Pathetic Fallacy Definition
Pathetic Fallacy Definition
Pathetic fallacy is a literary device that attributes human qualities and emotions to inanimate objects of nature. The word “pathetic” in the term is not used in the derogatory sense of being miserable; rather, here, it stands for “imparting emotions to something else”.
Difference between Pathetic Fallacy and Personification
Generally, Pathetic fallacy is confused with personification. The fact is that they differ in their objects of nature for example referring to weather features reflecting a mood. Personification, on the other hand, is a broader term. It gives human attributes to abstract ideas, animate objects of nature or inanimate function. Pathetic fallacy is a kind of personification that gives human emotions to inanimate non-natural objects.
For example, the sentence “The sombre clouds darkened our mood” is a pathetic fallacy as human attributes are given to an inanimate object of nature reflecting a mood. But, “The sparrow talked to us” is a personification because the animate object of nature “sparrow” is given the human quality of “talking”.
Pathetic Fallacy Examples in Literature
Lets us analyze some examples of pathetic fallacy in literature:
Example #1
Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy in his play “Macbeth” to describe the dark murder of “Duncan”. In Act 2 Scene 3 “Lennox” says:
“The night has been unruly. Where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down and, as they say,
Lamenting heard I’ the’ air, strange screams of death,
And prophesying with accents terrible
Of dire combustion and confused events
New hatched to the woeful time. The obscure bird
Clamoured the livelong night. Some say the Earth was feverous and did shake.”
The pathetic fallacy examples in the above lines describe the ominous atmosphere on the night of the murder of “Duncan”. The “unruly” night, the “screams of death” in the air, and the “feverous” earth depict the “evil” act of murder that happened a night before.
Example #2
Emily Bronte’s novel “Wuthering
Pathetic fallacy is a literary device that attributes human qualities and emotions to inanimate objects of nature. The word “pathetic” in the term is not used in the derogatory sense of being miserable; rather, here, it stands for “imparting emotions to something else”.
Difference between Pathetic Fallacy and Personification
Generally, Pathetic fallacy is confused with personification. The fact is that they differ in their objects of nature for example referring to weather features reflecting a mood. Personification, on the other hand, is a broader term. It gives human attributes to abstract ideas, animate objects of nature or inanimate function. Pathetic fallacy is a kind of personification that gives human emotions to inanimate non-natural objects.
For example, the sentence “The sombre clouds darkened our mood” is a pathetic fallacy as human attributes are given to an inanimate object of nature reflecting a mood. But, “The sparrow talked to us” is a personification because the animate object of nature “sparrow” is given the human quality of “talking”.
Pathetic Fallacy Examples in Literature
Lets us analyze some examples of pathetic fallacy in literature:
Example #1
Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy in his play “Macbeth” to describe the dark murder of “Duncan”. In Act 2 Scene 3 “Lennox” says:
“The night has been unruly. Where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down and, as they say,
Lamenting heard I’ the’ air, strange screams of death,
And prophesying with accents terrible
Of dire combustion and confused events
New hatched to the woeful time. The obscure bird
Clamoured the livelong night. Some say the Earth was feverous and did shake.”
The pathetic fallacy examples in the above lines describe the ominous atmosphere on the night of the murder of “Duncan”. The “unruly” night, the “screams of death” in the air, and the “feverous” earth depict the “evil” act of murder that happened a night before.
Example #2
Emily Bronte’s novel “Wuthering