| characterismus | |
| kar-ak-ter-iz'-mus | Gk. "designation by a characteristic mark" |
| description of character | |
 |
The description of a person's character. If this is restricted to the body, this is effictio; if restricted to a person's habits, this is ethopoeia. Characterismus is a kind of enargia (principally when describing physical attributes). | |
| Examples | ||
| He is a monster
both in mind and in body; whatever part of mind or body you consider,
you will find a monster ) quivery head, rabid eyes, a dragon's gape, the
visage of a Fury, distended belly, hands like talons ready to tear, feet
distorted, in short, view his entire physical shape and what else does
it all present but a monster? Observe that tongue, observe that wild beast's
roar, and you will name it a monstrosity; probe his mind, you will find
a horror; weigh his character, scrutinize his life, you will find all
monstrous; and, not to pursue every point in detail, through and through
he is nothing but a monster. —Erasmus, De copia |
||
| Related Figures | ||
| Related Topics of Invention | ||
| Subject
and Adjuncts Since description typically takes the form of delineating the attributes of something, it is therefore the use of this topic of invention, by which one identifies the characteristics (or adjuncts) of a given subject. |
||
| See Also | ||
|
||
| Sources: | Rutil. 2.7; Isidore 2.21.40; Sherry (1550) 66 | |
|
|
