The word ‘climax’ normally refers to the highest point in a story where the course of action changes. Another common usage of the word is to refer to the final twist or concluding scenes in a movie that provides a closure to the story. Here, in this article, you will be introduced to climax as a figure of speech. Read through the article to learn the meaning and definition of climax and its usage in sentences. Multiple examples from literature, movies and songs have been given for your reference. Check them out as well.
Table of Contents
- What Is Climax? – Meaning and Definition
- How to Use Climax in a Sentence? – Points to Remember
- The Role of Parallelism in Climax
- Examples of Climax
- Frequently Asked Questions on Climax in English Grammar
What Is Climax? – Meaning and Definition
Climax is a figure of speech in which three or more words, phrases or clauses are used in succession. The words, phrases or clauses are written in ascending order of importance. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines climax as “a figure of speech in which a series of phrases or sentences is arranged in ascending order of rhetorical forcefulness”. According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, climax is defined as “a figure of speech in which a sequence of terms is linked by chain-like repetition through three or more clauses in ascending order of importance”.
How to Use Climax in a Sentence? – Points to Remember
As already mentioned, climax is the arrangement of words, phrases or clauses in ascending order of importance. The writer/speaker intends to create an air of suspense and anticipation while using the rhetorical device. For this same reason, it is important to mention the words/phrases/clauses according to their importance. For example, He lifted the sash, crawled out the window, jumped onto a car and took off on a bike to escape the police.
If you think the use of climax would enhance your writing or speech and provide an effect, make sure to first analyse which component is more important and position them accordingly. In addition to this, see to it that these words, phrases or clauses are part of a specific course of action and that they lead to an end. Also, be careful not to mistake a random list or series of words, phrases or clauses appearing in a sentence for the use of climax. Another important aspect of climax is the use of parallelism. Read through the following section to learn the role of parallelism in sentences using the effect of climax.
The Role of Parallelism in Climax
Parallelism is the use of words, phrases, clauses or sentences in the same grammatical structure as part of a list of ideas or a series of instructions. When using climax in sentences also, you will have to do the same – maintain the grammatical structure of the various words/phrases/clauses in the sentence. Parallel structure is what will help you produce the effect of the figure of speech and convey the message of the sentence.
Examples of Climax
Going through various examples will allow you to have an in-depth understanding of how to use climax in sentences. So, here are a few examples of sentences with climax from literature, movies and songs. There are also examples of sentences employing climax in everyday communication. Take a look at all of them.
Examples of Climax from Literature
Example 1:
“A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flower,
Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour.” (‘The Passionate Pilgrim’ by William Shakespeare)
Example 2:
“To-day, to-day, unhappy day, too late,1480
O’erthrows thy joys, friends, fortune and thy state.” (‘Richar II’ by William Shakespeare)
Example 3:
“For the want of a nail the shoe was lost,
For the want of a shoe the horse was lost,
For the want of a horse the rider was lost,
For the want of a rider the battle was lost,
For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe-nail.” (Quote by Benjamin Franklin)
Example 5
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” (‘Walden’ by Henry David Thoreau)
Examples of Climax from Movies and Songs
Example 1:
“Better stand tall when they’re calling you out
Don’t bend, don’t break, baby, don’t back down.” (‘It’s My Life’ – A song by Bon Jovi)
Example 2:
“Yeah, you can be the greatest
You can be the best
You can be the King Kong banging on your chest
You can beat the world
You can beat the war
You can talk to God, go banging on his door
You can throw your hands up
You can beat the clock (yeah)
You can move a mountain
You can break rocks
You can be a master
Don’t wait for luck
Dedicate yourself and you gon’ find yourself
Standing in the hall of fame.” (‘Hall of Fame’ – A song by The Script)
Example 3:
Maui: “It’s actually ‘Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero of men’. I interrupted. From the top. ‘Hero of men.’ Go. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. ‘And women.’ ‘Men and women.’ Both. All. Not a ‘guy/girl’ thing. You know, Maui is a hero to all.” (Dialogue from the movie ‘Moana’)
Examples of Climax in Speeches
Example 1:
“This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.” (‘I Have a Dream’ – Speech by Martin Luther King Jr.)
Example 2:
“But here’s the key message I think all of us want to send today to fathers all across the country: Our children don’t need us to be superheroes. They don’t need us to be perfect. They do need us to be present. They need us to show up and give it our best shot, no matter what else is going on in our lives. They need us to show them — not just with words, but with deeds — that they, those kids, are always our first priority.” (Speech by Barack Obama)
Examples of Climax in Everyday Communication
- You have to respect yourself, your peers, your teachers and your parents.
- Everyone was sitting around lazily, so we got late, missed the train and ended up not going at all.
- The little boy escaped from the hands of the burglars, ran home, set a trap, informed the police and got them arrested.
- If you ask me what is necessary for a happy life, I would say love, family, friends and peace of mind, above all.
- The squirrel jumped from branch to branch, ran down the tree, picked up the nuts and climbed up the tree without getting caught by the cat that was stealthily waiting to pounce on it.
Frequently Asked Questions on Climax in English Grammar
What is climax?
Climax is a figure of speech in which three or more words, phrases or clauses are used in succession. The words, phrases or clauses are written in ascending order of importance.
What is the definition of climax?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines climax as “a figure of speech in which a series of phrases or sentences is arranged in ascending order of rhetorical forcefulness”. According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, climax is defined as “a figure of speech in which a sequence of terms is linked by chain-like repetition through three or more clauses in ascending order of importance”.
Give some examples of climax in sentences.
- “A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flower,
- Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour.” (‘The Passionate Pilgrim’ by William Shakespeare)
- “Better stand tall when they’re calling you out
- Don’t bend, don’t break, baby, don’t back down.” (‘It’s My Life’ – a song by Bon Jovi)
- The little boy escaped from the hands of the burglars, ran home, set a trap, informed the police and got them arrested.
