Synesthesia is word picture or semantics characterized by combination of two or more of the five senses, that is, sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell. It is a very common figure of speech in poetic texts in which the author intends to produce, in the reader and the reader, the illusion of being experiencing physical sensations, such as cold or bitterness, for example.
Read too:Hyperbole - figure of speech characterized by deliberate exaggeration
What is synesthesia?
Synesthesia is a figure of word or semantics characterized by combination of two or more senses — hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and seeing. Thus, in the poem "Portrait", from the book Travel, in Cecília Meireles (1901-1964), it is possible to point out words that trigger the senses of the reader or reader, that is, "bitter" (taste), "cold" (touch), "eyes" and "mirror" (vision):
I didn't have this face from today,
so calm, so sad, so thin,
neither these eyes so empty,
not even the lip bitter.
I didn't have these hands without strength,
so still and cold and dead;
I didn't have this heart
that doesn't even show.
I didn't notice this change,
so simple, so right, so easy:
- On what mirror got lost
my face?
already in the sonnet “White dream”, from the book Buckets, in Cruz e Sousa (1861-1898), synesthesia occurs through the following words: “white”, “clear”, “white”, “radiant”, “splendour” and “white” (vision); “sings” and “sounds” (listening); “aromal” (smell); “fresh” (touch); “snowy” (sight and touch):
linen and roses white you are dressed,
virgin dream that sings in my chest...
you are from moonlight or clear chosen god,
From the purest stars born.
by way aroma, blossomed,
Target, serene, limpid, right,
follow radiant, at the splendor Perfect,
in perfect splendor Undefined...
The birds soundyou the way...
and the garments fresh, of the purest linen
and the roses white give you an air snowy...
However, O dream White of fete!
In this joy that you go, it seems
That you go childishly shrouded!
But beware! For synesthesia to occur, there must be combinationbetween two or more senses. If there is only the presence of a sense, that does not characterize this figure of speech. In the poem “The bells”, from the book the dissolute rhythm, in Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968), only the sense of hearing predominates:
Bell of Bethlehem,
Bell of Passion...
[...]
Belem of Bethlehem, for those who are yet to come!
Belem bell, knocks well well well.
Bell of Passion, for those who go there!
Bell of Passion, knocks baooooo.
[...]
Belem bell, how sounds good!
Belem bell tolls well well well.
Bell of Passion… For my father?… — No! No...
Bell of Passion knocks baooooo.
[...]
Read too: Metaphora — one of the most popular figures of speech
solved exercises
question 1
Analyze the statements below and mark the alternative in which synesthesia is present.
The) The roar of the cannons reverberated across the plain and terrified us all.
B) We didn't think the food would be so tasty with the addition of basil.
ç) The sky was so blue that day that the sudden rain caused wonder.
d) Eleanor was so cold that she couldn't speak without trembling in her weakened voice.
and) I was impressed when I heard Petronio speak French, without any accent.
Resolution:
Alternative “d”.
In this statement, it is possible to point out two senses: touch (“cold”) and hearing (“voice”).
question 2
Read below an excerpt from the poem “Tuberculosa” from the book Buckets, by Cruz and Sousa.
High, the freshness of the fresh magnolia,
The bridal color of the orange blossom,
Tudesca woman's sweet golden tones
In velvet and flava hair.
[...]
She was so luminous and delicate
Always so noble of beauty and grace
Reminiscent of dawn pomps,
Beaker crystal sounds.
But, little by little, the ideal delicacy.
That virginal and thin body,
Tabernacle of the most limpid beauty,
It lost its grace and diamond shine.
Physical and white, slender, frigid and tall
And weak and thin and transparent and slender,
It now has the appearance of a wading bird,
From a cold looking target bird.
[...]
Check the alternative where the highlighted word corresponds to the indicated meaning.
a) “sweets” — hearing.
b) “sounds” — smell.
c) “brightness” — taste.
d) “velvet” — touch.
e) “cold” — vision.
Resolution:
Alternative “d”.
The poem awakens various physical sensations in readers, through taste (“sweet”), hearing (“sounds”), sight (“brightness”) and touch (“velvet” and “cold”).
by Warley Souza
grammar teacher
