The prevalent everyday use of alliteration is hard to miss. Writers and advertisers alike frequently employ this powerful literary device. The harmony and melody it creates are eye-catching and attention-grabbing. In this article, we explore the literary usage, effects, and examples of alliteration.

What is Alliteration?

Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words close to each other. This brings readers' attention to the lines where the repetition of sound occurs and creates more auditory rhythm. The word comes from the Latin “littera,” which means “letter of the alphabet”. 

In alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds needs to occur in succession and at the beginning of words. For example, "Wicked Witch of the West" and "Fantastic Four." Also, the focus is on sounds, not letters. So, while "giant gas" is not an example of alliteration, "gym junkie" is.  

Alliterations are common in tongue twisters like, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." "She sells seashells by the seashore. You can also find them in everyday phrases like big business, tough talk, perfect picture, high heavens, and quick questions.

Alliteration, Consonance, and Assonance

Alliteration usually refers to repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words in succession. Some experts refer to such repetition involving vowel sounds as assonance, where repeated vowel sounds can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of words. Consonance also repeats consonant sounds in successive words. And the repetition can occur at the beginning, middle, and end of words.

Effects of Alliteration

In literature, alliteration creates a couple of intriguing effects on a string of words or a verse. Here are some of those effects:

Rhythmic effect: It creates rhythm and melody in poetic and prose writings. It makes reading your prose delightful; careful readers are sure to pick up on such colorful use of language. And in poetry, it makes a verse rhythmic and remarkable.

Appealing effect: repeated sounds in succession are remarkable and aurally appealing. That is why writers and advertisers use it to create memorable names, from Dunkin' Donuts to Peter Parker. It just has a way of highlighting a concept or idea or a line in prose or poetry. 

Mood effect: Certain sounds create a specific mood. Words like "sweet," "soft," "sexy" contain the "s" sound that sounds like a whisper and evokes an air of mystery and intimacy. While words like "fierce," "furious," and "furnace" connote danger and violence and sound hard and harsh. You can use these words in alliteration to evoke or reinforce the mood you want your prose or poetry to create.

Examples of Alliteration

Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1597). 

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes; 

A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.

Shakespeare's use of alliteration here is masterful. Notice how words connoting death have the harsh "f" sound, like fatal and foes. While he repeats the soft "l" in words about continuity of life, like lover, loins, and life.

Maya Angelou, The Caged Bird (1983).

The free bird thinks of another breeze,

And the trade winds soft through the sighing trees.

Here, Maya pairs the “b” sounds in the first line to emphasize the subject. The following line is quite appealing with its parallel structure with the first line, the two “s” word-sequence in between, and a “t” word just outside of them.

Robert Frost, Birches (1916). 

They click upon themselves

As the breeze rises and turns many-colored

As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.

Soon the sun’s warmth makes them shed crystal shells

Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust—

This classic example of alliteration creates the feeling of winter. Robert Frost uses the creaking "cr" and rustling "sh" sounds to evoke the imagery of a snow-laden birch tree.