Hanna Tymoshenko
(Kamianets-Podilskyi Ivan Ohiienko National University)
Scientific supervisor: Kryshtaliuk H. A., Ph.D.
STYLISTIC DEVICES IN FAIRY TALES
BY OSCAR WILDE
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was one of the most famous playwrights of the late Victorian period, a bright celebrity of his time. Among other works he published 2 collections of fairy tales [1].
The first collection was published in 1888 and called “The Happy Prince and Other Tales”. This collection includes such fairy tales as “The Happy Prince”, “The Nightingale and the Rose”, “The Selfish Giant”, “The Devoted Friend”, “The Remarkable Rocket” [3].
The second collection was named “A House of Pomegranates”and published in 1891. This one contains the following tales: “A House of Pomegranates”, “The Young King”, “The Birthday of the Infanta”, “The Fisherman and His Soul”, “The Star-Child” [2].
The writer uses various stylistic devices among which epithet plays a great role. The tale under the title “The Nightingale and the Rose” may serve as an example.
Of great interest are the similes used by the author in the mentioned tale: “pale as the feet of the morning”, “lips are sweet as honey”, “as red as the feet of the dove”, “as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne” etc [3].
Epithets are also widely used by the author to create the atmosphere in the fairy-tales: “a true lover”, “a beautiful Rose-tree”, “sweetest song”, “flame-coloured are his wings and coloured like flame is his body”, “marvellous rose”, “delicate flush of pink” etc [3].
Among other devices we may distinguish as well various repetitions not only of the first lines or sentences but also utterance constructions. Anaphors and parallel constructions play the important role of creation the atmosphere of the fairy tales. Besides that, they help to organize the texts of a tale in a coherent whole.
The author uses such stylistic units in most if not the all of his fairy-tales. For example, in The Happy Prince: he passed by the cathedral tower … he passed by the palace, he passed over the river … he passed over the Ghetto, “Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” said the Prince, “will you not stay with me one night longer?” [3]
Fairy-tale The Nightingale and the Rose can also show a plentiful usage of anaphors and other repetitions: night after night have I sung of him … night after night have I told his story, “Give me a red rose,” she cried, “and I will sing you my sweetest song.”, but the Tree shook its head. [3]
We may as well observe wide usage of parallel constructions in the particular work: “My roses are white,” it answered; “as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want.”… “My roses are yellow,” it answered; “as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student’s window, and perhaps he will give you what you want.” [3]
Wilde chooses these stylistic tools to build the picturesqueness, brightness of the atmosphere and accurate structure of his fairy-tales. Epithets and similes show us the appearance of the characters and objects told about in the tales. And the author uses the repetitions and the parallel constructions to describe actions which contribute to dynamicity in the fairy-tales.
References:
- Ellmann, Richard. Oscar Wilde. New York: Knopf, 1988. URL: https://books.google.com.ua/books?id=FVNwAAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=ru&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false
- Wilde, Oscar. A House of Pomegranates. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1915. URL: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/873/873-h/873-h.htm#page31
- Wilde, Oscar. The Happy Prince and Other Tales. London: David Nutt,
57–59 Long Acre, 1910, URL: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/902/902-h/902-h.htm#chap01