Fun fact: the opposite of anaphora is epistrophe, “a word or phrase repeated at the end of consecutive lines. Martin Luther King Jr.’s anaphoral phrase “I have a dream.” Anaphoral phrases are rarely longer than a few words (lengthy, repeated phrases can be confusing to readers). It can also involve several words, like Dr. Specifically, an anaphora can be as short as a single word, such as I, when, or and. What is anaphora?Īs a rhetorical device, anaphora is “the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive sentences, poetry stanzas, or clauses within a sentence.” Rhetorical devices-which include metaphor and hyperbole-are used to make a point when you’re speaking.

Learn about some of his most powerful words.

In fact, anaphora is a rhetorical device often favored by poets … and that’s why MLK Jr.’s speech lives among the greatest speeches. King’s charisma, skills in rhetoric, and passion, place him in a league of his own. King uses anaphora to highlight the difference between how things are and how he hopes they will be. martin luther king, i have a dream Language English Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream Speech is hands down one of the greatest, if not the greatest, pieces of oratory in American history. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi … will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. King uses the anaphoral phrase, “I have a dream,” to start eight consecutive sentences: Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. One of the most famous anaphora examples comes from Dr. Politicians and political figures often use anaphora in speeches to emphasize their points.

I had a dream martin luther king