thee.” Another example is Keats “Ode to a Grecian Urn,” in which Keats addresses the urn itself: “Thou still unravished bride of quietness.” Many apostrophes imply a personification of the object addressed.
 * Apostrophe (apos·tro·phe)media type="file" key="apostr01.wav"**

An apostrophe can also be figure of speech wherein the speaker speaks directly to something nonhuman.

In these lines from John Donne's poem "The Sun Rising" the poet is infuriated with the the sun for interrupting his nighttime activities:

"Busy old fool, unruly sun, Why dost thou thus, Through windows, and through curtains call on us?"



1) "Dictionary of Literary Terms." Literary Terms A- E. 25 Sep 2007 .
 * Attributions:**

2) 27 Sep 2007 .

3) Definition of Apostrophe- Meriam Webster Online Dictionary. 27 Sep 2007 .

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