Mesarchia as a Rhetorical Figure of Speech

Mesarchia — a figure of speech: the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning and in the middle of consecutive sentences. It is typically used to create a sense of monotony in the text, while at the same time reinforcing a hypnotic effect.

Example:

In a black, black forest
Stands a black, black house,
In this black, black house
Stands a black, black table…

— A folklore scary story

Among the rhetorical figures used in literary texts, mesarchia occupies a special place. This device belongs to the figures of addition and is expressed in the repetition of the middle part of a phrase, while the initial and final words in it change. It should be noted that some researchers consider such speech constructions to be a variety of symploce. Thus, the famous lines from the poem «Song of the Motherland» by the Soviet poet V. I. Lebedev-Kumach can be interpreted as containing either mesarchia or a special kind of symploce:

Everywhere there is life, both free and broad,
Just as the full Volga flows on,
For the young – everywhere with us lies the road,
For the old – everywhere with us lies honor.

But more often such turns of phrase are singled out into a separate category of stylistic figures. Like many other names of literary devices, the term «mesarchia» came into Russian from Greek. The words «mesos» and «arche» mean «middle» and «beginning» respectively. Therefore, in foreign dictionaries mesarchia also includes constructions in which the initial and central words are duplicated. An example of such mesarchia can be found in an excerpt from the work by M. I. Tsvetaeva, «In the Black Sky Words Are Traced…»:

In the black sky – words are traced,
And beautiful eyes have gone blind …
Nor is the deathly bed frightful,
Nor is the frightful bed sweet…

Many examples of the use of mesarchia are found in religious texts. If we turn to the Bible in English, we find such lines:

«And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell therein, even they and their children and their children’s children for ever.» Ezekiel 37:25

As we can see, the same speech construction, «they shall dwell,» is repeated in the middle of the sentences. It creates an impression of sequence, strict order, and inevitability. In the Synodal translation of this fragment, the mesarchia is partially preserved:

«And they shall dwell in the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, wherein their fathers dwelt; there they shall dwell, they and their children and their children’s children for ever; and My servant David shall be their prince for ever.» Ezekiel, 37:25.

The following excerpt is built on numerous instances of mesarchia:

«At the command of the LORD the children of Israel set out on their journey, and at the command of the LORD they made camp: for as long as the cloud rested upon the tabernacle, they remained in camp; and if the cloud remained upon the tabernacle a long time, then the children of Israel kept the LORD’s charge and did not set out; but when the cloud remained upon the tabernacle only a few days, they would make camp at the LORD’s command, and at the LORD’s command they would set out; sometimes the cloud rested only from evening until morning, and when the cloud lifted in the morning, then they too would set out; or if the cloud rested a day and a night, and when it lifted, then they too would set out…» Numbers 9:18-21.

As we can see, here in parallel sentences identical parts of the text are repeated. These repetitions are meant to emphasize the significance of the unfolding action, and to show that the characters submit unquestioningly to the will of a higher power.

In another excerpt, mesarchia is used to demonstrate the continuity and succession of generations:

«Abraham begat Isaac; Isaac begat Jacob; Jacob begat Judah and his brothers; Judah begat Perez and Zerah by Tamar; Perez begat Hezron; Hezron begat Ram; Ram begat Amminadab; Amminadab begat Nahshon; Nahshon begat Salmon; Salmon begat Boaz by Rahab; Boaz begat Obed by Ruth; Obed begat Jesse; Jesse begat David the king; David the king begat Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah…» Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1.

Mesarchia as a means of highlighting a certain idea or detail, of focusing the reader’s attention on something important, has become widespread in children’s literature. Here are some scary little rhymes whose purpose is to remind children how important it is to be obedient:

If you don’t listen to your mother,
Once outside you’ll fall in a hole.
Mother and father will come after you, –
Into that very hole they’ll fall.
But still no one will ever find you, –
The hole is deep, and dark inside.

If you don’t listen to your father,
Black cats will come and scratch you.
How, then, can naughty children be saved
From the bloodthirsty claws of cats?
You must say: «Don’t scratch me, kitty.
Tomorrow I’ll be better… a little bit.»

Mikhail Kotin.

Mother and father very often
Say: «You mustn’t! You mustn’t!»
This word is a fanged beast –
Prowling, threatening to devour me.
They say: «You mustn’t fidget!»
They say: «You mustn’t shout!»
So must I, my whole childhood through,
Stay silent because of this beast?

Mikhail Kotin.

Here we see mesarchia in the sense in which this device is understood abroad, that is, as the repetition of the initial and middle part of a phrase.

It is important to note that mesarchia is ideally suited to creating an effect of monotony of action that is suddenly cut short in some unexpected way. That is why this figure is often found in folk children’s scary stories. Here are a few of them:

Before leaving for work, a mother called her daughter and said: «Watch out, don’t turn on the radio without me!» But the girl did not listen and turned it on. The radio said to her: «Girl, girl, quickly turn off the radio! Green Eyes are looking for your town.» The girl did not turn it off. The radio said to her again: «Girl, girl, turn off the radio! Green Eyes have found your town, now they are looking for your street.» The girl again did not listen. The radio said: «Girl, girl, quickly turn off the radio! Green Eyes have found your street, they are looking for your house.» The girl does not turn it off. Then the radio shouted: «Girl! Girl! Turn off the radio! Green Eyes are looking for your apartment!» The girl got scared and turned it off. Then the doorbell rang, she opened the door: there stood Green Eyes. They ate the girl.

On a black-black street,
in a black-black house,
in a black-black apartment,
on a black-black table,
in a black-black coffin
lies a red-red crayfish…
And whoever listened is a fool!

Thus, mesarchia performs several functions. With the help of this figure one can emphasize the significance of an idea, show the sequence and methodicalness of an action, and create an effect of monotony and uniformity. Nevertheless, mesarchia remains a complex device, rarely found in literary fiction.

See also