CLIMAX

Prepared by: Kairzhanova Azhargul, Iskakova Diana,

Zhanaspayeva Anel
AKP-205
 Content
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What is Functions of Types of What is Climax
climax? climax climax in Literature?
 What is climax?
From Greek climax – ‘ladder’, Latin – ‘ascent,
climbing up’.
Climax (gradation) is a syntactic figure of
speech in which each next word
combination (clause, sentence) is logically
more important or emotionally stronger and
more explicit.
FUNCTIONS OF CLIMAX
It shows the relative It impresses upon
importance of the reader the
concepts as seen by significance of the
the author phenomena
described
 Types of climax
Logical
For that one instant there
was no one else in the
room, in the house, in the
world, besides themselves.
(M.Wilson)
Better to borrow, better to
beg, better to die!
(Dickens)
Quantitative
They looked at hundreds of
houses; they climbed thousands
of stairs; they inspected
innumerable kitchens.
(S.Maugham)
Little by little, bit by bit, and
day by day, and year by year
the baron got the worst of some
disputed question. (Dickens)
Emotive
"This is a new principle, a
discovery, a great
discovery," said the
gentleman.
I have been so unhappy
here, so very very
unhappy (Dickens)
 What is Climax in Literature?
Climax can be used as both a narrative device as well as a figure of speech. As a narrative device,
climax is a point in the plot structure where tension reaches its peak, giving way to the falling action
of the story.

As a figure of speech, climax deals with how words are ordered to accomplish a sense of building
excitement, importance, or urgency.

In John Milton’s Paradise Lost, the climax is seen when Adam and Eve eat fruit from the Tree of
Knowledge:
“[B]ut I feel Far otherwise th’event, not death but life Augmented, open’d eyes, new hopes, new
joys, Taste so divine, that what of sweet before Hath touch’d my sense, flat seems to this, and
harsh.” (IX, 983–987)

Climax as a figure of speech can be seen in the above quote as Eve considers possibilities ranging
from new perspective, to new hopes, to a new kind of joy. This is the climax of the plot for this epic
poem as well.
 When used in literature, climax is placed after the exposition
(background) and rising action, but before falling action and
resolution. Climax, then, is in the middle of the plot structure:

Exposition (background)
Rising action
Climax
Falling action
Resolution
Oftentimes, though, the length of a story is spent on exposition and rising action, which lead
up to an exciting crescendo with the climax. After the climax, the story is quickly finished
with the falling action and resolution. Climax, then, is usually towards the end of a story.

The same holds true for climax as used in the media and advertisements.
Typically, the most exciting and compelling part of a song, movie, or advertisement is saved
for just before the end.
In a song, the violins swell and the trumpets roar.
In a movie, the special effects take over, emotional music plays, and the battle is at last won or
lost.