English Literature GCSE
Oxymoron
What Oxymoron means in English Literature GCSE, as defined for Eduqas, OCR, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Oxymoron
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.
A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms. In Sonnet 18, 'eternal summer' is an oxymoron because summer, by definition, is a temporary season.
A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. For example, 'foetus of metal'.
A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g., 'loving hate').
A figure of speech where two contradictory terms are placed next to each other (e.g., 'loving hate').
A figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms. Example: 'O brawling love, O loving hate.'
Topics that use Oxymoron
- As Imperceptibly as Grief (Eduqas GCSE)
- Excerpt from The Prelude (Eduqas GCSE)
- London (Eduqas GCSE)
- Miracle on St David's Day (Eduqas GCSE)
- Ozymandias (Eduqas GCSE)
- Romeo and Juliet (Eduqas GCSE)
- The Manhunt (Eduqas GCSE)
- Romeo and Juliet (OCR GCSE)
- Sonnet 18 (OCR GCSE)
- The Manhunt (OCR GCSE)
- Anthology Poetry Comparison (named poem vs. poem of choice from same collection) (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Romeo and Juliet (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
Using Oxymoron in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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