Love in Excess Literary Elements

Love in Excess Literary Elements

Genre

Sensational Novel

Setting and Context

Set in the 18th century.

Narrator and Point of View

Third-person narrative

Tone and Mood

The tone is romantic, and the mood is humorous and adventurous.

Protagonist and Antagonist

The protagonist is Count D’Elmont.

Major Conflict

The major conflict is the revelation by Amena that Alovisa is her rival in her romance with D’Elmont. When Amena asks D’Elmont to give back the letter she had sent him, he confuses the letters and hands over Alovisa’s letter. Therefore, Amena realizes that despite living with Alovisa, she is the worst enemy because she has a secretive love affair with D'Elmont.

Climax

The climax is when D’Elmont marries Alovisa, not because of love but her wealth.

Foreshadowing

The secretive love between Alovisa and D’Elmont foreshadowed Amena’s betrayal.

Understatement

The love relationship in the text is understated. D’Elmont is manipulative, and he only marries Alovisa because of her wealth.

Allusions

The story alludes to relationship treacheries in society.

Imagery

The author uses sexual imagery to let readers know that mutual affection is actualized during intercourse. The author writes, "they refused to stop to take any Refreshment 'till the next day was almost spent; but when they were come into the house where they were to lye that Night, not all the fatigue they had endur’d, kept the Lovers from giving and receiving all the Testimonies imaginable of mutual Affection."

Paradox

The main paradox is that Alovisa reports Amena’s relationship with D’Elmont to her father, pretending to be concerned about her welfare. Satirically, Alovisa wants Amena to be sent to a convent to get the opportunity to eliminate her from being close to D’Elmont.

Parallelism

There is parallelism between Alovisa’s love towards D’Elmont and his love towards her. For instance, Alovisa genuinely loves D’Elmont but only loves her wealth.

Metonymy and Synecdoche

The author uses 'testimonies of mutual affection' to refer to a lover's sexual inclination.

Personification

N/A

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