The Impact of Alliteration in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

How does Jonathan Edwards use alliteration in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"?

How does the use of alliteration help to amplify the emotional effect of the sermon?

Response:

In 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God', Jonathan Edwards uses alliteration to amplify the emotional effect of his sermon. Examples include repeated consonant sounds like 'p' and 'f' in phrases such as 'the pit is prepared' and 'the fire is made ready', creating a sense of impending doom and urgency.

The term alliteration pertains to a literary device where the initial consonant sounds in neighboring or closely connected words are repeated. In Jonathan Edwards's famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, the application of alliteration is more subtle but certainly present. It adds a rhythmic and musical pattern to his writing, and offers emphasis to specific phrases to associate fear and terror with the wrath of God, strengthening the effect of the sermon on the readers or listeners.

An example of this alliteration in the sermon can be found in the phrase 'the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot'. Here, the repeated 'f' sound enhances the dread and urgency Edwards is communicating about God's wrath. 'The pit is prepared', 'the fire is made ready' also emphasize the impending, immediate doom that awaits sinners, making these concepts more accessible and distinctly terrifying to his audience.

Thus, alliteration serves a crucial role in amplifying the emotional effect of Edward's sermon.