Epistrophe

Epistrophe is the repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences, so each statement comes to rest on the same note.

The survey was late. The estimate was late. The apology, when it came, was late.

The repetition sits at the end, which is the most stressed position in an English sentence, so every clause drives the reader onto the same word. By the third clause, late has stopped being a description and become a verdict.

Epistrophe vs anaphora

Anaphora repeats the opening: We asked in March. We asked in June. A repeated opening builds anticipation. Epistrophe repeats the ending, and a repeated ending accumulates: each clause adds to the pile on the same word. Use both in the same clauses and the figure is symploce.

Examples

• Lincoln closes the Gettysburg Address on the pattern: government of the people, by the people, for the people. The repeated the people is what gives three short prepositions their weight.
• He said he was sorry. His mother said he was sorry. Even the judge seemed to think he was sorry. Why it works: the repeated phrase gets less convincing each time it is claimed, which is the point.
• Nobody asked. The neighbours never asked. I never asked. Why it works: the circle of blame tightens until it reaches the speaker.

Why it suits fiction

Epistrophe is the more useful of the pair in fiction, because it is less obviously oratorical. A character can drive three sentences onto the same word without sounding as though they have taken a podium, and the word chosen will be the one the scene is really about.

Common mistakes

• A word that cannot bear repeating. The repeated element takes the stress every time, so choose a concrete word. An abstract noun will wear out by the second pass.
• No change on the last beat. As with anaphora, three is generally the count, and the final instance should arrive with something extra attached, like when it came in the opening example.
• Accidental endings. Sentences that end on the same word by chance (...at the house. ...back to the house.) read as an echo, not a figure. Rephrase one of them.

Frequently asked questions

What is epistrophe in simple terms?

Epistrophe is ending several clauses or sentences in a row with the same word or words. 'The survey was late. The estimate was late.' Each sentence lands on the same word, which drives it home.

What is the difference between epistrophe and anaphora?

Anaphora repeats words at the start of each clause and builds anticipation. Epistrophe repeats them at the end and builds weight. Using both in the same clauses is called symploce.

Is epistrophe the same as epiphora?

Yes. Epiphora is another name for the same figure. Epistrophe is pronounced ih-PIS-truh-fee.