Passage 111 · 1871
"Miss Brooke"
Main effectThrough paradoxical construction (beauty by plainness), passive throwing into relief, comparative result linking form to possibility, and religious-artistic allusion, Eliot creates syntax of idealizing narration—grammar that elevates prosaic subject through high cultural reference.
Device index
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Tropes
Apparent contradiction.
Reference to other work.
Explicit comparison.
No words highlightedSyntax
"that kind of beauty which"—demonstrative with relative clause. Syntax creates category for paradoxical beauty.
"seems to be thrown into relief"—passive construction with artistic metaphor. Syntax removes Dorothea's agency in her beauty.
"by poor dress"—prepositional phrase of means. Syntax makes simplicity the instrument of beauty.
"so finely formed that she could wear"—correlative comparative with result clause. Syntax links natural beauty to possibility.
"not less bare of style than"—litotes in comparative. Syntax uses double negative to equate plainness.
"in which the Blessed Virgin appeared"—defining relative with simple past. Syntax makes art historical precedent.
"to Italian painters"—indirect object. Syntax specifies artistic tradition.
Close reading
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Demonstrative Specification
"that kind of beauty which"—demonstrative with relative clause. Syntax creates category for paradoxical beauty.
Passive Metaphor
"seems to be thrown into relief"—passive construction with artistic metaphor. Syntax removes Dorothea's agency in her beauty.
Prepositional Cause
"by poor dress"—prepositional phrase of means. Syntax makes simplicity the instrument of beauty.
Comparative Result Clause
"so finely formed that she could wear"—correlative comparative with result clause. Syntax links natural beauty to possibility.
Negative Comparison
"not less bare of style than"—litotes in comparative. Syntax uses double negative to equate plainness.
Relative Clause with Past Tense
"in which the Blessed Virgin appeared"—defining relative with simple past. Syntax makes art historical precedent.
Prepositional Specification
"to Italian painters"—indirect object. Syntax specifies artistic tradition.
Stylistic Effect
Through paradoxical construction (beauty by plainness), passive throwing into relief, comparative result linking form to possibility, and religious-artistic allusion, Eliot creates syntax of idealizing narration—grammar that elevates prosaic subject through high cultural reference.