enargia

en-ar'-gi-a
from Gk. en, "in," and argos, "clear, bright"
evidentia, illustratio
vivid description

Definition

The visually powerful description of someone or something.

Enargia is a general term for a visually powerful description that makes something seem to be present before the hearer's or reader's eyes. It is often used to describe people, places, or events.

See also descriptio, ecphrasis, effictio, characterismus, prosopographia, chronographia, topographia, hydrographia, dendrographia, topothesia, pragmatographia.

Examples

Here is an example of enargia from Shakespeare's Richard III:

When I was last with him,
I got him in his bed, faint, speechless, hoarse,
And pale as ashes; at his heels a throng
Of old wives, that, with eyes half-shut,
Still had their beads in hand, praying for him.

Related Figures

See Also

Sources:
Quintilian 8.3.61-71; Susenbrotus (1540) 10; Peacham (1577) L1r; Fraunce (1588) 1.10; Putt. (1589) 236; Hoskins (1599) 12