Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
prolepsis
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Read Next
Ancient book lit by candle
9 Obscure Literary Terms
Chapter 4 pg 42 - Chapter header of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Published in 1884 by The American Publishing Company
Periods of American Literature
The Catcher in the Rye By J.D. Salinger. Hardcover Book first sold: July 16, 1951. Current cover design dated 1991? Previous solid maroon book cover with gold font designed by J.D. Salinger in response to racey pulp paper back book cover. bad books
5 Good Books That Inspired Bad Deeds
Girl Reading On Turquoise Couch
9 American Countercultural Books
Discover
Saint Lucia Day. Young girl wears Lucia crown (tinsel halo) with candles. Holds Saint Lucia Day currant laced saffron buns (lussekatter or Lucia's cats). Observed December 13 honor virgin martyr Santa Lucia (St. Lucy). Luciadagen, Christmas, Sweden
7 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World
Close-up of ostriches (Struthio camelus) necks and heads; location unknown.
6 of the World's Most Dangerous Birds
Coriander leaves, fresh green cilantro on wooden background, herbs
Why Does Cilantro Taste Like Soap to Some People?
Orange basketball on black background and with low key lighting. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time
Four year old boy with grandfather and father lighting Hanukkah menorah. Photo taken on: December 21st, 2009
Which Is Correct: Hanukkah or Chanukah?
Srinivasa Ramanujan, Indian mathematician and autodidact.
6 Interesting Facts about Srinivasa Ramanujan
The Jeff Koons tulips sculputure outside the Guggenheim Museums in Bilbao, Spain, Basque Country.
What’s the Difference Between Modern and Contemporary Art?

prolepsis

literature
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://mainten.top/art/prolepsis-literature
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History

prolepsis, a figure of speech in which a future act or development is represented as if already accomplished or existing. The following lines from John Keats’s “Isabella” (1820), for example, proleptically anticipate the assassination of a living character:

So the two brothers and their murdered man
Rode past fair Florence

The word may also refer to the anticipation of objections to an argument, a tactic aimed at weakening the force of such objections.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica