Chiasmus (Reversed Parallel Construction)

Chiasmus (6) belongs to the group of stylistic devices based on the repetition of a syntactical pattern, but it has a cross order of words and phrases. The structure of two successive sentences or parts of a sentence may be described as reversed parallel construction, the word-order of one of the sentences being inverted as compared with that of the other:

"As high as we have mounted in delight in our dejection do we sink as low." (Wordsworth) "Down dropped the breeze, The sails dropped down." (Coleridge)

Chiasmus is sometimes achieved by a sudden change from active voice to passive:

"The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. (Dickens)

This device is effective it helps to lay stress on the second part of the utterance, which is opposite in structure.

Chiasmus can appear only when there are two successive sentences or coordinate parts of a sentence. So distribution is the factor which predetermines the birth of the device.

There are different variants of the structural design of chiasmus. Chiasmus appearing in a complex sentence where the second part has an opposite arrangement. Chiasmus in a sentence expressing semantically the rela­tion of cause and effect. Structurally the two parts are pres­ented as independent sentences, and it is the chiasmatic structure which supports the idea of subordination. The chiasmus serves to increase the effect of climax.

"The night winds sigh, the breakers roar. And shrieks the wild sea-mew." (Byron)

Chiasmus is a syntactical, not a lexi­cal device, i.e. it is only the arrangement of the parts of the utterance which constitutes this stylistic device.

"In the days of old men made the manners; Manners now make men,"

. This device may be classed as lexical chiasmus or chismatic repetition.

"His jokes were sermons, and his sermons jokes." '"Tis strange, —but true; for truth is always strange." "But Tom's no more —and so no more of Tom." "True, 'tis a pity — pity 'tis, 'tis true." "Men are the sport of circumstances, when the circumstances seem the sport of men." "'Tis a pity though, in this sublime world that Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure."

Syntactical chiasmus is used to break the monotony of parallel constructions. But whatever the purpose of chiasmus, it will always bring in some new shade of meaning or additional emphasis on some portion of the second part.

The stylistic effect of this construction has been so far little inves­tigated. The first part in chiasmus is incomplete, it calls for continuation, and the anticipation is rewarded by the second part of the construction, which is the completion of the idea.

“He was a brave man, was John.'

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